The recent moderate relaxation of summer's grip on Presqu'ile Provincial
Park has brought in a few additional migrant shorebirds, but passerine
migrants appear to be awaiting something more significant by way of a
cooling trend. Only the steady stream of migrating monarch butterflies
appears oblivious to the heat.
Thirty Pied-billed Grebes were counted today from various lookouts along
Bayshore Road. The discovery yesterday of two dead Red-necked Grebes on
the beach is a further indication that all is not well with the Park's
water bird population. A visitor to Presqu'ile on August 6 provided
Park staff with a convincing description of a large white heron with
yellow legs, a description that matches that of a "Great White Heron",
believed to be a southern race of Great Blue Heron. On the same day,
another observer trained his spotting scope on High Bluff Island and saw
eight Great Egrets in his field of view at the same moment.
Two Blue-winged Teal at Owen Point on August 9 were the first of that
species seen in the Park since the spring. A female Common Merganser
was there on August 7. A report of five American Coots in the marsh on
August 10 is unusual for that date.
Thirteen species of shorebirds have visited Presqu'ile in the past week,
all of them between beach 3 and Owen Point or on the offshore islands.
Three Black-bellied Plovers were there on August 11, a Greater
Yellowlegs and two Solitary Sandpipers on August 6, a Ruddy Turnstone on
August 11, various numbers of Sanderlings (reaching a high of nine on
August 10), and a Baird's Sandpiper and a Short-billed Dowitcher on
August 11. Spotted Sandpipers have thinned out considerably. During
the past three years, the arrival of large numbers of shorebirds has
occurred during the middle week of the month. Species such as Stilt
Sandpiper and Buff-breasted Sandpiper and perhaps Red-necked Phalarope,
none of which has appeared at Presqu'ile this year, should be looked for
in the next two or three weeks. While looking for shorebirds at Owen
Point, one cannot fail to be impressed by the noisy hordes of Caspian
Terns. Their recent numbers, well into the hundreds, could justify
calling Presqu'ile the Caspian Tern Capital of Ontario.
For the second consecutive week, a Rock Pigeon appeared at the calf
pasture. The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds that have been loyal visitors
to the feeders and flower gardens along Bayshore Road are likely the
same individuals that have been present all summer, but soon observers
at Owen Point will be able to see migrants taking off over the lake.
Among the flycatchers at the lighthouse there has been an Eastern
Wood-Pewee constantly feeding a young Brown-headed Cowbird, as well as
an unidentified member of the Empidonax genus. A Red-breasted Nuthatch
has been in that area for several days. Also in that area, a Tennessee
Warbler has been seen on two occasions since August 4 and a
scruffy-looking (moulting?) Nashville Warbler on two occasions since
August 9. A Yellow-rumped Warbler was in that vicinity on August 8, and
five of that species were at the calf pasture on the following day. An
American Redstart and a possible Bay-breasted Warbler were near the
lighthouse on August 6. One of the biggest surprises of the week was a
Dark-eyed Junco seen by two observers on the Owen Point trail on August
6, almost two months ahead of its usual arrival date.
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]
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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.
