At Presqu'ile Provincial Park, as elsewhere, this is an exciting time of
year for birders. Hardly a day goes by without some new species
arriving back from the south, and the possibility exists of finding
something rare. Both of these situations have made the past week a
lively one, though the rarest birds, a pair of Black-necked Stilts on
April 11, were a short distance outside the Park.
Again this week, the Red-throated Loon population in Popham Bay has
attracted many visiting birders (and frustrated those who expected to
see them reasonably close to shore). The high count of 36 birds was on
April 9. Almost all of the birds, as well as one seen near the
lighthouse, are still in their winter, or "basic" plumage. Good numbers
of Common Loons, Horned Grebes, and Red-necked Grebes are also present.
An early American Bittern flew over the causeway outside the Park gate
on April 9. A few Great Egrets are being seen, most often in the
marsh. As expected, Black-crowned Night-Herons returned to their
heronry on Sebastopol Island on April 9 and can easily be spotted from
Owen Point.
Waterfowl have thinned out considerably since last week, including,
mercifully, part of the Mute Swan population, some of which may still be
in the area but sitting on their nests. In a flock of Canada Geese
passing over the Park on April 12 was a lone Cackling Goose. The
elusive male Eurasian Wigeon that has been playing hide-and-seek with
birders since late March (if it is indeed the same bird, as its
behaviour suggests) was found again off Bayshore Road between #16 and
#18 on April 12 and 13. Most of the time it stays far out in Presqu'ile
Bay, where a good scope and good light are needed to pick it out.
Single Blue-winged Teal have been seen in the marsh behind Owen Point
and among the Green-winged Teal that frequent the natural beach just
north of Owen Point. Two Surf Scoters have spent the past three days in
the outer part of Presqu'ile Bay, north-west of the lighthouse.
As is often the case at Presqu'ile, raptors have been rather scarce, but
a small falcon chasing swallows near the lighthouse may have been a
Merlin. Ospreys are normally here by now, but none has yet been reported.
Two other species that should be arriving soon are Virginia Rail and
Common Moorhen. Single Greater Yellowlegs were seen on April 9 and 12,
the former at Owen Point and the latter at the beach. Bonaparte's Gulls
are back in full force, 170 on April 13, and birders are scanning the
flocks for the first Little Gulls. An Iceland Gull on April 9 and two
Glaucous Gulls on April 13, all at Owen Point, were late for those species.
An early Red-bellied Woodpecker was heard near the lighthouse on April
11. Purple Martins and Barn Swallows arrived back on April 10 and have
been seen almost daily since then. Ruby-crowned Kinglets are now
widespread in the Park. A few Hermit Thrushes have been seen, and a
Brown Thrasher was at the lighthouse on April 13.
Keenly anticipated every spring at Presqu'ile is the warbler migration,
which began this week with scattered sightings of Yellow-rumped Warblers
and Pine Warblers. The sparrow migration can also be spectacular
because of the numbers involved rather than their plumage. This week,
the following, among others, were represented: Eastern Towhee, Chipping
Sparrow, several Field Sparrows, Fox Sparrow, Swamp Sparrows, and
White-throated Sparrow (in full song).
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]
--
--
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.
