Spring finally started to happen this week with several arrivals of birds starting on the 30th. COMMON LOONS continue to be seen going over and the DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS increased to 2000 on the 2nd. WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS (800) were seen on the 1st along with 1500 LONG-TAILED DUCKS. Another late COMMON GOLDENEYE, a male, was seen on the 1st, but the BUFFLEHEADS appear to have mostly gone now. RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS (100-200) are being seen offshore along with up to 35 COMMON MERGANSERS.
Our first BROAD-WINGED HAWKS of the year were seen on the 3rd. Apart from the resident KILLDEERS the only shorebird this week was a LESSER YELLOWLEGS on the 5th. The BONAPARTE'S GULLS have mostly gone although a flock of about 700 were seen on the 4th, up to 6 CASPIAN TERNS are being seen daily. The first BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO WAS seen on the evening of the 5th. A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was seen on the 30th and 15 COMMON FLICKERS were counted on the 1st. A LEAST FLYCATCHER was caught on the 4th, and 6 were present the next day. A GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER was seen at Point Traverse on the 5th and EASTERN KINGBIRDS appeared on the 2nd with 4 present daily since then. Two YELLOW-THROATED VIREOS were seen on the 6th, 10 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS were seen on the 30th, and WARBLING VIREOS were first seen on the 1st with PHILADELPHIA VIREOS appearing on the 5th. Small numbers of BLUE JAYS are starting to move with 125 seen on the 4th. Our first PURPLE MARTIN of the spring was seen on the 1st and up to 80 CLIFF SWALLOWS have been seen at the lighthouse. WINTER WRENS can still be occasionally found, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS numbered 100 on the 1st but have decreased since. BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS numbered 6 on the 5th. The first VEERY appeared on the 2nd, the first SWAINSON'S THRUSH on the 4th and the first WOOD THRUSH on the 1st. Two GRAY CATBIRDS were banded on the 1st and BROWN THRASHERS numbered 14 that day. The first CEDAR WAXWINGS of the spring appeared on the 1st. Twenty-one species of warblers have been seen this week. BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS have been seen almost daily and a GOLDEN-WINGED was banded on the 30th. BREWSTER'S WARBLERS have been seen on three dates so far, NASHVILLE'S are starting to increase and 20 were seen on the 5th, NORTHERN PARULAS first appeared on the 4th, YELLOW and CHESTNUT-SIDED arrived on the 1st and YELLOWS have now increased to 45. MAGNOLIA WARBLERS have also arrived and eight were present on the 5th. BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS arrived on the 4th and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS numbered 180 on the 1st. An early BLACKBURNIAN was seen on the 30th along with a very early BLACKPOLL WARBLER and the first 10 BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS. AMERICAN REDSTARTS arrived on the 3rd, OVENBIRDS on the 1st and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES on the 30th. The first 5 COMMON YELLOWTHROATS were seen on the 5th. SCARLET TANAGERS are being seen daily. WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS numbered 200 on the 1st and up to 40 eastern WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS are present daily. A few DARK-EYED JUNCOS are still hanging around, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS are back and up to 6 a day are being noted. INDIGO BUNTINGS arrived on the 30th. RUSTY BLACKBIRDS are still singing in the swamp. ORCHARD ORIOLES arrived on the 2nd and BALTIMORE ORIOLES beat them back by a day with 5 seen on the 1st. Finally the HARLEQUIN DUCKS are still here, (15 days now), A WHITE-EYED VIREO was banded on the 2nd and a PRAIRIE WARBLER was singing that day as well. 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 The Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory is gearing up for the 14th annual Prince Edward County Birding Festival, May 08-16. Guided bird hikes every morning at 8:00 a.m., evening walks, Birdathon, banding demonstrations, art show, and workshops on insects, wildflowers, nature photography and birding by ear. Details at www.peptbo.ca Commencing May 8th, we hope to post daily reports of birds seen during our guided hikes. To reach Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, take Main Street from the east end of downtown Picton, down the "Town Hill", and turn immediately right onto Union Street (directly across from Tip of the Bay Motel). Follow Union Street out of Picton (becomes County Road 8) for 2.5 km, and at the junction in the highway, follow County Road 17. Take County Road 17 for 6.5 km and look for the Black River Cheese sign, and turn left onto County Road 16 and follow for 1 km to the Stop sign at County Road 13. Follow County Road 13 past Black River Cheese for 23.6 km to the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area (County Road 13 eventually becomes Long Point Road). Follow Long Point Road until you begin passing the Point Traverse Woods and trails on the left and the Observatory a half kilometre farther along. Terry Sprague [email protected] www.naturestuff.net _______________________________________________ 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/
