There was a good selection of birds this morning on Amherst Island by just driving the roads and walking through the Owl Woods. In the Owl Woods there were 3 LONG-EARED OWLS, 1 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, 4 RING-NECKED PHEASANTS, 1 RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, 2 WINTER WRENS, 4 GOLDEN-CROWNED and 3 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, 1 HERMIT THRUSH, 3 EASTERN TOWHEES, 3 CHIPPING SPARROWS and 120 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS. Around the island there were 5 COMMON LOONS, 2 OSPREY, 25+ NORTHERN HARRIERS, 5 RED-TAILED HAWKS (inc. the whitish one), 60+ ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, 15+ AMERICAN KESTRELS, 1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 5 SNOWY OWLS, 1 BELTED KINGFISHER, 4 EASTERN PHOEBES, 3 PURPLE MARTINS, 15 NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, 20 BARN SWALLOWS, 10 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS and 4 SWAMP SPARROWS. WILSON'S SNIPE were winnowing all over.
Cheers Bruce http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/ferry/index.html#Amherst Directions To Amherst Island - Ontario Road Atlas, MapArt Publishing [Pg. 36, E54 & E55] 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. 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 has owl observing ethics). Park in the gravel lane or off the road edge. _______________________________________________ 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/
