Presqu’ile Birding Report Aug 30th to Sept 5th 2019 HIGHLIGHTS
RED-NECKED GREBE AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER RUDDY TURNSTONE RED KNOT STILT SANDPIPER WESTERN SANDPIPER WILLET RED-NECKED PHALAROPE AMERICAN PIPIT The beaches of Presqu’ile continue to provide birders with great opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of shorebirds at close range in good numbers and this week didn’t disappoint birders who came to enjoy just that. For most of the week there were roughly 400 birds moving between the beach and Gull and High Bluff Island. The number of Southbound Shorebirds stopping on Presqu’ile’s beaches now number an outstanding 24 species with possibilities of more species still to come! Most of the shorebirds continue to seen between beaches 2 and 3. Passerine numbers continue to climb as well with warbler species reported this week increased to 18 species. The first RED-NECKED GREBE was reported off beach 2 on Sept 3rd. COMMON NIGHTHAWKS continue to move through with 9 on Sept 1st and 14 on the 2nd just outside Park gates. BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER low numbers so far and the first AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER of season on AUG 30th. SEMIPALMATED PLOVER good numbers and KILLDEER round out the plovers. RUDDY TURNSTONE on Sept 3rd and the first RED KNOT was reported today! STILT SANDPIPER Sept 1st, a flock of roughly 150 SANDERLING the most numerous shorebird of the week. The first reported Dunlin Sept 3rd, BAIRD’S, LEAST, WHITE-RUMPED, SEMIPALMATED and at least 2 WESTERN SANDPIPERS giving visiting birders a great opportunity to study the 5 peeps at close range! PECTORAL 3, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER 1, WILSON’S SNIPE 4, SPOTTED, GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, WILLET and a report came in as I was writing this report of a photographed RED-NECKED PHALAROPE on Sept 4th. RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS 2 adults and 1 juvenile still continue to visit peanut feeders in a residential backyard. Both MERLIN and PEREGRINE have been reported this week from the beach looking for a meal. OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE, YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, LEAST FLYCATCHER, EASTERN PHOEBE, GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER and EASTERN KINGBIRD were reported this week. Where AMERICAN CROWS AND COMMON RAVENS have been more vocal this week numbers of TREE SWALLOWS and BARN SWALLOWS are dwindling quickly. Salt Point is a good place to look for the few remaining swallows in the Park. One of the very few remaining BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS was reported in a residential backyard on SEPT 3rd. The first AMERICAN PIPIT was reported from beach 2 on Sept 3rd. Although no rare warblers were reported this week diversity is growing with a total of 18 species. NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, BLACK-AND-WHITE, TENNESSEE, NASHVILLE, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, AMERICAN REDSTART by far the most numerous warbler this week, CAPE MAY, NORTHERN PARULA, MAGNOLIA, BAY-BREASTED, BLACKBURNIAN, YELLOW, CHESTNUT-SIDED, BLACK-THROATED BLUE,PINE, YELLOW-RUMPED, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, CANADA and WILSON’S. BALTIMORE ORIOLE numbers have mostly cleared out but one bird was seen visiting a local feeder today! THANK YOU to all the observers who have forward me or Ebirded their list of bird sightings this week! William Gilmour Directions: Presqu’ile Provincial Park is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, just south of the town of Brighton. It can be reached from either Hwy. 401, or Cty. Rd. 2 and is well signed. A Park map can be found in the information tabloid available at the Park gate. Presqu’ile’s two offshore islands – Gull and High Bluff – support a large multi-species colonial bird nesting area and access is not permitted during the breeding season (10 March-10 September). _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
