Although there is still no snow or other significant meteorological
evidence of winter at Presqu'ile Provincial Park, the bird life is
decidedly wintry. With the exception of dabbling ducks awaiting
freeze-up, most of what was seen in the past week would not be out of
place in January.
Presqu'ile is farther east than the main migration route for TUNDRA
SWANS, but eight of them flew noisily over Gull Island on November 15,
and two others were in Presqu'ile Bay on the next morning. The WOOD
DUCKS that have been a fixture in the marsh opposite the camp office
appear finally to have left, the last three being seen on November 14.
On the other hand, the GADWALL numbers have built up to a couple of
dozen, including a flock of 22 off the shore of High Bluff Island, and
the male EURASIAN WIGEON continues to please every visiting birder that
comes looking for him. As long as there is open water off the camp
office viewing platform, he is likely to stay, but if that freezes over
he may re-locate to the GADWALL flock off High Bluff Island, as his
predecessor did last year. On each of the last six days, single
NORTHERN PINTAILS, usually a male, but on one occasion a female, have
accompanied the MALLARDS either in the woodpile marsh or off the camp
office viewing platform. The most interesting duck of the week was a
female KING EIDER that swam close to the shore of Gull Island on
November 15, recalling the days two or three decades ago when the
species was a regular November visitor to the Park. The first sighting
of a BARROW'S GOLDENEYE at the lighthouse last winter was on November
22, so observers would be wise to begin checking for the return of what
has become an annual visitor. A female HOODED MERGANSER was at the calf
pasture on November 13. Most of the COMMON LOONS that did not succumb
to botulism have departed (as opposed to dearly departed), but one was
still in Presqu'ile Bay on November 16. A HORNED GREBE was there two
days earlier.
Both SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS have been seen on more
than one occasion this week, the latter hunting over the offshore
islands or perched in the trees on High Bluff Island. A flock of 100
AMERICAN COOTS has been in the marsh this week. Fifty shorebirds were
in the Owen Point/Gull Island area on November 15: four BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVERS, about 18 SANDERLINGS, a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, 26 DUNLINS, and
a lone PURPLE SANDPIPER on Sebastopol Island but visible from Gull
Island with a scope. The latter species, for which Presqu'ile is noted
at this time of year, attracted two intrepid birders from almost 300
kilometres away who, unprepared with hip waders for the need to wade to
Gull Island to see that target bird of theirs, nevertheless braved the
cold water to achieve success in their quest (the wigeon and the eider
being bonuses for them). On November 14, a late SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER
was in an unusual location, a tiny mud flat in the marsh. Although
unfamiliar with the species or its status in Ontario, two people driving
on Paxton Drive at night watched an owl on the side of the road which,
after they returned home and consulted a bird book, they were convinced
was a BARN OWL, quite different from the BARRED OWL which they had
photographed in the Park recently.
A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER continues to visit the feeders at 83 Bayshore
Road, and another was seen elsewhere in the Park. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was
at the calf pasture on November 14. A COMMON RAVEN was near Owen Point
on November 16. Both CAROLINA WREN and WINTER WREN and two
WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS were at 83 Bayshore Road on November 13. A
flock of SNOW BUNTINGS was on Gull Island on November 15. Apart from
the resident HOUSE FINCHES, the only other finches at Presqu'ile in the
past week were a flock of five WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS and several
sometimes intermixed flocks of PINE SISKINS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES.
To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton.
Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid
that is available at the Park gate. Visitors to Gull Island not using a
boat should be prepared to wade through shin-deep water in which there
is often a swift current and a substrate that is somewhat uneven and
slippery. It should also be noted that, because duck hunting is given
priority on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, Gull Island,
High Bluff Island, Owen Point, and part of the calf pasture are not
available for bird-watching on those days. Birders are encouraged to
record their observations on the bird sightings board provided near the
campground office by The Friends of Presqu'ile Park and to fill out a
rare bird report for species not listed there.
Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be
directed to: [email protected].
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Fred Helleiner
186 Bayshore Road,
Brighton, Ontario, Canada, K0K 1H0
VOICE: (613) 475 5309
If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park.
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ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial
birding organization.
Send bird reports to [email protected]
For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
