WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK ENDING Thursday, October 16, 2008
The Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area at the southeastern part of the County, is still seeing a fair bit of action these days. Some movement of loons is underway as noted by the appearance of 17 COMMON LOONS offshore from Point Traverse on the 15th. Also present there that same day were 2 HORNED GREBES and a RED-NECKED GREBE. Over 150 TURKEY VULTURES were circling over the Point in one flock on the 16th and were joined by a GOLDEN EAGLE. The northwest winds also produced a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, two NORTHERN GOSHAWKS three COOPER'S HAWKS and several SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, and a handful of RED-TAILED HAWKS. Two GADWALL were among the MALLARDS on the 13th, and on the 10th a flock of 6 AMERICAN WIGEON went past. The scaup flock offshore, has built up to about 5000 birds but they are often too far out to see properly. WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS (150) were present on the 13th and RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS are now being seen regularly and 125 were seen on the 14th. Ten SANDERLINGS were on the beach on the 11th and DUNLIN were seen on the 11th and 12th. The first BONAPARTE'S GULL for several weeks was seen on the 15th. Owling has slowed down while the full moon shines on the nets but 230 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS were banded during the week, mostly on last Friday and Saturday. Some migrant HAIRY WOODPECKERS are starting to come through and a couple of new birds were banded during the week. The 3-4 EASTERN PHOEBES continue to catch the cluster flies around the buildings. BLUE-HEADED VIREOS have slowed down and only 2-4 a day are being caught. A RED-EYED VIREO was trapped on the 14th. Two COMMON RAVENS flew over the area on the 13th and 9 AMERICAN CROWS were present as well. Twenty-five BROWN CREEPERS were counted on the 11th, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS numbered 140 on the 13th, and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS numbered 100 on that day and on the 14th. Eight EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were flying around the nets on the 12th and one finally managed to get caught. This was new for the Observatory banding list. SWAINSON'S THRUSHES were seen on the 11th and 12th but HERMIT THRUSHES are the common species now and up to 35 a day are being seen or caught. AMERICAN ROBINS continue to move in small numbers and peaked at 75 on the 15th. EUROPEAN STARLINGS are also on the move and peaked at 1000 on the 11th and 1700 on the 15th. NASHVILLE WARBLERS haven't been seen since the 11th and the last BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER was seen on the 10th. BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS are down to 1 or 2 a day now and even YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS are few and far between and peaked at 35 on the 11th. The only other warbler during the period was an AMERICAN REDSTART that was seen briefly in a net before making good its escape. A FOX SPARROW was behind the Observatory on the 13th, 2 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were seen on the 10th and a SWAMP SPARROW was caught on the 15th. Up to 25 WHITE-THROATED and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS are being seen daily and DARK-EYED JUNCOS peaked at 35 on the 15th. A few flocks of Icterids are going over early in the mornings and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS peaked at 75 on the 11th and 300 COMMON GRACKLES went over on the 16th. About 20 - 35 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS are also being seen in the mornings. A few PURPLE FINCHES, PINE SISKINS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES are trickling over with GOLDFINCHES peaking at 100 on the 15th. Finally, an adult WHITE-EYED VIREO was trapped on the 15th and is the second one banded this fall and only the 3rd ever banded in the fall. Elsewhere across the County, an EASTERN SCREECH-OWL was close enough to one house on Fry Road to awaken the resident there at 4:30 a.m. Two flocks of BRANT, one comprising 45 and another flock of 25, flew down Long Reach on the 15th. A few LITTLE GULLS have begun to show up at the Outlet Beach at Sandbanks Provincial Park, a fairly dependable area to search for this species from now until freeze-up. There were two on Friday and one yesterday. A RING-BILLED GULL was seen yesterday on the beach at Sandbanks happily consuming a dead WHITE-WINGED SCOTER. Bird feeders across the region are starting to pick up. A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER appeared at a peanut feeder in Bloomfield this morning, only a day after it had crashed ignominiously into the glass door on the back porch, but apparently just shook it off as a slight error in navigation. AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES have increased at many backyard niger feeders, and a suspected COMMON REDPOLL appeared briefly at a Tripp Road feeder. The species may show up at feeders this winter due to a poor white birch seed crop in the boreal regions of the province. No hummingbirds were reported this week, so it is presumed the last of them have departed for warmer climes. Lots of feeder activity with half decent numbers of the commoner winter guests at a George's Road residence on the Bay of Quinte, and 250 or so CANADA GEESE, some of which are wandering about on the driveway. In other wildlife news, a few MONARCH BUTTERFLIES are still being seen here and there as warm temperatures and sunny skies keep them active, although any seen these days have worn and tattered wings. The 7th annual Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory fund raising Dinner is being held at the Waring House Inn and Banquet Hall on the 25th, commencing at 6:00 p.m., with guests speakers Canadian nature film makers John and Janet Foster who will speak on their Polar adventure to the Arctic and Antarctica. Tickets are still available, but must be purchased or set aside by tomorrow, at the latest. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to David Okines of the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, Marilyn Holland-Foster, Joanne Dewey, Yvette Bree, Donald McClure, John & Margaret moore, and Kathy Felkar for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, October 23rd, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the Wednesday night deadline. Photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report include the Kamikaze RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER at a Bloomfield peanut feeder, taken by Donald McClure, and a BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, taken by Adam Penson. The featured photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website is of a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH upstaging its photographers John & Janet Foster. Terry Sprague Prince Edward County [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.naturestuff.net _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. 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