WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE
WEEK ENDING Thursday, April 12, 2007
With cold rain and wet snow falling all around us today, it is clear that
winter still has its icy grip on us, and is reluctant to surrender. Still,
the spring migration continues, although few new species showed up this past
week. An overly optimistic PURPLE MARTIN, that arrived to a martin house on
Massassauga Road, just south of Belleville, on April 2nd, turned up dead
five days later. TREE SWALLOWS however continue to take the fickle April
weather in their stride, exploiting the open waters and local rivers for any
signs of flying insects. It may be a few days yet before that first warbler
appears, and spring starts to make sense again.
Evident over the past seven days has been increasing numbers of
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, NORTHERN FLICKERS, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, and
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS as the migration of these three species continues,
seemingly unaffected by the inclement weather conditions. CHIPPING SPARROWS,
FOX SPARROWS and WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS are also trickling in, and last
week there was a GREAT EGRET seen in the Salem area, between Colborne and
Brighton. Back in Prince Edward County, there were three reports of SANDHILL
CRANES, one sighting involving four individuals that flew across Doxsee
Road, west of Demorestville April 7th. AMERICAN WOODCOCKS which arrived
earlier in the season, enthusiastically performing their spring nuptials,
have all but disappeared from the night sounds with the return of colder
temperatures. In the Frankford area on the 7th, one woodcock was seen in a
backyard probing the unfrozen soils near a septic bed, in minus seven degree
temperatures.
With this week's report we welcome back David Okines, with his report from
the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory. The Observatory opened for the
spring on 9th April, after the nets were set up on the 8th. Although it has
been a short week, a few good sightings were seen. Whilst the nets were
being set up on Sunday, a flock of 25 FOX SPARROWS were seen in the bushes,
a few of the nets were quickly opened and 8 were soon trapped, This was just
the start of a good run of this species and 39 have been trapped to date
with daily flocks present of 25 -30, making this the Observatory's best year
so far for them. Four or 5 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS are being seen daily,
while a pair of WOOD DUCKS have been seen in the harbour. Offshore there
have been up to 1000 LONG-TAILED DUCKS, 225 WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, 9 BLACK
SCOTER and 25 each of BUFFLEHEAD and COMMON GOLDENEYE.
A COOPERS HAWK was seen on the 11th and 4 SANDHILL CRANES slowly circled the
area on the 9th. The WILSON'S SNIPE are calling over the wet field while
offshore a few BONAPARTE'S GULLS are starting to trickle through. A BELTED
KINGFISHER has been seen in the harbour on the 11th and a RED-BELLIED
WOODPECKER was calling in the woods on the 9th. Up to 40 NORTHERN FLICKERS
have been seen in the area and a flicker intergrade was trapped on the 9th.
Despite the cold there are two EASTERN PHOEBES feeding around the buildings.
BROWN CREEPERS are starting to appear but GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS are few
and far between. So far, no TREE SWALLOWS or YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS have
been seen yet at Prince Edward Point. Two EASTERN TOWHEES have taken up
residence and there are still a few AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS being seen. A
VESPER SPARROW was feeding on the lawn today. As mentioned earlier, FOX
SPARROWS are being seen in good numbers with up to 30 a day being counted
around the Observatory, no doubt more are present at Point Traverse. SONG
SPARROWS are still moving through with up to 45 being seen daily. Four SWAMP
SPARROWS have been seen so far and 7 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS were present on
the 8th. Up to 5 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS are frequenting the swamp and there are
two PURPLE FINCHES coming to the feeders. At the Black River cheese factory
there was a TUNDRA SWAN present on the 11th and the OSPREYS have returned to
Milford with a bird seen near the nest on the 11th.
We look forward to further weekly reports from David Okines and the Prince
Edward Point Bird Observatory as we inch our way ever so much closer to the
big week in May.
EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were reported from several locations during the week, with
several pairs in the process of, at least, going through the motions of
nesting, in the county, as well as in both the Madoc and Tweed areas. COMMON
LOONS were seen passing over Big Island April 15th and two were observed in
Adolphus Reach five days earlier, and another 2 on Consecon Lake. Also
present in the Adolphustown area waters right now are hundreds of
mergansers, both HOODED and COMMON, BUFFLEHEADS and 2 MUTE SWANS. In the
Stirling area, HOODED MERGANSERS, COMMON MERGANSERS and 12 pairs of
GREEN-WINGED TEALS were seen, where the first shorebirds of the area also
showed up - an appropriately lone and very early SOLITARY SANDPIPER and two
GREATER YELLOWLEGS.
Despite the weather, WILSON'S SNIPES continue to perform their aerial
displays, and several were noted over the past week. A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD
turned up along Huyck's Point road on the 9th, one species we have heard
very little about in the county in recent years, except for regular
residents that appear annually at Prince Edward Point.
Kaiser Crossroad was such a disaster this spring for waterfowl that few
people have bothered to keep tabs on the location, and no reports of
waterfowl came in this week from this normally prolific site. A GREEN-WINGED
TEAL was seen along Wesley Acres Road on the 15th, and a raft of fully 60
RING-NECKED DUCKS was seen at daybreak at Quinte Point at the east end of
the Big Island Marsh. Meanwhile, at the marsh's west end, in Muscote Bay, 40
LESSER SCAUP were present this week, along with COMMON GOLDENEYE,
RING-NECKED DUCKS, AMERICAN WIGEONS, COMMON MERGANSERS, and 2 GREEN-WINGED
TEAL, illustrating that waterfowl these days are where you happen to find
them.
At the bird feeders, the sporadic HARRIS'S SPARROW continues to confuse
observers with its unscheduled appearances at 2800 County Road 1 feeder,
frustrating some observers while delighting others who happen to time it
just right. A PURPLE FINCH is also at this feeder as well, and six were at
a feeder this morning in the Thomasburg area. BROWN CREEPERS are also being
seen in backyards, and there have been a few reports of them actually coming
to feeders. A PURPLE FINCH was also seen at Cape Vesey where the season's
first RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET also showed up.
OSPREYS are everywhere, a term we likely would not have used maybe 20 years
ago. A fairly dependable RED-TAILED HAWK can be observed along Highway 49
near Essroc Cement, and an AMERICAN KESTREL turned up at the Big Island
causeway on Tuesday, and others were reported elsewhere. A kettle of TURKEY
VULTURES in the Picton area continues to bewilder residents as they circle
humorously over such locations as the county offices at Shire Hall, and for
at least 15 minutes on one occasion over a senior citizens complex on Mary
Street. Most recently, after enjoying the thermals, about 30 settled in a
small grove of pines and deciduous trees in one Roger's Street backyard
where their actions created ominous shadows on the property.
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
