The female MOUNTAIN BLUBEBIRD continues to be reliably found on Long Point Road in eastern Prince Edward County (details below). The other highlight was a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (still a fairly rare species in the Kingston Region) on the Cataraqui River. If you’re looking for finches it is probably not worth coming to Kingston, but if you want waterfowl, raptors and a few “out of season” species for your winter list, then keep reading.
City of Kingston For those who like to tick off aberrant plumages there was a leucistic MALLARD at the Invista lagoon this past week. Up to 3 BALD EAGLES were also there. Water birds in the Cataraqui River included run-of-the-mill species such as GADWALL, COMMON GOLDENEYE and COMMON MERGANSER; however a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL off Douglas Fluhrer Park was certainly more notable. A GREAT BLUE HERON was on the Collin’s Bay Penitentiary property. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was behind Home Depot off Gardiners Road. Interesting birds at Lemoine Point Conservation Area included 2 COOPER’S HAWKS, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BROWN CREEPER, 1 WINTER WREN, 8 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, 18 AMERICAN ROBINS and 9 CEDAR WAXWINGS. Waterfowl at this location included 4 TUNDRA SWANS, GADWALL, LONG-TAILED DUCK, COMMON GOLDENEYE, COMMON MERGANSER, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. Amherst Island Birds reported this past week included: 2 TRUMPETER SWANS, 1 WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, 9 NORTHERN HARRIERS, 13 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, 1 RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, 2 AMERICAN KESTRELS, 1 EASTERN SCREECH-OWL, 5 SNOWY OWLS, 21 SHORT-EARED OWLS, 1 RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, 5 NORTHERN SHRIKES 50 AMERICAN ROBINS, 2 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, 40 CEDAR WAXWINGS, 1 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, 1 EASTERN MEADOWLARK and 25 PURPLE FINCHES. Bedford Mills Six TRUMPETER SWANS were in the open water along Perth Road. The FIELD SPARROW and RUSTY BLACKBIRD continue to visit a feeder just south of Bedford Mills. They have been joined by a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD and a lone PINE SISKIN from time to time. Howe Island MUTE SWAN, TUNDRA SWAN, AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, LONG-TAILED DUCK, COMMON GOLDENEYE, COMMON MERGANSER, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, BALD EAGLE, RED-TAILED HAWK, 4 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, 3 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS and 1 NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD were all present this past week. Opinicon Road Shrinking numbers of TRUMPETER SWAN and growing numbers of CANADA GOOSE can be seen at Chaffey’s Lock. A NORTHERN PINTAIL flew over the lock yesterday. Raptors were the highlight of the week along Opinicon Road with a GOLDEN EAGLE scavenging carrion in the tree swallow box grid beside the cemetery along Opinicon Road and a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK that flew over Queen’s University Biological Station (QUBS). A BARRED OWL was hunting in daylight just west of Chaffey’s Lock. Two GREAT HORNED OWLS, 1 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL and 1 EASTERN SCREECH-OWL were all singing on the night of the 20th at QUBS. Fifty WILD TURKEYS, a large flock for the area, were at the intersection of Opinicon Road and Darling Road. Two NORTHERN SHRIKES have been hanging around Chaffey’s Lock and Queen’s University Road. BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS have been seen from time to time with a high count of 21 on Indian Lake Road. BROWN CREEPER, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH and up to 3 PINE SISKINS continue to be seen at QUBS. Prince Edward County The female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD is still being seen near Ducks Dive Charters on Long Point Road. Look for it on the treetops, power lines or even on the ground along the roadside. There are hundreds of CEDAR WAXWINGS and some AMERICAN ROBINS present there too. Waterfowl off the County this past week included 19 MUTE SWANS, GADWALL, AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, LONG-TAILED DUCK, GREATER SCAUP, COMMON MERGANSER, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER and 2 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS. The Harlequin ducks reported last week have not been refound. Other birds of note: BALD EAGLE, 1 SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, 1 COOPER’S HAWK, 8 EASTERN BLUEBIRD, 2 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and 1 COMMON GRACKLE. The sharp-shinned hawk was seen flying in off Lake Ontario, indicating it may be a spring migrant. Similarly, last week on Amherst Island I watched 3 northern harriers do the same. Simcoe Island Raptor numbers on the island include: 51 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS (perhaps more), 7 SNOWY OWLS, 18 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 6 NORTHERN HARRIERS, 1 BALD EAGLE and 1 AMERICAN KESTREL. Wolfe Island 3 TUNDRA SWANS, COMMON GOLDENEYE, COMMON MERGANSER, 45 WILD TURKEYS, RED-TAILED HAWK, NORTHERN HARRIER and 8 SHORT-EARED OWLS. Three LAPLAND LONGSPURS (rare this winter in the Kingston region) were with a large flock of SNOW BUNTINGS. Other sightings TUNDRA SWANS were at the Glenora Ferry. A single RING-NECKED DUCK was off Bath. An adult BALD EAGLE was at Perth Road Village. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS have been seen near Wilstead and just west of Adolphuston. There was a BARRED OWL at Charleston Lake Provincial Park and a SNOWY OWL at Millhaven. The RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER continue to visit an Elginburg feeder. Westport had a flock of 100+ BOHMEMIAN WAXWINGS and a flock of 100+ WILD TURKEYS. An additional 95 BOHMEIAN WAXWINGS were sighted along Wilton Road. Finally, there was a HORNED LARK near Forfar. Thank you to those who contributed observations this week. All bird sightings reported to me are included in the Kingston Field Naturalists’ long term records database which has over 60 years of observations on file and is an invaluable conservation resource. -- Mark Andrew Conboy Operations & Research Assistant and Outreach Coordinator Queen’s University Biological Station 280 Queen's University Road Elgin, Ontario, Canada K0G 1E0 phone: 613-359-5629 fax: 613-359-6558 email: [email protected] or [email protected] QUBS website: http://www.queensu.ca/qubs/index.html QUBS blog: http://opinicon.wordpress.com/ QUBS flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/qubsoutreach/ _______________________________________________ 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/
