Birders expecting to find swarms of land birds at Presqu'ile Provincial
Park like those of a month ago have been disappointed in the past week,
as they are becoming increasingly scarce with each passing cold front.
However, there has been more than adequate compensation for those
willing to accept instead a good variety of water birds and
correspondingly large numbers.
Common Loons and Horned Grebes are still ubiquitous, albeit in somewhat
diminished numbers from those of a week ago. Two Red-necked Grebes were
out in Lake Ontario on October 27 and another was at the calf pasture on
November 1. For the past three days, the infamous Double-crested
Cormorant numbers have dwindled to single digits. A Great Blue Heron
was in the marsh on two days this week. The distinctive call of a
Tundra Swan was heard near the lighthouse early on the morning of
November 2, but the origin of the sound could not be located. Among the
six species of dabbling ducks at Presqu'ile in the past week, the
Green-winged Teals are by far the most numerous, but they are
concentrated in Popham Bay, unlike the other five, which are mainly in
the marsh. A flock of several thousand diving ducks in Presqu'ile Bay
for six of the past seven days (the other being a day when three parties
of hunters kept them on the move) contains a decent variety. Most are
Greater Scaup and Redheads, but there have also been a handful of
Canvasbacks for the past five days, Ring-necked Ducks on the past two
days, a few Lesser Scaup, a female Black Scoter on at least two days,
good numbers of Long-tailed Ducks and Buffleheads, a few Common
Goldeneyes, some Red-breasted Mergansers, and, on October 31, three
Ruddy Ducks, the first of that species to be seen at Presqu'ile this year.
Single sightings of Merlin and Peregrine Falcon have been made at Gull
Peninsula. The most recent Gyrfalcon observation at Presqu'ile was on
November 3 two years ago, so birders should be on the lookout for that
rarity. A Ruffed Grouse wandered through two residential properties on
Bayshore Road this week.
An American Golden-Plover on October 27 and a Semipalmated Plover two
days later were both late. No Purple Sandpipers have yet been reported
this fall. A phalarope seen briefly in a raging gale on the latter date
would almost certainly have to have been a Red Phalarope this late in
the season. Parasitic Jaegers seen on October 26 and 27 were followed
by a much rarer Pomarine Jaeger on October 29. Little Gulls were
present on four of the last five days in October, with two on one day
(the 27th). Another rarity, a Black-legged Kittiwake, was spotted on
October 31.
The second Northern Shrike of the season was at the calf pasture on
November 1. Two Common Ravens flew past Owen Point on November 2.
There are still small groups of "October migrants" in the Park:
Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Hermit Thrushes, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Chipping
Sparrows. A Fox Sparrow was seen on October 29. A flock of birds
flying west low over the water of Presqu'ile Bay on October 30 appeared,
from their general impression, to be Lapland Longspurs, but no firm
identification could be made.
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. It should be noted that, because
duck hunting is given priority on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and
Saturdays, Owen Point, Gull Peninsula, High Bluff Island, and part of
the calf pasture are not available for bird-watching on those days.
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.
