WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA
for Thursday, April 28, 2005
We'll start this week's Quinte Area Bird Report, as we often do, with a
summary from the Prince Edward Bird Observatory. DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
numbers are building up on Swetman Island (False Duck Island) as the
breeding birds return to nest, a few flocks of CANADA GEESE are still
moving through although the numbers are not large. LONG-TAILED DUCKS have
decreased to about 1500 and are off Point Traverse most days, other ducks
are low in numbers, but up to 90 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS move past daily and
up to 40 BUFFLEHEAD can be seen on the lake near the lighthouse. Two
BROAD-WINGED HAWKS flew over on the 27th and the 23rd had 13 NORTHERN
HARRIERS come in off the lake. The first CASPIAN TERNS of the spring were
seen on the 22nd and a Flicker Intergrade was banded on the 27th. An
immature ICELAND GULL flew past the point on the 23rd. The first PALM
WARBLER arrived on the 27th and the first NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH on the same
day.
WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS and SWAMP SPARROWS arrived in large numbers as well
that day with 150 and 25 logged. Very few YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS have
arrived so far with the peak being only ten. A BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER
was at Point Traverse on the 27th as well. The next week should see the
start of the warblers coming through with more variety as well.
Birds seen at Prince Edward Point by other observers during the reporting
period included 30 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, 4 RED-NECKED GREBES, 6 HORNED GREBES
and a LITTLE GULL on the 24th, 3 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, a HERMIT THRUSH
and what appears to be a resident COMMON RAVEN on the 25th.
Moving west up the Long Point Peninsula, a BLUE-HEADED VIREO was found on
the 24th at Little Bluff Conservation Area. Babylon Road the same day
produced an UPLAND SANDPIPER. Charwell Point Road, along the County's south
shore, yielded the season's first VESPER SPARROW on the 24th.
The first YELLOW WARBLER was seen on Elmbrook Road, north of Picton on April
27th and another was at West Point the same day. To date, only seven species
of warblers have arrived in Prince Edward County, although in two week's
time birders are apt to look back on that figure and laugh as up to 30
species of warblers begin to descend on favourable habitat in the county.
The first SPOTTED SANDPIPER announced its presence on the north shore of Big
Island on the 26th, the first GREEN HERON was seen on Fry Road on the 27th,
and also adding their names to the newcomers list were WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROWS at a feeder in Bloomfield and BANK SWALLOWS at a pit on Wesley
Acres Road.
The waters of the Bucknell's Slough on Wesley Acres Road, despite the almost
daily rains of the past week, continues to drop in quantity, along with the
waterfowl that can be found there. On the 25th, there was one lonely
NORTHERN PINTAIL and about 10 CASPIAN TERNS. The first COMMON MOORHENS
showed up in the Big Island Marsh on the 27th.
OSPREYS continue to resume ownership of former nesting sites in odd places
in the county. A schoolyard light standard had four last week arguing over
proper ownership, but another nest located on a light standard in a ball
park east of Waupoos seems to be content with just one pair. A new platform
erected along the Bay of Quinte shoreline near Rednersville still doesn't
have any takers, and one has to wonder if osprey enthusiasts have not
finally reached their dream of now having more platforms than ospreys to
occupy them.
In addition to the SANDHILL CRANES that have returned to their favourite
pasture fields south of Picton off County Road 10, there was also a report
of four SANDHILL CRANES 10 days ago five miles north of Madoc. And to
illustrate the extent that some distant reports come in, a reader e-mailed
from Elliot Lake to report a EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH that had come to a feeder in
that town. Speaking of feeders, and getting back to more local birding
areas, an EASTERN TOWHEE made a one day visit to a feeder at Smith's Bay on
the 27th and another feeder north of the Black River Cheese Factory also had
visit from a towhee two days earlier. A PINE SISKIN is patronizing a feeder
on Elmbrook Road and PURPLE FINCHES are coming to feeders at Mountain View,
Big Island, 2075 County Road 7, and at Allisonville. A feeder on Glenora
Road not only has PURPLE FINCHES, but also enjoys regular visits from a
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, NORTHERN FLICKER and two YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS.
A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER is also at a feeder in Adolphustown. While most
eyes are on the horizon for the first hummingbirds of the season and nectar
feeders are at the ready, one feeder at Pleasant Bay has attracted an early
BALTIMORE ORIOLE, the second sighting of this species so far this spring in
the county.
There was an unexpected occurrence of a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER at Sandbanks
Provincial Park's West Lake Sector on April 22nd, roughly in the same area
where one was seen in October of last year. Of course, the joy of birding is
the thrill of the unexpected, and who knows what next week will bring as the
spring migration forges bravely ahead.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area.
Our thanks to David Okines (Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory), Grant
Ketcheson, Barry Pinsky, Steve O'Brien, David Britton (OntBirds listserv),
Lloyd Paul, Peter Rozomiak, Bruce Ripley, Joanne Dewey, Doris Lane, John &
Margaret Moore, Michael Jaques, Molly Mulloy, Cheryl Anderson, Shirley & Ken
Joyce, Bernadette McCabe, David Bree, Brian & Gloria Durell, Bill Hogg, Joe
Victor, Don Chisholm, and Donald McClure for their contributions to this
week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, May 05. 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 where this week's photo of a EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH is
courtesy of Bernadette McCabe and Terry Carr of the Penokean Hills Field
Naturalists of Elliot Lake. Good spring birding everyone!
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
