A curious week of observations indeed, many of which had little to do with fall migration. An immature Bald Eagle was seen near Enterprise; not a hot spot for raptor migration. A Peregrine Falcon reduced the city's population of Bluejays by one, yesterday and I received a late report of an albino Osprey seen August 30th in the Thousand Islands about 10km east of Gananoque.
There are up to 10 species of waterfowl in the Amherstview sewage lagoons, but nothing unusual.It certainly is difficult to sort out all those brown ducks! A flock of Wood Ducks was seen in Gibralter Bay just north of Kingston Mills. There were also 150 Bonaparte's Gulls at the lagoons on Monday and based on other reports to Ontbirds we should be looking for Little Gulls; none have been seen as yet. Warbler reports are but a trickle, 6 species on Garden Island Sept. 1st, 5 near Kingston Mills on the 7th and so far no sign of a fallout, just small flocks making their way southward. I have received some sightings from the Canadian Wildlife Service on some of the offshore islands in Lake Ontario near Kingston. A concentration of 150 Caspian and 200 Common Terns on Snake Island Aug. 29th was noteworthy. Two Ruddy Turnstones on Pigeon Island Aug. 31st were the first for the Kingston area this fall. A Buff-breasted Sandpiper was on Snake Island yesterday. Other shorebirds of note this week; A White-rumped Sandpiper at the lagoons and a Willet on Amherst Island both on Sept. 4th. Cheers, Peter Good Kingston Field Naturalists 613 378-6605
