WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA for the week ending Thursday, November 13, 2008
A somewhat mild week, albeit rainy today, provided birders with an opportunity to get out and do a little bit of November birding to catch some of the last migrants before Old Man Winter finally arrives. A visit to Prince Edward Point paid off for one birder on the 10th when he spotted a CAVE SWALLOW flying in tight circles around the Prince Edward Point lighthouse for about 15 minutes, before it disappeared. This is the third sighting of this southern species for the area, the very first found dead at Salmon Point in 2003 and the second at West Lake in 2005. Four DOUBLE-BREASTED CORMORANTS were still at West Lake at Wellington on Wednesday, and two lingering FOX SPARROWS are at a feeder in Allisonville, along with a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW is also at a feeder along County Road 1. Two YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS showed up in a backyard east of Lake-on-the-Mountain on the 10th, and lingering BELTED KINGFISHERS were seen at Wellington, while another in Stirling was seen being relentlessly pursued by a NORTHERN HARRIER. Two NORTHERN FLICKERS were seen in a tree along County Road 13 at South Bay. Fifty TUNDRA SWANS can be found at South Bay too, and on the weekend, about 20 HOODED MERGANSERS were present there as well. Well over 1,000 COMMON CROWS passed over Picton mid-week and smaller numbers can be found at various locations as one drives along the county roads these days. The mild weather has resulted in numerous large flocks of EUROPEAN STARLINGS, COMMON GRACKLES and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS still being about, many at feeders, and AMERICAN ROBINS are still here in good numbers. Bird feeders across the district seemed to start right off this season in high gear with exceptionally high numbers of some species, given the time of the year. More than a dozen BLUE JAYS are at a feeder in Allisonville where highs of 15 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES and almost a dozen DARK-EYED JUNCOS are also hanging out, with similar numbers of the latter species at feeders at Sheba's Island, Belleville, Trenton and Big Island. AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES number 30 at a feeder at Cape Vesey, not surprising given that the price of niger seed has doubled in price this year or, as my bird feed supplier prefers to say, "has undergone a slight price adjustment." PURPLE FINCHES at feeders in Stirling, Cressy and at County Road 1. PINE SISKINS (7) at a Cape Vesey feeder, and three at a Big Island feeder two days ago. A RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH made its winter debut at a feeder on the west side of Belleville during the week, and 7 COMMON REDPOLLS at a Maitland Avenue feeder on the north side of the same city. Ninety CEDAR WAXWINGS popped in for a few minutes to a backyard east of Lake-on-the-Mountain Monday. AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS are at most feeders right now, but only in ones and twos so far. Two RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS at 2800 County Road 1, and 2 each of HAIRY and DOWNY WOODPECKERS at 23 Sprague Road. Muscote Bay between Big Island and High Shore is still yielding good numbers of waterfowl despite the hunting pressure, sometimes seven days a week in the Big Island Marsh. This week there were between 1500 and 2000 ducks spread over the water like sprinkled pepper, mostly divided between LESSER SCAUP and RING-NECKED DUCKS, interspersed with about 100 AMERICAN WIGEON near shore and 50 to 100 CANADA GEESE frequenting the marsh edge. A COMMON LOON was heard on Prince Edward Bay near Cape Vesey on the 12th. With the advent of cooler weather, attention is being drawn once again to the Wellington Harbour and West Lake waters. This week there were seven species present comprising 6 NORTHERN PINTAILS, 24 BUFFLEHEAD, 2 MUTE SWANS, 3 REDHEADS, 100 MALLARDS, 200 CANADA GEESE, and a single HOODED MERGANSER. Also present, 100 ring-billed gulls and a couple BONAPARTE'S GULLS. There were a couple RED-TAILED HAWKS seen during the week in the Trenton area, and an AMERICAN KESTREL in the Wellington region. Usually one, but sometimes two, COMMON RAVENS, continue to pass over 23 Sprague Road most days. Today, one was calling loudly as it joined a small number of passing COMMON CROWS. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Bruce Ripley, Pamela Stagg, Jerry Foster, John & Janet Foster, Donna Fano, Judy Bell, Fred Chandler, Steve Bolton, Ted Cullin, Nancy Fox, Frank Artes & Carolyn Barnes, Joanne Dewey, Cathie Stewart, Brian & Gloria Durell, Henri Garand, John & Margaret Moore, and Paul Wallace for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, November 20th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the Wednesday night deadline. Featured photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website is by Nancy Fox of a NORTHERN SHRIKE at her feeder. Photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report are by Dave Bell of Belleville this week, and include an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW and a DARK-EYED JUNCO. 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
