WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK ENDING Thursday, January 22, 2009
With few exceptions, many of the COMMON REDPOLLS and PINE SISKINS that descended on feeders last week, appear to have either dispersed, or are appearing more sporadically, or in greatly reduced numbers, in recent days. For those who still have either species, COMMON REDPOLLS average about a dozen at those feeders still fortunate in having them, although much lower numbers seem to be the norm with the exception of feeders near Lake-on-the-Mountain, Picton, Scoharie Road, and near the west end of Big Island where numbers in some cases have topped 20. PINE SISKINS remain high at one feeder east of Lake-on-the-Mountain where highs of 80 are still present, 50 to 60 in Belleville and 30 at Allisonville. The other finch member that has been creating a bit of a stir in the Quinte area, the WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL continue their nomadic wanderings with small numbers turning up wherever crops of cones are in good supply. A single PINE GROSBEAK is still in the Sprague Road and North Big Island Road area most mornings, as are 2 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS. The latter species is still at an Allisonville feeder where a FOX SPARROW is also a regular visitor. Another FOX SPARROW is at a feeder east of Lake-on-the-Mountain along with the HOARY REDPOLL, reported last week. A feeder in Waupoos reports both siskins and redpolls, as well as a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER. Two SONG SPARROWS showed up there, and were also seen at feeders in the Melville area, and in the Milford area. Two HOARY REDPOLLS were reported this week from a County Road 1 feeder where other guests included over 50 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, 35 MOURNING DOVES, 4 each of HAIRY and DOWNY WOODPECKERS, 2 RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS and 12 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES. The list also included a handful of HOUSE SPARROWS - a species some 30 years ago probably wouldn't rate a mention, but one that is becoming increasingly uncommon at some feeders across the region. Who would have thought? As evidence that food is where you find it, one Big Island feeder operator watched a COMMON CROW emerge from deep snow where a feeder tray on the ground had been completely covered by snowfall of several inches. Only the head was showing, the crow having remembered the location of the feeder from a day earlier. Over 100 CEDAR WAXWINGS appeared in one backyard along Green Point Road, and a NORTHERN FLICKER and a single PURPLE FINCH appeared at a Victoria Road residence just east of Highway 33. A pair of PURPLE FINCHES also at Cape Vesey, and three in flight over Sprague Road both on the 21st, and a single BROWN CREEPER in the Barry Heights area of Trenton. Out and about and farther away from bird feeders was a BALD EAGLE flying along the shore of Prince Edward Bay yesterday. COMMON CROWS numbered 25 near the Pinecrest Elementary School in Bloomfield during the week, a further 10 encountered on Tripp Road, and another 12 on Doxsee Road. WILD TURKEYS seem to be spotted less frequently than in past years, although are probably just being overlooked. Two sightings of 30 on a lawn close to the road along County Road 10 near Ridge Road where well in excess of 120 normally appear most years and another 15 on County Road 13 east of Milford represent our only reports this week. Flocks of AMERICAN ROBINS are taking advantage of good crops of red cedar and buckthorn berries this winter, with a clock of 200 still in the Huff's Island and Massassauga area, and 200 south of Demorestville. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was along Sprague Road on the 20th, and 8 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were counted the same day near Waupoos. Another NORTHERN SHRIKE appeared west of Trenton. No dearth of SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS at feeders, and RED-TAILED HAWKS are putting in a good appearance this winter with sightings made during the week on Murney Street in Belleville, Trenton, and in Prince Edward County along Old Milford Road, County Road 15, Bloomfield, West Lake, Consecon, and Fish Lake. And what we all like to see to mark the arrival of winter - SNOW BUNTINGS in scattered flocks across the region, with 12 to 14 even coming to a feed area at one residence near the west end of Big Island. PILEATED WOODPECKERS during the week at Cape Vesey, and one early this morning at Baycrest Marina along North Big Island Road. Persistent frigid temperatures continue to make observation of waterfowl difficult to impossible, except for the true dyed in the wool birder who is fortunate to possess a good spotting scope. LONG-TAILED DUCKS and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS were present at Prince Edward Point on the 17th, and the best that Wellington Harbour could offer on the 19th were a half dozen MUTE SWANS and about a dozen COMMON GOLDENEYES. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Pamela Stagg, Anne Potter, Dave Bell, Serge de Sousa, Donna Fano, Rick Cathrae, Susan Shipman, Lyle Anderson, Doug & Evelyn Sloane, Gloria Durell, Janet Mooney, Henri Garand, Laura Pierce, Nancy Smitts, Nancy Fox, Dirk deBoer, Borys & Gabrielle Holowacz, Doris Lane, Frank Artes & Carolyn Barnes, Fred Chandler, Ted Cullin, Garry & Elaine Kirsch, and John Charlton for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, January 29th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the Wednesday night deadline. Our feature photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff Website is of the SNOW BUNTINGS at a Big Island feed tray by Henri Garand. Photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report are both by Dave Bell of Belleville, and include one of several WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS happily feeding on pine cones along Belleville's Maitland Drive. Terry Sprague Prince Edward County [email protected] www.naturestuff.net ............................................................. NatureStuff - Tours & Things seminars, presentations, consulting interpretive hikes, bus tours kayaking & canoe tours www.naturestuff.net Terry Sprague 23 Sprague Road R.R. 1, Demorestville, ON K0K 1W0 613-476-5072 (home), 613-848-4549 (cell) _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
