WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE
WEEK ENDING Thursday, February 08, 2007
Waterfowl watchers continue to be frustrated in Prince Edward County as cold
weather keeps available open water to a minimum. The best remaining area
seems to be Barcovan, which really isn't in the county, but very close to
the border. Seen here on the 5th was a female RUDDY DUCK that was still
present yesterday, along with 4 AMERICAN COOTS, 1 GADWALL, REDHEADS, COMMON
GOLDENEYES, AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, MALLARDS, several hundred CANADA GEESE,
but only one MUTE SWAN. The latter species tends to alternate between
Presqu'ile and Barcovan/Weller's Bay, and last week an estimated 300 MUTE
SWANS were present. The only open water at Prince Edward Point these days is
near the lighthouse, and birders there on the 7th managed to tally a MUTE
SWAN, and 5 REDHEADS, along with low numbers of other species expected at
this time of the year. There was no open water at Wellington Harbour this
week.
While winter is holding a firm grip on the county, at least one sign of
spring has been noted along roadsides. HORNED LARKS, considered to be one of
the earlier "spring" migrants, have been noted throughout the region, with
over 200 seen on County Road 1 north of Bloomfield, offset by more wintry
sightings of 10 SNOW BUNTINGS. Two EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, obviously wintering
individuals rather than spring migrants, appeared at a feeder near Elmbrook
this afternoon where there is also a SONG SPARROW and a WHITE-THROATED
SPARROW. At Prince Edward Point, at least 3 NORTHERN FLICKERS are present, a
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, 200 AMERICAN ROBINS, 50 CEDAR WAXWINGS, 11
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and a single FOX SPARROW. We can attribute the
presence of some of these birds to the abundance of Red Cedars that grow in
the area, offering both shelter and an abundance of berries this season.
Over 80 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS are regulars at daybreak at a Big Island
feeder and EUROPEAN STARLINGS numbering hundreds in some cases have shown up
at other feeders, the larger numbers likely attributable to favourable
weather conditions early in the winter, prompting both species to remain in
larger than usual numbers. A HERMIT THRUSH is still being seen in the Salem
area, west of Brighton and a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD has turned up on two
occasions at a feeder on Sunrise Drive in the Massassauga Point area.
Fifteen EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were reported from Salem.
Several ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS both light and dark phased, were seen along
County Road 1 yesterday. COOPER'S HAWKS made unscheduled visits to feeders
in Bloomfield and on Big Island during the week as well as at a location
just west of Picton, and a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK soared over one feeder at
Thomasburg. RED-TAILED HAWKS were observed at Cape Vesey, and north of
Belleville along Harmony Road, and another was perched just beyond a feeder
on Crookston Road. There was a NORTHERN HARRIER seen at Cape Vesey on
Tuesday, and another was seen the same day at Big Island's east end. One
observer birding Amherst Island on Tuesday checked off NORTHERN HARRIER,
RED-TAILED HAWK, 16 LONG-EARED OWLS, NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL and 24 SNOW
BUNTINGS. BALD EAGLES, still in short supply this winter compared to other
years, numbered two at Cape Vesey on the 6th, and another was seen north of
Madoc at Cooney Road.
Snow and colder weather have done wonderful things to feeders across the
region, mainly in terms of numbers of what had already been coming. Over 50
MOURNING DOVES and 45 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS are regular early morning
guests at 23 Sprague Road on Big Island, 2 dozen BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES
are at a Thomasburg feeder and similar numbers are regulars on Loyalist
Parkway west of Picton where high numbers of MOURNING DOVES and DARK-EYED
JUNCOS are also present. A half dozen WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES are at a
feeder at Massassauga and a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH was reported from a feeder
yesterday west of Picton. PURPLE FINCHES, a species we no longer see in the
high numbers we used to 40 years ago are reported at some feeders, but in
very small numbers. There are several at a feeder at the H.R. Frink Centre
on Thrasher Road north of Belleville, and up to 8 are regulars at a
Thomasburg feeder and another appeared at a feeder with a number of AMERICAN
GOLDFINCHES in the Tweed area. A Victoria Avenue feeder in Belleville is the
hit of the town with its heated pool. Photos e-mailed this week showed a at
least 16 EUROPEAN STARLINGS vying for space at a bird bath in one photo, and
another photo depicted a COMMON CROW bellying up to the bar. Close to 80
MALLARDS arrived for breakfast one -18 degree morning at a Belleville feeder
where the owner there feeds corn by the hundredweight. There was a
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER today at a feeder at 2800 County Road 1 near
Bloomfield.
This is a condensed version of the Quinte Area Bird Report, containing only
the significant sightings for Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. The
full version can be found on the NatureStuff website, under BIRDING from
the Main Menu.
Terry Sprague
Prince Edward County
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
