There were good numbers of sapsuckers, thrashers, and Rusty Blackbirds this week as well as kinglets, towhees and many of the sparrows. Only one Vesper was noted near Desmond and I have yet to have any White-crowned reported. Warbler migration is but a trickle with several Yellow-rumped and Pine in a variety of locations and a Yellow, Black-throated Green and Palm along the Rideau Trail. There was a Blue-headed Vireo near Gananoque on Wednesday and a pair of Cedar Waxwings near Elginburg the next day. Rough-legged Hawks remain in good numbers; 3 on Amherst and 9 on Simcoe Island last Sunday. The first of the local Red-shouldered Hawk surveys was done on the 21st along the Opinicon Road and tallied 18. They also found 2 Wood Thrush and a Sora as well as an impressive five species of woodpecker totaling 81 birds.Virginia Rails were at Moscow on the 18th and Collin's Creek on the 21st. Shorebirds made up in quality what they lacked in quantity. A Long-billed Dowitcher was on Amherst for several days along with a half dozen Pectoral Sandpipers. They were joined by a Western Sandpiper last Friday. A couple of Greater Yellowlegs at Unity Road and Camden East completed the shorebird tally. Twenty-four Caspian Terns were in the Cataraqui River on Wednesday and about 10,000 Bonaparte's Gulls fed on an incredible hatch of midges all along the south east shore of Amherst Island last Sunday.A trio of Mute Swans are in Collin's Bay. The last two noteworthy birds this week were a Black-crowned Night-Heron in Navy Bay and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird at RMC, both seen on Tuesday. Cheers, Peter Good Kingston Field Naturalists 613 378-6605 _______________________________________________ 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/
