The bird life at Presqu'ile Provincial Park has changed dramatically
over the past week. Many of the insectivorous birds have thinned out
while seed-eating birds are now more dominant. Strong winds and
concomitant wave action on the three days when there has been no hunting
have discouraged birders from wading to Gull Island. Partly for that
reason there have been fewer shorebird and waterfowl reports.
Six TUNDRA SWANS flew over on October 11. Six WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS were
in Presqu'ile Bay today and a female BLACK SCOTER was in Popham Bay on
Sunday. A COMMON GALLINULE was in the marsh yesterday and two AMERICAN
COOTS were there on Friday. The only shorebirds were BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVERS (one on Sunday, three on Monday, and four today) and a
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER today. However, one seen at a distance on Monday
might have been the long-staying WHIMBREL. PURPLE SANDPIPERS often show
up at Presqu'ile in November but they occasionally arrive even earlier
than this date.
A cuckoo, unidentified as to species, was at Owen Point on Sunday. There
have been later sightings of YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO but not BLACK-BILLED
CUCKOO. A male RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER at 83 Bayshore Road and a female
at 186 Bayshore Road have become regulars. MERLINS have been seen on
three of the past seven days and a PEREGRINE FALCON on Tuesday. A
NORTHERN SHRIKE appeared at the calf pasture on October 12, tying the
record early dates established for that species in 2011 and 2012. It
(or another) was seen there this morning. Two COMMON RAVENS were seen
on Sunday. There was an anonymous report of a WOOD THRUSH on Saturday.
A NASHVILLE WARBLER on October 12 was the only warbler apart from
plentiful YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS seen this week, but an ORANGE-CROWNED
WARBLER this morning was just outside the Park gate.
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 water that is knee-deep,
not taking into account any wave action,.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, Owen Point,
Gull Island,
High Bluff Island, 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] <mailto:[email protected]>.
--
Fred Helleiner
186 Bayshore Road
Brighton, Ontario
K0K 1H0
613-475-5309
If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park
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