WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK ENDING Thursday, April 03, 2008
Once again, it has been an interesting mix of spring birds and typically winter birds, as spring forges bravely ahead. Warmer weather brought in a stream of new migrants during the past week including the first FOX SPARROWS of the season yesterday and today with three being found in one tight cluster in the Point Traverse Woods, one on Ventress Road in Cramahe Township, and another near Tweed. The season's first SWAMP SPARROW turned up in the Sawguin Marsh near Horse Point in the Massassauga area on the 31st, and two EASTERN PHOEBES were at the Dunes Beach area in Sandbanks yesterday. EASTERN MEADOWLARKS were singing at 23 Sprague Road late this afternoon, and another turned up today at Ridge Road. Two AMERICAN WOODCOCKS showed up along Maitland Drive north of Belleville this morning, certainly a more sensible pair than the bizarre early bird near Green Point way back on February 19th. The first YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was seen at Point Traverse this morning, and six GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS at Massassauga is an indication that the spring migration of this species is also under way. And in Trenton, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES are joyfully engaged in nest building in one backyard nest box bordering a wooded area. NORTHERN HARRIERS can be found across the region, and TURKEY VULTURES are being largely ignored as there are so many of them, with one pair scouting out a possible nesting site in a barn west of Consecon. Sightings of TREE SWALLOWS are increasing as temperatures rise. There were 5 skimming over the water at Glen Miller on March 28th, 25 were spotted the same day just south of there near the former Lower Trent Conservation building, and another seen early this morning near Tweed. An early GREEN HERON was also seen in the Trenton area on Friday. Several sightings of AMERICAN KESTRELS indicate some sort of passage of this species with one seen yesterday on Kelly Road, with others seen during the week at Picton's Delhi Park, Victoria Road and Highway 62, and one along County Road 1. BELTED KINGFISHERS were seen yesterday at Log Cabin Point and Prince Edward Point. Meanwhile, flocks of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and COMMON GRACKLES, augmented by newly arrived BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS just continue to grow in size. GREAT BLUE HERONS are pretty much established now at their favourite haunts and CANADA GEESE is one subject about which the less said the better as they are absolutely everywhere, both on the ground and above it. An estimated 800 were at West Lake on the 28th, and more than 2,000 created an infernal din as they fed in the now flooded corn fields along Kaiser Crossroad, where other species noted both yesterday and today included WOOD DUCK, TUNDRA SWAN, MALLARDS, AMERICAN WIGEON, NORTHERN PINTAILS, WOOD DUCK and one SNOW GOOSE. Another good waterfowl viewing area along Wesley Acres Road this week contained CANADA GEESE, NORTHERN PINTAILS, MALLARDS AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS and HOODED MERGANSER. At the headwaters of the Outlet River at Log Cabin Point, there was a mixture of MUTE SWANS, MALLARDS, NORTHERN PINTAILS, COMMON MERGANSER, BUFFLEHEAD, REDHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE, GREATER SCAUP, RING-NECKED DUCKS and both COMMON and HOODED MERGANSER yesteray. As the waters in local creeks and other waterways commence to surrender to the weather, it is a case of keeping a sharp eye out for new arrivals. Two observers with keen eyesight spotted a small conference of 20 HOODED MERGANSERS as they displayed for a handful of females in Black River off County Road 13 at the cheese factory. South Bay remains frozen, but from Prince Edward Bay down to Prince Edward Point, the waters are alive with the musical conversations of LONG-TAILED DUCKS interspersed with all three merganser species, WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, BUFFLEHEADS, GREATER SCAUP, RING-NECKED DUCKS and COMMON GOLDENEYE. Did I mention CANADA GEESE? Still there are signs of winter, beyond the heavy morning frosts. There was a surprise visit of 2 RED CROSSBILLS at a feeder east of Lake on the Mountain on March 30th, and 7 PINE GROSBEAKS were found near the Picton Health Unit yesterday. Two hundred waxwings with over 90 per cent of them being BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS dropped in at Prince Edward Point on the 30th as they alternated between red cedars and the road side, gradually making their way in front of one motorist as he slowly inched his way toward the Point Traverse corner. Fifteen COMMON REDPOLLS are still coming to a feeder in Bloomfield, and a Stirling feeder continues to host about 50. Feeders are still busy, but with different clientel these days, and several still have RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS. NORTHERN SHRIKES were seen during the week at the west end of Big Island and at Green Point. A western "Oregon" form of the DARK-EYED JUNCO turned up this morning in a Salem area yard. Spring is on its way! And it was the sighting of the year's first MOURNING CLOAK BUTTERFLY on the 28th in Bloomfield that told us so. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte Area.Our thanks to Paul Thompson, Ted Cullin, Rosemary Smith, Michael Tumpane, Donn Legate, John Charlton, Cathie Stewart, Pamela Stagg, Vince & Kerry Politi, Owen Weir, Heather Heron, Yvette Bree, Brock Burr, Judy & Dave Bell, Kathy Felkar, Janet Foster, Chesia Livingston, Sophia Huyer, Nancy Smits, Frank Artes & Carolyn Barnes, Joanne Dewey, Bill Hogg, Beth McPerson and Henri Garand for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, April 10th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the 6:00 p.m. deadline. Featured photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report include WILD TURKEYS by Don Carr of Belleville and TUNDRA SWANS by Susan Shipman of Wellington. Photo of two amorous MOURNING DOVES on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website is by Sydney Smith of Wellington. Terry Sprague Prince Edward County [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.naturestuff.net _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
