The most exciting bird locally is a probable Slaty-backed Gull at the Lansdowne
dump. (Take 401 exit 659 north on Reynolds Road to Lansdowne. Turn left on
Cty. Road 34 and go 2 km. The dump is on the south side of the road.) Dump
activity seems to be greater at midday and the bird, which cooperated in having
its picture taken several times, is mixed in with about 20 Great Black-backed,
a Glaucous, a Lesser Black-backed and the usual hordes of Herring and
Ring-billed.
There has been a good variety of waterfowl on the islands and in Elevator Bay
although this deep freeze will, no doubt, move a lot of them out just before
our local Christmas count on Sunday.
Hawks received little attention this week but there was a N. Goshawk at Sunbury
on Wednesday. Amherst tallied four species of owl on Tuesday and Wednesday and
N. Shrikes were seen at Newburgh and Barriefield.
Other than Am. Goldfiches this group is particularly absent this winter. Two
Pine Siskins at Battersea on the 11th, another at Elginburg on the 15th and a
lone male Purple Finch at Camden East on Monday were the only reported finches.
There was a flock of about 20 Bohemian Waxwings in the Sheffield Conservation
area northwest of Tamworth earlier in the week.
Lingerers include a Brown Thrasher along with Am. Robins, Red-winged Blackbird,
Brown-headed Cowbird and White-throated Sparrow near Elginburg, another
Red-winged Blackbird and White-throated Sparrow in Barriefield and a
Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a Song Sparrow on Amherst Island.
Cheers,
Peter Good
Kingston Field Naturalists
613 378-6605
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