The Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory opened for the spring on the 10th
April. The nets were set up on the 9th with the Saturday being the first
banding day. COMMON LOONS were moving from the 12th with three a day going
over. Seven WOOD DUCKS flew over on the 11th. Offshore, thanks to the calm
weather, up to 1500 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and 2000 LONG-TAILED DUCKS can be
seen on most days, and around the lighthouse area there are up to 70
BUFFLEHEAD present along with the occasional COMMON GOLDENEYE. A female
HOODED MERGANSER was seen at the entrance to the harbour on the 14th, a
species that was missed last year. Small parties of up to 25 RED-BREASTED
MERGANSERS are going past.
A second year BALD EAGLE was seen on the 9th. Two KILLDEER have been
frequenting the harbour and 2 Lesser Yellowlegs were seen on the 12th.
BONAPARTE'S GULLS are being seen in good numbers offshore with up to 2000
being present. Up to 5 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS and 12 NORTHERN FLICKERS
have been seen in a day and a PILEATED WOODPECKER was present from the 12th
to the 15th. An EASTERN PHOEBE was present on the 14th. Up to 6 TREE
SWALLOWS have been checking out the boxes and BARN SWALLOWS are starting to
appear; the first CLIFF SWALLOWS were seen on the 14th.
A RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH was seen on the 15th. A trickle of BROWN CREEPERS
are being seen daily and peaked at 25 on the 15th. Most of the male
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS have already gone through but good numbers of
females are moving this year. GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS (100) were seen on
the 11th and 150 were present on the 15th. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS are also
here and earlier than normal, 40 on the 15th is the peak so far.
HERMIT THRUSHES arrived on the 10th and up to 60 AMERICAN ROBINS are being
seen daily. A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was seen on the 11th and a BROWN
THRASHER was already here on the 9th. One or two YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS have
been seen in a day and at least three PINE WARBLERS were present on the
14th. On the 15th a nice male YELLOW PALM WARBLER was trapped, the first
spring banded one for three years.
An EASTERN TOWHEE was singing on the 10th but has not been seen since;
CHIPPING SPARROWS are back as are FIELD and SAVANNAH SPARROWS, 1-3 FOX
SPARROWS are being seen and a SWAMP SPARROW was banded on the 14th. The
occasional WHITE-THROATED SPARROW is being seen and up to 50 DARK-EYED
JUNCOS a day are being noted. A NORTHERN CARDINAL was singing on the 15th,
EASTERN MEADOWLARKS are present and a RUSTY BLACKBIRD was singing on the
13th. Despite the lack of them this winter, at least three PURPLE FINCHES
are being seen at the feeders. Several species of snakes have been seen and
SPRING AZURE BUTTERFLIES are out - it must be spring.
Other species of interest from Prince Edward County can be found by clicking
on BIRDING from the Main Menu of the NatureStuff website at
www.naturestuff.net
Prince Edward Point is located at the southeastern tip of Prince Edward
County and can be reached by following County Road 13 from Black River
Cheese for 24 km.
Terry Sprague
[email protected]
www.naturestuff.net
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