Hello all, Mark Conboy, Philina English, Martin Mallet, Jamie Morris-Pocock and I spent the afternoon on Amherst Island following up on the report of Boreal Owls by Bruce Di Labio yesterday. We found 3 Boreals at Owl Woods; 1 in the cedars in the vicinity of the feeders and 2 in the jack pine stand. There was also 1 Northern Saw-Whet Owl in the cedars. The usual winter horde of 10-15 Long-eared Owls was milling about in the jack pine stand, doubtless looking forward to the constant disturbance that must mark their existence every winter Boreal Owls show up in Owl Woods.
Along Front Road between Stella and Marshall 40 Foot Rd., we saw about half a dozen Short-eared Owls in the fields on the south side of the road at about 4pm - some perched, others actively hunting in the growing snow flurries. We also had a single Snowy Owl, a heavily marked bird, along this stretch of Front Rd. There was another, very lightly marked Snowy Owl along Stella Rd. on the east side just south of the municipal building/helicopter pad. Combined with the previous sightings we ended up with a very tidy 5 species of owl in a 50 minute window - not something to scoff at on a bitterly cold December afternoon. There were numerous Rough-legged Hawks (25+) and Northern Harriers (~15 including one in the middle of the ferry crossing!) as well as about half a dozen Red-tailed Hawks but no kestrels or shrikes. A Red-bellied Woodpecker was in the vicinity of the Owl Woods feeders and seemed to be foraging between there and the road. Not much else of interest in the waterfowl or passerine lines, but still a very successful few hours in the field. If more details are desired, contact me privately. 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. Good birding, Chris Kimber Dept. of Biology, Queen's U. Kingston, ON _______________________________________________ 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
