Hello Ontbirds
Today, July 29, 2007, I birded the Kingston area including Chaffeys
Lock, Amherst Island and Amherstview Sewage Lagoon.
Bird activity was limited at Chaffeys but 7 Yellow-throated Vireo and 1
Golden-winged Warbler were heard.
The KFN property at the east end of Amherst Island had a small number of
shorebirds and waterfowl on the gravel bar. Birds of note included 1 Snow
Goose and 1 juvenile Wilson's Phalarope. No owls were seen in the "Owl
Woods" but 1 Willow Flycatcher, 6 Eastern Towhee were heard while 2 Upland
Sandpiper were seen flying south over the woods.
Back on the mainland, Amherstview Sewage Lagoon was loaded with
shorebirds, 375+, a variety of ducks, gulls and terns. The south-west cell
is being drained creating excellent shorebird habitat. Highlights included
4 ad. Stilt Sandpiper, 3 ad. Short-billed Dowitcher, 250+ mostly adults & 9
juv. Lesser Yellowlegs, 42 ad. Semipalmated Sandpiper, 16 ad.& 3 juv. Least,
170+ mostly ad. molting and some year old, Bonaparte's Gull, 28 both ad. and
juv. Caspian Tern, 1 Ruddy Duck and 1 Bufflehead.
good birding, Bruce
Directions: Amherst Island: Located 18 km. west of Kingston. Exit off Hwy.
401 at exit 593 (County Rd. 4, Camden East) and drive south to the very end
(Millhaven). Turn right on Hwy. 33 and drive 100 metres until you see the
sign for the
Amherst Island ferry. The ferry (20 minute trip) leaves the mainland on the
half hour and leaves the island on the hour. Cost is now $8.00 Canadian
round trip. There are no gas stations on the island. There are restrooms on
the ferry, and at the island ferry dock. The East End K.F.N. property
is at the easternmost part of the island on the east side of the Lower
Forty Foot Road. Please read below.
Because of liability issues, visitors to the Kingston Field Naturalists'
property at the east end of Amherst Island MUST be accompanied by a KFN
member. For KFN contact information or how to become a member, please visit
http://kingstonfieldnaturalists.org/ ."
Directions: Chaffeys Lock/Opinicon Road: Opinicon Road is north of
Kingston. From Hwy. 401 take county road 10 (exit 617) north towards
Westport for about 20 kilometres. Roughly 1 or 2 kms. past Perth Road
Village on the right is Opinicon Road. Turn right and drive towards
Chaffeys Lock making regular stops along the way to listen. Anywhere
along Opinicon Road is can be good. The old railway line or the Rideau
Trail system opposite Skycroft Campgrounds are great for birding.
From Ottawa take Hwy. 417 west to Hwy.7 to Carleton Place. Turn left
onto Hwy.15 and follow past Smiths Falls and continue towards Kingston.
After passing Crosby start watching for Chaffeys Lock Road on your right.
Directions: Amherstview S.L.:From Hwy. 401 take exit 593 (County Road 4,
Camden East) south ( 8.5 km) on County Road 4 to Taylor-Kidd Blvd. Turn left
(east) and follow Taylor-Kidd Blvd. (6.5 km) to County Road 6. Continue east
on Taylor-Kidd (.8 km), and watch for a lane on your right after crossing
railway overpass. This is the entrance to the lagoon. If you're coming from
Amherst Island, turn right onto highway 33 and then left on county Road 4.
Continue north (1.5 km) andturn right (east) onto Taylor-Kidd Blvd.
If you require additional information, please email me privately.
Bruce Di Labio
400 Donald B. Munro Drive
P.O.Box 538
Carp,Ontario,K0A 1L0
(613)839-4395 Home (613)715-2571 Cell
Di Labio Birding Website
Courses and Field Trips
http://www3.sympatico.ca/bruce.dilabio/
