With fewer and fewer fall migrants and more and more "winter" birds this has been a week of transition. Waterfowl numbers are considerable in Elevator Bay, Hay Bay, the Cataraqui River, at the lagoons and off both Wolfe and Amherst islands. Flocks of Tundra Swans were in Hay Bay on Saturday and more were in Elevator Bay on Tuesday. Two flocks of Brant were seen; 120 at Glenora last Friday and 100 in Hay Bay on Saturday. There were 3 Surf Scoters at Prince Edward Point on Sunday. The most unusual waterfowl was a hybrid American/Eurasian Wigeon in Elevator Bay reported on Wednesday. A few Common Loons continue to linger north of the city; 2 near Westport and another on Devil Lake on Tuesday. A Golden Eagle and a N. Goshawk were at PEPt last Friday and on Amherst Island 12 Rough-legged Hawks, 11 N. Harriers and 11 Short-eared Owls were tallied late Tuesday afternoon. Shorebird numbers, as expected, are low. A late Spotted Sandpiper was at PEPt on Sunday. There were singletons of Least Sandpiper and Black-bellied Plover on Amherst on Tuesday and at the lagoons on Wednesday, a lone Greater Yellowlegs and 16 sleepy Dunlin. Fox Sparrows were abundant at the beginning of the week but seem to have moved on. Most observers have reported Tree Sparrows and more flocks of Snow Buntings have arrived; about a 100 at PEPt on Sunday and another 60 on Amherst on Tuesday. A N. Shrike was seen along the Bath Road on Monday. Seventy Rusty Blackbirds near Bath last Saturday were the largest group seen this fall away from PEPt. With respect to winter finches, the Purples seem to have moved on after an abundance a week or so ago. Pine Siskins are devouring niger seed at a prodigious rate and a few Evening Grosbeaks went through earlier in the week; 3 at Camden East feeding on Manitoba Maple keys on Saturday and another 30 at PEPt on Monday. A couple of information items: the Owl Woods will be closed to the public for deer hunting season from Nov. 15 to Dec. 5 and the KFN are doing their annual 24 hour Fall Round-up this Saturday and Sunday . 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/
