Kingston Field Naturalists (KFN) maintains records in a 50km radius of MacDonald Park, Kingston. Birders already using eBird are encouraged to share their sightings with 'Kingston FN'. Alternatively, please email, phone or post records directly to me - contact details below. Note: some sightings may require review and remain unconfirmed unless stated otherwise.
Highlights: With another bitterly cold snap well-entrenched across the region, virtually all water is now frozen and both birds and birders are finding the conditions somewhat challenging to say the least. A brief report follows. Highlights include; TURKEY VULTURE, continuing SNOWY OWLS, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, TUFTED TITMOUSE, NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, EASTERN BLUEBIRD, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, HORNED LARK, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, and FOX SPARROW. City of Kingston Not much from the city this week, other than a BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD again at feeders in Reddendale, NORTHERN SHRIKE at Invista and a single RING-NECKED DUCK at the Invista ponds. Wolfe Island The island continues to host good numbers of SNOWY OWLS, most reports of 10 or more. All sightings seem to be from the west of the island though no reports specifically state an absence from the east. For those willing to try, up to 5 birds can been seen on Simcoe Island too. A TURKEY VULTURE seen by an islander on 20th has not seen since. A RUSTY BLACKBIRD was seen at a feeder on 24th. Howe Island The TUFTED TITMOUSE was seen on 18th but it appears no one has been out to check since. On the same date the EASTERN SCREECH-OWL was also seen, as well as the resident RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS. Amherst Island Sightings of SNOWY OWLS continue from Amherst with an apparent increase over the week from 4 last weekend to as many as 12 on 23rd. Three dark-phase ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were seen on 17th but during a KFN trip to the island on 19th, 2 light-phase birds were seen, as well as an unexpected but welcome PEREGRINE FALCON. An ICELAND GULL was seen briefly on the same trip. A BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD was located on the island on 23rd, and NORTHERN SHRIKE, SNOW BUNTING and AMERICAN KESTREL appear to be regularly encountered. Prince Edward Point Not much this week due to the cold weather but a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was seen on Long Point Road on 20th, as was a NORTHERN FLICKER and 6 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS. Other Sightings East of the city, the long-staying RED-HEADED WOODPECKER is still present at Gananoque Golf Club. Further east near Lansdowne, the LAPLAND LONGSPUR was again seen this week, usually in the presence of 10-15 HORNED LARKS. SNOW BUNTINGS are also still present in the Lansdowne area and a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER was seen at the eastern limit of the area along the 1000 Islands Parkway. North of the city, the FOX SPARROW continues at a private feeder near Bedford Mills and was seen from 18th-21st. EASTERN BLUEBIRDS continue to be seen at Elginburg, where a BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD is also regular. West of the city, a NORTHERN HARRIER (remarkably scarce this winter) was seen near Jim Snow Drive on 19th. Thanks to all those who submitted sightings over the last week. Mark. Mark D. Read 47 Ellerbeck Street, Unit 1, Kingston, Ontario K7L 4H7 Canada Mobile: +1 613 2171246 Email: [email protected] Blog: "Confessions of a Global Birder" http://markdread.blogspot.com <http://markdread.blogspot.com/> Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/markdread/ _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup
