Hi Everyone Spent the day birding Amherst Island. It was a beautiful day weather wise and the birding was good too. The "Owl Woods" produced 1 Long-eared Owl, 1 Barred Owl but we couldn't find any of the Northern Saw-whets. There was a small flock of White-winged Crossbills feeding and flying around the area, along with a small number of Pine Siskin's. A couple of Eastern Bluebirds were noted in the open area between the cedar woods and the Jack Pine Plantation. The Snowy Owl was present on the KFN property at the east end along with a number of Red-tailed Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk and Northern Harrier. Viewing conditions over Lake Ontario were good and the highlight was an adult Little Gull in winter plumage spotted in a small flock of Bonaparte's Gull. We made a quick stop at the DuPont Plant/Elevator Bay and the male Eurasian Wigeon was still present. 1 Hudsonian Godwit was feeding in Little Cataraqui Marsh north of King Street. good birding, Bruce
Directions: 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 $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. To reach the Owl Woods, turn left (east) at the four-way stop sign by the general store and drive 3.4 km along Front Rd. to the (seasonal) Marshall Forty-Foot Rd. Marshall Forty-Foot Rd. is across the road from house #2320. Drive along Marshall Rd. to the mid-way point, where there is an "S" in the road (1.2 km, look for the K.F.N. kiosk which had owl observing ethics). Park in the gravel lane or off the road edge. 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/ ." Di Labio Birding Website Courses and Field Trips http://www3.sympatico.ca/bruce.dilabio/ Bruce Di Labio 400 Donald B. Munro Drive P.O. Box 538 Carp, Ontario, K0A1L0 Home (613) 839-4395 Cell (613) 715-2571 _______________________________________________ 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
