WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA
for the week ending Thursday, September 29, 2005
Once again, we commence our weekly bird report with a synopsis of activity
at Prince Edward Point from the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory. A
PIED-BILLED GREBE returned to the harbour on the 23rd, and is only the
second record this fall. A few migrant CANADA GEESE have started to fly over
but no big numbers have been noted so far, the peak was 185 on the 24th. Six
GREEN-WINGED TEAL were in among the MALLARDS in the harbour on the 24th, and
the GREATER SCAUP have started to appear offshore with a peak of 30 on the
26th, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER have also returned and up to 16 have been seen in
a day on the lake along with up to 11 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS.
Raptor passage has been poor with 5 OSPREYS all week and only up to 10
SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS being seen in a day along with the odd MERLIN and
COOPER'S HAWK. Two LESSER YELLOWLEGS graced the harbour for a short time on
the 23rd but no other shorebirds have been seen. A YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO was
seen in the harbour area on the 23rd, and the last hummingbird seen was on
the 24th. YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS are becoming more regular now and up to
5 in a day are being seen. A small passage of NORTHERN FLICKERS has been
evident all week and a peak of 25 were noted on the 24th. Ten EASTERN WOOD
PEWEES seen around the harbour on the 23rd was an unexpected number for
this time of the year, as usually we are down to just one bird every few
days by now, and it was nice to see so many of them among the 12 EASTERN
PHOEBES that were also present. BLUE-HEADED VIREO numbers have decreased but
9 were found on the 24th and 14 RED-EYED VIREOS were seen the day before on
the 23rd.
There are still thousands of BLUE JAYS migrating over the point and this
week's peak was 3000 on the 24th. Numbers of these birds should start to
decrease in the next week or so. Four TREE SWALLOWS and a BANK SWALLOW flew
over on the 24th and there has been a small movement of WHITE-BREASTED
NUTHATCHES all week with up to 8 birds present daily. The occasional HOUSE
WREN is still to be found and WINTER WRENS are still moving in good numbers
with 15 on the 23rd and 13 on the 28th being the highs. Of course, at this
time of the year you expect the kinglets to arrive, and they have started
to appear, with 80 GOLDEN-CROWNED on the 24th and 150 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS
present in the area, and on the 28th there were 77 and 50 respectively in
the area. The only WOOD THRUSH of the fall was trapped on the 24th and
GRAY-CHEEKED and SWAINSON'S THRUSHES are still coming through, but in
slightly lower numbers. Five AMERICAN PIPITS were seen and heard flying
over on the 27th. In the last 7 or 8 days only 9 species of warblers have
been recorded, but on the 27th we had 35 BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS
present and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS peaked at 85 on the 29th. As is also
normal for this time of the year sparrow numbers are starting to increase
as well, up to 15 CHIPPING SPARROWS are to be found around the Observatory
an there were 30 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, 35 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS and 50
DARK-EYED JUNCOS around on the 27th. An INDIGO BUNTING on the 24th is so
far the only fall record for this year. Finally after ten nights of trying,
NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS are starting to move with 17 trapped on the night of
the 27th/28th, and these cute little owls should become commoner as we move
into October.
Elsewhere in the Quinte area, it has been less than exciting, if the few
reports that came in are any indication. A field trip to Sandbanks
Provincial Park by the Kingston Field Naturalists on the 18th resulted in a
few nice finds including two separate groups of SANDERLINGS (13 total), and
2 BONAPARTE'S GULLS at the mouth of the Outlet River. West Point produced
numerous WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, 5 BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS, HOUSE
WREN, both kinglet species, BROWN CREEPER, 20 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, 12
RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS and 4 MALLARDS.
An example of "autumnal recrudescence," that postseason reactivation of
breeding behaviour that we often see at this time of the year, was evident
along the Millennium Trail, west of Conley Road, when a VESPER SPARROW was
heard in full spring song on the 23rd, its flawless renditions carrying on
for a good 10 minutes. This incongruous behaviour can also be seen in RUFFED
GROUSE which act dopey in the fall, and could explain the reason behind one
colliding into a window at one home recently along Vanderwater Road, east of
Thomasburg.
Three BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS were noted by one observer off the north side of
Big Island on the 25th. While the latest RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD was noted
at Prince Edward Point on the 24th, our current last date involves an
individual seen on the 27th at some flowers on Walmsley Road at South Bay.
From 6-15 CEDAR WAXWINGS have been present along Sunrise Court all week, and
a BELTED KINGFISHER was observed perched on a dock near the west end of Big
Island late this week. There were two GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS at Muscote
Bay on the 26th and 27th. The 2,000+ EUROPEAN STARLINGS are still happy with
the current foraging opportunities in a field west of Caughey Road at the
west end of Big Island, and continue to turn up daily. An OSPREY was seen
flying over Picton Harbour yesterday.
Bird feeders across the county are revving up, and most are reporting
excellent patronage for this time of the year. Two RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS
are visiting a feeder on Glenora Road (down from the four there last week),
where other guests include 2 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS and 30 AMERICAN
GOLDFINCHES. A Low Street (Picton) feeder has a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH.
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), Pamela
Martin, Kurt Hennige, Owen Weir, Joanne Dewey, Anne Potter, Mike Carmody,
Will & Gretta Ogden, Susan McKay, Eileen Robbins, Henry Pasila, Henri & Fay
Gerand, Silvia Botnick, Helen Graham, Cheryl Anderson and Peter Marshall for
their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on
Thursday, October 6th. 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 seven days on the NatureStuff website under BIRDING where
this week's featured photo is an OSPREY, taken by Russ Kitchen of
Thomasburg.
Terry Sprague
Prince Edward County
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
