Among the many campers at Presqu'ile Provincial Park at this time of
year are many with an interest in birds. Even those birds which some
"hot-shot" birders would dismiss as of little interest are providing at
least as much enjoyment to many Park visitors as to the birders who come
here only during the height of the migration season.
Many are surprised to find Common Loons in Presqu'ile Bay in mid-summer,
when conventional wisdom has them raising families on the Canadian
Shield. There is renewed speculation that they might be nesting
somewhere on the shore of the bay. Great Egrets are now being sighted
daily, almost as many as Great Blue Herons. There are apparently two
Trumpeter Swans in the area. One, with no obvious leg band, spends most
of its time around the causeway leading into the Park, while another, a
banded bird, was photographed on a lawn on Bayshore Road, perhaps the
same bird that was at the calf pasture during the past week. In
addition to the usual ducks that have been present all summer off Owen
Point, there were five Green-winged Teal on July 10 and two Common
Mergansers (a male and a female) on July 12.
An Osprey was at the calf pasture on July 7 and 10, and a Northern
Harrier was flying over the marsh on July 8. Virginia Rails have been
heard twice recently in the Owen Point marsh, where they are known to breed.
The most recent sighting of a Semipalmated Plover that had been
frequenting the beach near Owen Point for several weeks was on July 8.
Two Lesser Yellowlegs and up to five Least Sandpipers were there on July
7. An American Woodcock flew past the amphitheatre at dusk one evening.
A flock of about 30 Rock Pigeons over the Park on July 12 was
unexpected, but a recent Barred Owl sighting was not, even though few of
the resident birds are actually seen. The area around the lighthouse
has been especially productive lately, as resident birds are moving
around with their fledged young. With a bit of patience, one can
usually find Downy Woodpeckers, Eastern Kingbirds, Warbling Vireos,
Purple Martins, Barn Swallows, White-breasted Nuthatches, House Wrens,
Gray Catbirds, Cedar Waxwings, Yellow Warblers, American Redstarts, Song
Sparrows, Northern Cardinals, Red-winged Blackbirds, Baltimore Orioles,
American Goldfinches, and other common birds, all within a few metres of
the visitor centre. There is enough variety to satisfy most visitors
with a casual interest in birds.
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. Access to the offshore islands is
restricted at this time of year to prevent disturbance to the colonial
nesting birds there.
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.
