The persistence of a high pressure cell over Ontario, including
Presqu'ile Provincial Park, for most of the past week, while providing
unbeatable conditions for birders to indulge in their sport, has
resulted in a steady trickle of migrating birds rather than a series of
incoming waves of birds. It has also meant that many of the birds that
were in the Park a week ago are still there.
Red-throated Loons continue to be a daily sighting in Popham Bay, though
the numbers have dropped from about 20 on Monday to about a dozen
today. Most (but not all) of the Horned Grebes and Red-necked Grebes
have also moved on. While Great Egrets are undoubtedly lurking somewhere
in the Park, sightings this week have been surprisingly few. On the
other hand, there are Black-crowned Night-Herons on Sebastopol Island
every day (15 birds there today).
The discovery of five Snow Geese at beach 1 on April 14 came as a
surprise. However, it no longer raises an eyebrow when one mentions
having seen a Eurasian Wigeon in Presqu'ile Bay. With the help of a
spotting scope, that bird was found with little difficulty on six of the
past seven days. Vantage points have been as far west as 16 Bayshore
Road and as far east as the calf pasture, but viewing is best from the
vicinity of 38 Bayshore Road. There has been a run of ten consecutive
days on which Surf Scoters have been visible, again using a scope, in
the outer part of Presqu'ile Bay, a female and a young male for the
first six days and only the young male since then. Others of that
species have been off the lighthouse.
A Cooper's Hawk and a Merlin were both seen near the lighthouse during
the past week. Common Moorhens were present on April 15 and 20. On
April 19, four years almost to the day after a Sandhill Crane circled
high over the marsh before disappearing to the north, another one did
the same thing.
There are six species of swallows that have been seen at Presqu'ile,
four of which have already returned from the south. Bank Swallows and
Cliff Swallows may be expected to follow soon. For the past two days, a
Carolina Wren has loudly made its presence known near the lighthouse,
after a hiatus of almost two years with no sightings in the Park.
Another inappropriately named southerner, a Northern Mockingbird, was
seen today near the bird sightings board. Three species of warblers
were seen at Presqu'ile today. Two of them, Yellow-rumped Warblers and
Pine Warblers, have been present for some time, but a Palm Warbler was
the first of the year. Like the first Palm Warbler of last spring, this
bird was a member of the eastern "Yellow" race. There was a report of a
Grasshopper Sparrow at the calf pasture on April 19. Other sparrows
have been widespread, including a fairly late American Tree Sparrow on
April 20 and three Fox Sparrows on that same date. The first Rusty
Blackbird of the season was near the lighthouse on April 20, and the
first Purple Finches on April 14 and 20.
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.
