WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE
WEEK ENDING Thursday, March 01, 2007
We start out this week's Quinte Area Bird Report with a HARRIS'S SPARROW
that turned up at 2800 County Road 1 more than two weeks ago as an unknown
species, but made an unexpected appearance when I was there on February 25th
while I was waiting to lead a guided winter hike into The Big Swamp. The
bird appeared to be a winter plumaged adult male and I was impressed with
the overall size of the bird, compared to the juncos and tree sparrows with
which it fed on the ground - at least as large as white-crowned sparrow. It
was beautifully marked in varying shades of tan with prominent streaking
down its back that ended abruptly far short of its tail. The pink beak was
also a diagnostic field mark as was the amount of black around the bill and
forehead. Unfortunately, the bird does not seem to have a set schedule, and
appears whenever the spirit moves it, resulting in many observers failing to
see it on some days, while others observe it within moments of their arrival
to the Ron and Nancy Fox home. Our thanks to the Foxes for their
hospitality. I will e-mail directions to anyone who wants to try for the
bird.
Those who found the HARRIS'S SPARROW had quite a few birds to sort through
on most days. It is one of the busier feeders in Prince Edward County and
among the regular clientel are 40 MOURNING DOVES, 40 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS,
35 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, 10 DOWNY WOODPECKERS, 5 HAIRY WOODPECKER, 4
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, 2 RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS, 1 BROWN CREEPER and
lesser numbers of other species. This activity has also attracted a COOPER'S
HAWK on a regular basis. It pays to live beside The Big Swamp.
Other interesting feeder guests elsewhere in the Quinte area have included 4
EASTERN BLUEBIRDS at one residence on Mitchells Crossroad, a NORTHERN
MOCKINGBIRD and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS at a feeder east of Bloomfield, FOX
SPARROWS at feeders near Croydon, one on South Shore Road at Hay Bay, and
another coming to a feeder at the H.R. Frink Centre near Plainfield.
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS were reported during the week at feeders located at
Wilson Road and County Road 2, another at a feeder east of Bloomfield, one
at Jackson's Falls Road, and one at Fenwood Gardens south of Belleville. A
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW is at a feeder at Hay Bay and another was heard
singing at Bradley Crossroad throughout the week.
A Carrying Place resident had a great show on Monday, when a PILEATED
WOODPECKER positioned itself on a tree about 25 feet from the window of a
house and proceeded to search for insects. As the hole got progressively
larger, another PILEATED WOODPECKER arrived, this time a female, landing on
the same tree, but on the opposite side. Pileated Woodpecker bookends!
Another PILEATED WOODPECKER turned up at Cape Vesey, one was seen near
Bloomfield, and the species has been heard calling along Crookston Road
south of Madoc. At an address along that same road, there are some 46
AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES flocking around feeders there, and 67 were counted at
another feeder near Thomasburg. CEDAR WAXWINGS that have been present all
winter in the Massassauga Point area, are still around, and 12 were seen
there this week.
While on the topic of woodpeckers, at nearby Vanderwater Conservation Area
at Thomasburg, one surprised cross country skier came upon a female
BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER that was still in the general area when he returned
some time later.
AMERICAN ROBINS continue to turn up across the region, and while some may
very well be spring migrants, it is believed the majority are those that
winter, and which have been encouraged out by slightly warmer temperatures.
Some were seen during the week at Prinyer's Cove and about a hundred were
counted at Peat's Point near Massassauga, and a dozen were seen at Horse
Point, and 10 are seen daily at 2800 County Road 1. At least 50 were seen on
Crookston Road mid afternoon today.
BALD EAGLES continue to patrol eastward along the shore in the Cape Vesey
area, early in the morning and again in the evening, where up to three have
been observed. A BALD EAGLE was seen Wednesday as well along Deloro Road,
north of Madoc. NORTHERN HARRIERS during the week, a species fairly abundant
this winter in Prince Edward County, were seen at Big Island, Massassauga
area, Consecon, Rednersville, Huff's Island, Milford, Wellington and South
Bay. An AMERICAN KESTREL was seen on a utility wire north of Belleville, and
a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK performed a quick fly by during the week at 23 Sprague
Road.
Few reports of waterfowl this week, although that is apt to change once the
water softens up a bit. In fact, Wellington Harbour is open for business
again. Seen there today were 19 MUTE SWANS, 200 CANADA GEESE, 50 MALLARDS,
20 REDHEADS, 34 scaup, 8 BUFFLEHEAD, 10 COMMON MERGANSER, 15 COMMON
GOLDENEYE, 10 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and 13 LONG-TAILED DUCKS. Until more
water opens up, look in the fields around the area where both MALLARDS and
AMERICAN BLACKS are guaranteed to congregate if there are fields of corn
stubble about. There are still 200 in a field doing just that west of
Trenton, and about the same number can occasionally be seen in a field of
corn stubble along County Road 18, just west of the 4-way stop at the
Sandbanks Provincial Park entrance. One optimistic observer today took at a
peek at the Kaiser Crossroad east of Cape Vesey where thousands of ducks
congregate every spring, and was surprised to see some activity already with
numerous swans and about 50 CANADA GEESE.
Other sightings of note involved WILD TURKEYS. There were 50 seen today
along Highway 62, just south of the former Two Loons Restaurant near Madoc.
In Prince Edward County, 2 were seen on Friday along County Road 10 near
Miller Road, 9 the same day along Miller Road itself, 4 this morning at the
junction of County Roads 10 and 13 near the Mariner's Museum, and 12 in the
same area but a few hundred yards south along 13.
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. Here you will find photos of the HARRIS'S SPARROW and the
Vanderwater BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER.
Terry Sprague
Prince Edward County
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
