After a pleasantly mild New Year's Day at Presqu'ile Provincial Park,
with lots of birds to be seen, conditions became decidedly less
comfortable for anyone choosing to go birding during the following five
days. Hence, most of the sightings worth reporting came on January 1,
with only a sprinkling since then.
Among the hundreds of MUTE SWANS in Presqu'ile Bay, two each of TUNDRA
SWAN and TRUMPETER SWAN have been seen. There were still two
CANVASBACKS in Presqu'ile Bay on January 1, but none thereafter, and
only a few REDHEADS. WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS seem unaffected by the cold
weather, having been seen on at least four of the past seven days. A
male HOODED MERGANSER and two RUDDY DUCKS that were off the government
dock on January 1 have not been seen since then.
Both adult and immature BALD EAGLES have been present off and on for the
past week. A NORTHERN HARRIER was again on Gull Island today. Other
hawks seen this week include both SHARP-SHINNED and COOPER'S HAWK. The
only sign of the WILD TURKEY that has been here since October was a
fresh set of tracks in the snow at 83 Bayshore Road. An ICELAND GULL
seen on January 1 was among the 40 species of birds in the Park on that
day. BARRED OWLS are a daily sighting, with one couple finding eight
different individuals in one day.
Two NORTHERN SHRIKES appear to have taken up residence, one just inside
the Park gate and the other around the calf pasture and points east. A
HORNED LARK on Gull Island on January 1 could not be found today. The
CAROLINA WREN that has been patronizing feeders on Bayshore Road was at
83 Bayshore on January 1. For the second consecutive week, a WINTER
WREN was flushed from under one of the boardwalks on the Jobes' Woods
trail (between numbered posts 4 and 5). When the supply of juniper
berries beside Huff Road not far from the Park is exhausted, we can hope
that the flock of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS that has been there for a few days
will move to Presqu'ile and join the flock of AMERICAN ROBINS that for a
few weeks has been attracted to the area just inside the Park gate,
where there are plenty of junipers. A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was at 83
Bayshore Road for at least two of the past seven days. The
long-suffering ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK at the group campground parking
lot has survived the recent cold spell and, like the rest of us, just
might be dreaming of warmer days ahead. Every day this year, a male
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, never common here in winter, has been in the area
around the junction of Bayshore Road and Langton Avenue, and a female
was also seen. A PINE SISKIN was at the feeders at 83 Bayshore Road on
January 2.
To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton.
Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid
that is available at the Park gate. The narrow channel between Owen
Point and Gull Island was ice-covered today, but the ice, while
appearing to be thick, might not support the weight of a human. However,
the water beneath the crust is only shin-deep. The surrounding shoreline
can be very slippery. Birders are encouraged to record their
observations on the bird sightings board provided near the campground
office by The Friends of Presqu'ile Park and to fill out a rare bird
report for species not listed there.
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Fred Helleiner
186 Bayshore Road,
Brighton, Ontario, Canada, K0K 1H0
VOICE: (613) 475 5309
If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park.
_______________________________________________
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