Further to Bruce Di Labio's post, my parents and I relocated the Tricolored Heron at the KFN east end property on Amherst Island late this afternoon and observed the bird from about 445 to 530. It was frequenting the bay west of the gravel bar on the island's north shore; sometimes it would disappear out of sight into the portion of the bay that is not visible from the bar but for the most part it was loafing in plain view or feeding quite successfully in the manic way Tricolors do, darting about in circles and tilting its whole body 45 degrees to the side. Smashing bird despite the fact that it does not have a full set of plumes.
We also had a single Willet in the bay near the heron; the gravel bar itself was loaded with Dunlin and Semipalmated Sandpipers along with a few Semipalmated and Black-bellied Plover and 3 Ruddy Turnstones. The shore of the bay near the heron had more plovers and Semipalmated Sandpipers with a few Least mixed in. No sign of a Whimbrel or any dowitchers. 2-3 American Bittern and 3+ pairs of Wilson's Phalaropes were at the wetland cell, and there were two Brant loafing by the rocky point on the south shore which is visible from the parking lot. A single Upland Sandpiper flushed from along the pathway near the wetland cell and promptly vacated the area. A quick spin up Marshall 40 Foot Road on the way to the 7pm ferry produced a few of the expected suspects on territory; Grasshopper Sparrow, Willow Flycatcher and Black-billed Cuckoo. Good birding! Directions (lifted from Bruce): Amherst Island: Located 18 km. west of Kingston. Exit off Hwy. 401 at exit 593 (County Rd. 4, Camden East) and drive south to the very end (Millhaven). Turn right on Hwy. 33 and drive 100 metres until you see the sign for the Amherst Island ferry. The ferry (20 minute trip) leaves the mainland on the half hour and leaves the island on the hour. Cost is $8.00 Canadian round trip. There are no gas stations on the island. There are restrooms on the ferry, and at the island ferry dock. The East End K.F.N. property is at the easternmost part of the island on the east side of the Lower Forty Foot Road. Because of liability issues, visitors to the Kingston Field Naturalists' property at the east end of Amherst Island MUST be accompanied by a KFN member. For KFN contact information or how to become a member, please visit http://kingstonfieldnaturalists.org/ ." Chris Kimber PhD Candidate Dept. of Biology Queen's University Kingston, ON [email protected] _______________________________________________ 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/
