WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FOR PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA
for Thursday, September 08, 2005
As might be predicted, many eyes are on Prince Edward Point these days
as the autumn migration accelerates. A sure sign of fall progressing is the
number of CANADA GEESE in the harbour increasing, the numbers are now up to
65 from just 10 a week or so ago. A BLUE-WINGED TEAL was seen among the
MALLARDS on the 5th and 5 GREEN-WINGED TEALS were present this morning
(8th). An OSPREY flew over on the 2nd and a BALD EAGLE on the evening of the
5th. Other raptors seen this week included up to 5 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 2
COOPER'S HAWKS, 12 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS and 3 AMERICAN KESTRELS being seen in
a day. Shorebirds still remain scarce with just 5 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, one
KILLDEER and a SOLITARY SANDPIPER being seen all week. Up to five
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS have been seen in a day and 7 trapped during he
week. Of the flycatchers, only LEAST are still coming through in any
numbers, and 15 on the 6th was the peak. The 4th saw the start of the
BLUE-HEADED VIREOS and it has been a good year so far for RED-EYED VIREOS
with a peak of 45 on the 5th. The first BROWN CREEPER arrived on the 3rd
but only singles are being seen so far. The 5th saw the first RUBY-CROWNED
KINGLETS. This day had a good arrival of warblers with 30 NASHVILLE, 45
MAGNOLIA, 80 YELLOW-RUMPED, 8 BLACK-THROATED GREEN, 10 each of
BAY-BREASTED and BLACKPOLL, 20 AMERICAN REDSTARTS and 15 WILSON'S WARBLERS
all being present. Two LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were trapped on the 5th and a
DARK-EYED JUNCO was seen on the 3rd. Today, the 8th, saw a few birds around
before the rain started, and 89 birds were trapped including 14 SWAINSON'S
THRUSHES, as well as 5 TENNESSEE, a CAPE MAY, 10 MAGNOLIAS and 29 BLACKPOLL
WARBLERS. WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS are being seen daily now and are providing
a taste of the days to come.
As well as Prince Edward Point producing at least a few shorebirds so
far this fall, seven shorebird species greeted birders at Sandbanks
Provincial Park during the week. The HUDSONIAN GODWIT that was first seen at
the mouth of the Outlet River on August 18th, was still present on August
31st. Also appearing on the beaches around the Labour Day weekend were 9
PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 15 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 9 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 2
LEAST SANDPIPERS and a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. Also included in the list were
6 very early DUNLIN. There were three LITTLE GULLS earlier in the week and 2
on the 31st. BAY-BREASTED WARBLERS moved through last week, and many were
seen enjoying a bath under the water taps in the campgrounds. Near the
wooded swamp at 2800 County Road 1, northwest of Bloomfield, there was a
SOLITARY SANDPIPER seen.
One birder birding Prince Edward Point on September 1st rounded up a
respectable checklist of 68 species, including 11 species of warblers.
Highlights were 2 immature BALD EAGLES, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, MERLIN, lots of
EASTERN WOOD PEWEES, PURPLE FINCH in the Point Traverse Woods, and warblers
including NASHVILLE, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, BLACKPOLL, MOURNING, COMMON
YELLOWTHROAT and WILSON'S. Another highlight was a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER
with absolutely no tail, but proudly displaying a band on its right leg.
Three PILEATED WOODPECKERS were seen at Black River.
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS are still in evidence as the fall creeps even
closer to their departure date later this month or early October.
Individuals are visiting feeders at Sheba's Island, Maitland Avenue in
Belleville, Big Island, and four are at a feeder on Glenora Road.
Conventional feeders around the Quinte area are also becoming busy, mostly
right now, with adult birds and their young. BLUE JAYS and their young
continue with their relentless din outside my home office, and other feeder
operators have reported DOWNY WOODPECKERS, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES and
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, all with young in tow. A feeder north of
Belleville has over 20 BLUE JAYS, 15 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, 10 MOURNING
DOVES, joined in the backyard by BALTIMORE ORIOLE, 15 AMERICAN ROBINS and a
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, just to keep things active.
It isn't just the focal points of the County that are attracting migrating
birds, particularly warblers. The community of Albury, across the Bay of
Quinte from Trenton, has had up to 11 species of warblers, all seen in a
backyard from one person's desk. At one point, an EASTERN PHOEBE landed on a
windowsill and stared, and a LEAST FLYCATCHER also appeared later, the
person observing that it has been akin to working in an aviary. A GREAT
CRESTED FLYCATCHER has also been calling from the same yard for two days
now. Elsewhere around that same location, there was a WINTER WREN on Bryant
Road, 2 GREEN HERONS in the Albury Swamp, 2 GREAT EGRETS seen in flight, and
an estimated 1,000 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS.
Not to be outdone by RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, EUROPEAN STARLINGS have been
seen in numerous, but smaller flocks, throughout the Quinte area as they
prepare to move out of the region. About 300 were seen at the west end of
Big Island perching on the hydro lines, then descending to a lawn below. In
the same area, there were 2 RED-NECKED GREBES near shore in Muscote Bay on
September 2nd. All over, birds have been collecting in varying numbers.
EASTERN SCREECH OWLS have been heard calling at Big Island, Point Petre (end
of Easterbrook Road) and along Scoharie Road. There were 12 NORTHERN
FLICKERS on Saturday in Picton's Mount Olive Cemetery. There have been
several reports of AMERICAN KESTRELS, indicating this species has bounced
back from last winter's absence. And getting down to the singles, a
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER has been present since August 25th along the
Millennium Trail in the Slab Creek section, at Hillier. A GREAT HORNED OWL
was calling just outside someone's home at Point Petre, and two COMMON
YELLOWTHROATS were seen on September 6th in the Cold Creek wetland along the
Millennium Trail, just east of Benway Road in the Hillier area.
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), Rae
O'Brien, Cheryl Anderson, Henri Gerand, Judy Bell, Henry Pasila, John and
Margaret Moore, Peter Marshall, Silvia Botnick, Lloyd Paul, Nancy Fox, and
Joanne Dewey for their contributions to this week's report. This report will
be updated on Thursday September 15th. Bird sightings may be forwarded to
[EMAIL PROTECTED] any time before the Thursday 6:00 p.m. deadline. This
report also appears for a period of 7 days on the NatureStuff website under
BIRDING where this week's featured photo is a HUDSONIAN GODWIT, taken by Don
Craighead of Belleville.
Terry Sprague
Prince Edward County
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
