At a time of year when most birds stay fairly close to their breeding
sites, making for rather repetitive birding, there were still a few
surprises at Presqu'ile Provincial Park in the past week.
A Brant on Gull Island on June 14 was either a late migrant or a
non-breeding bird that may not move on to the Arctic, where the species
breeds. On the same day there were eight Wood Ducks in the marsh, most
of which were there for two days after that and may still be there. Up
to six Gadwalls, four Redheads, and two scaup that could not be
identified as to species have been regulars in Popham Bay near Gull and
Sebastopol Islands. A surprising eight Common Goldeneyes were there on
June 14 and a Red-breasted Merganser on the next two days. Common Loons
are still frequenting the inner area of Presqu'ile Bay, perhaps nesting
in the marsh. Four newly hatched Pied-billed Grebes were in the marsh
on June 14. One observer watched a group of ten Great Egrets flying out
to High Bluff Island on the evening of June 16, a number that would be
surprising were it not for the record high number of nests (27) on that
island this year. If disturbance is kept to a minimum, we can hope
that a high proportion of those nests will be successful. A late
Black-bellied Plover and two Sanderlings were on the beach on June 14. A
few Semipalmated Sandpipers were there on the following two days. For
the second week in a row, an immature Bonaparte's Gull was on Gull Island.
A Black-billed Cuckoo was heard on June 16. For the first time in the
past five years, no one has yet found a Yellow-billed Cuckoo in the
Park, but they are worth watching for since they usually appear in both
May and June. As recently as June 14, a group of 13 Blue Jays was
observed flying in from across Lake Ontario and stopping to rest in a
tree near the lighthouse. A male Cerulean Warbler was discovered
singing vociferously behind the lighthouse visitor centre on June 18, in
the same location where a female was observed on May 25. It is possible
that a pair has been there all along undetected. Discovering a rare
warbler this late in June is not unprecedented, as a Prairie Warbler
appeared in the Park on June 20, 2005. Orchard Orioles continue to make
their presence known along Bayshore Road between the bridge and the end
of the road.
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,
Brighton, Ontario, Canada, K0K 1H0
VOICE: (613) 475 5309
If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park.
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