WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FOR PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR
Thursday, January 20, 2005
The appearance of GREAT GRAY OWLS in Prince Edward County isn't what you
might call an invasion, but they are appearing one at a time. One was seen
this morning at 7:00 A.M. along County Road 15, just a couple houses west of
Hint Lane, at Civic Address # 2511. The bird flew in front of my car and
landed atop a roadside hydro pole. Two others in the county have been seen
at Lake-on-the-Mountain as well as east of there along County Road 7 at The
Rock Crossroad, and another continues to make backyard visits at a home west
of Cape Vesey. Elsewhere within the reporting area, there were four seen at
Tamworth, four in the Crookston Road area south of Madoc, one on Vanderwater
Road east of Thomasburg, four on Lahey Road south of Madoc, one south of
Moira Road near Thomasburg, and one at Forest Mills. Another appeared at an
address on Maitland Avenue just north of Belleville on January 17th, where
it continues to exploit the fields behind their house.
A BARRED OWL continues to be seen infrequently by observers in the
Vanderwater Conservation Area. A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen this morning at
7:30 a.m. near the Salmon River Bridge at 401. A COOPER'S HAWK was reported
from 2075 County Road 7 east of Lake-on-the-Mountain, a NORTHERN HARRIER was
spotted on January 15th at Huyck's Bay and another north of Belleville.
RED-TAILED HAWKS during the week showed up at Belleville, Wooler Road,
Trenton, and in Prince Edward County at Kaiser Road, and on Highway 33 near
Huyck's Point Road. BALD EAGLES continued to flaunt their high numbers in
the county with individuals during the week being seen at the Quinte Skyway
Bridge January 16th (1 adult), one immature at Cressy also on January 16th,
3 at Point Traverse on January 17th, one immature along the shore at Prince
Edward Bay on January 18th, and two adults and two immatures that cruise the
Adolphus Reach area on a regular basis.
A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK did a little backyard feeder birding during the
week at an address in Trenton. Suet feeders at this same yard hung nervously
as 3 PILEATED WOODPECKERS dropped in, but none ventured near the feeders.
This same feeder also has flying squirrels among its regular cliental.
Throughout the area, COMMON REDPOLLS, AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES and PINE SISKINS
continue to patronize feeders in varying numbers. One feeder in the Picton
area has close to 80 COMMON REDPOLLS on a daily basis, and 40 to a feeder on
Sheba's Island, while other less fortunate feeders have only two or three
who visit irregularly. A high of 10 NORTHERN CARDINALS are coming to a
feeder on Glenora Road east of Picton, but the prize of the week goes to a
feeder operator east of Lake-on-the-Mountain who has somehow managed to
attract no fewer than 12 NORTHERN CARDINALS. There is a CAROLINA WREN still
visiting a feeder at Forest Mills north of Napanee, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES
are coming to feeders in Thomasburg and two are coming to a feeder at 2075
County Road 7 in Prince Edward County. There is also a SONG SPARROW at this
feeder, and one is also coming to a feeder at 23 Sprague Road. A feeder east
of Picton still has a NORTHERN FLICKER and a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER among
its regular guests and several feeders in the County have RED-WINGED
BLACKBIRDS. A rarity in winter anymore in Prince Edward County, two EVENING
GROSBEAKS make occasional visits to a feeder at the corner of Sunrise Drive
and Sunrise Court at Massassauga.
Frigid weather over the last two days has once again sealed up many of
the prime waterfowl watching areas. Among the scattered sightings that
trickled in during the week were BUFFLEHEADS, CANADA GEESE and MALLARDS at
Cressy Lakeside Road.
Other interesting sightings during the week included AMERICAN ROBINS at
Forest Mills, a RUSTY BLACKBIRD and three EASTERN BLUEBIRDS east of the girl
guide camp at Waupoos, 16 SNOW BUNTINGS on Wesley Acres Road on Monday, a
BELTED KINGFISHER in a brook near Stevens Road in Waupoos, and a backyard
PILEATED WOODPECKER east of Waupoos.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area.
Our thanks to Fred & Janet Chandler, Diane Woods, Paul Wallace, Doris Lane,
Judith Bell, Barry Pinsky, Lloyd Paul, Beth McPherson, Margaret
Haylock-Capon, Albert Boisvert, Peter Sporring, Helen Graham, Judith Gray,
Russ & Trudy Kitchen, Cheryl Anderson, Silvia Botnick, Susan MacKay, Sue
Vanwart, John Charlton, Joe Victor, John & Margaret Moore, Robert Simmons,
Peter Marshall and Donald McClure for their contributions to this week's
report. This report will be updated on Thursday, January 27th. Bird
sightings may be forwarded to [EMAIL PROTECTED] at any time before the
Thursday 6:00 p.m. deadline. This report also appears on the NatureStuff
website under BIRDING, with this week's feature photo of a great gray owl by
Peter Sporring of Belleville.
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
