At Presqu'ile Provincial Park, the past week has provided a variety of weather
conditions, but from a birding perspective, as well as general comfort, the
best day by far was April 29, when many new birds of a great variety showed up.
Rough water has made it difficult to keep track of Red-throated Loons in Popham
Bay, but at least one could be spotted on April 29.
Great Egrets and Black-crowned Night-Herons are regularly being seen in their
traditional haunts, and a Green Heron was in the marsh on April 27. Least
Bitterns are the only member of the heron family that nests at Presqu'ile which
has not yet been found this year.
Two flocks of Northern Pintails, totalling 18 birds, were off Owen Point on
April 26, weeks after most of the migrants had departed from the marsh, their
usual stopping point. Canvasbacks appear to have left the Park, since none has
been reported for over a week. The female Surf Scoter that hung around the
lighthouse last week was last seen on April 23, when she spent the entire
afternoon in one spot. After a hiatus of over ten days with no reports, the
male Barrow's Goldeneye at Owen Point re-appeared on April 26, along with four
female goldeneyes, but has not been reported again.
A Merlin is showing signs of nesting in a white pine near the Staff House. It
has been seen on most days this week.
The only newly arrived shorebird was a Dunlin at lookout #1 on the Owen Point
trail on April 29. Two notable gulls this week were an Iceland Gull on
Sebastopol Island on April 24, 26, and 27 and a Lesser Black-backed Gull at
Owen Point on April 26.
Three species of flycatchers were present on April 29: Least Flycatchers,
Eastern Phoebes, and Eastern Kingbirds. Blue-headed Vireos on April 26 and 29
are the only members of that genus to have reached the Park this spring. House
Wrens, Marsh Wrens, and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers have all returned on time. A
Veery was seen at the lighthouse on April 29.
Warblers have put on a good show this week. Among the ten species seen since
Sunday, the highlights were a Blue-winged Warbler and an Ovenbird on April 29,
both record early dates according to Birds of Presqu'ile Provincial Park. The
biggest surprise of the week, discovered while this report was being written
(late on April 29), was a young male Summer Tanager in the tall trees along
Paxton Drive behind 85 Bayshore Road (about one kilometre from the lighthouse,
where a paved trail goes off to the south). That is the first record of that
southern species for Presqu'ile in several recent years and by far the earliest.
A Lincoln's Sparrow was reported at the lighthouse on April 29, and White-crowned Sparrows have been present since April 27, apparently a record early date. In contrast, a Snow Bunting on the beach on April 29 was exceptionally late. Three Rusty Blackbirds were at the lighthouse on April 26. A very early female Orchard Oriole and male Baltimore Oriole were both in view at the same time On April 29, behind 83 Bayshore Road. A House Sparrow at 186 Bayshore Road on April 29 is sufficiently unusual at Presqu'ile to warrant mention.
To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton. Locations
within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid that is available
at the Park gate. Access to the offshore islands is restricted at this time of
year to prevent disturbance to the colonial nesting birds there.
Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be
directed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
--
Fred Helleiner
186 Bayshore Road,
R.R. #4,
Brighton, Ontario, Canada, K0K 1H0
VOICE: (613) 475 5309
If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park.
