WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, September 28, 1997
And the shorebirds keep a comin'. Sandbanks has been a bit better this fall compared to autumns in the past. Present this week were BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, SANDERLINGS, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER and dozens of KILLDEER. For Sandbanks, that's pretty good. All five species of gulls were present at the mouth of the Outlet River - RING-BILLED, HERRING, BONAPARTE'S, GREAT BLACK-BACKED and LITTLE GULL.
Meanwhile, over on Amherst Island, just to the east of us, there was good shorebirding to be had with AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER, HUDSONIAN GODWIT, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, SANDERLING, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, KILLDEER and PECTORAL SANDPIPER present yesterday.
Prince Edward Point on Saturday had little of anything - quite a contrast to the previous Sunday when thousands of warblers were checked off including, PALM, CHESTNUT-SIDED, PALM, REDSTART, BLACK-AND-WHITE, TENNESSEE, NASHVILLE, PARULA, MOURNING, OVENBIRD and BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER.
Hawks that day were also in fine fettle with numerous RED-TAILED HAWKS, SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, KESTRELS and MERLIN being seen by members of the Kingston Field Naturalists. They also noted a large movement of BLUE JAYS being seen, along with one GRAY JAY. Both WHITE-CROWNED and WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS were chalked up, as well as LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, SCARLET TANAGER and both species of kinglets.
Sandbanks Provincial Park on Wednesday had 2 OSPREY, YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, HERMIT THRUSH and BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER, according to park naturalist Yvette Bree.
The Menzel Nature Reserve just north of Deseronto on Monday had RUFFED GROUSE, TURKEY VULTURE, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, BELTED KINGFISHER, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET and RUSTY BLACKBIRDS.
Somewhat farther away from home, members of the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists today at Depot Lakes Conservation Area, found numerous RUFFED GROUSE, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, HOUSE WREN, HAIRY WOODPECKER, TURKEY VULTURE, RED-TAILED HAWK and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER. There was a NORTHERN GOSHAWK at Hartington, and another was seen at Point Petre in Prince Edward County by Brian Grimley.
And that's the birding news this week from Prince Edward County and area. If you've seen something of interest in the Quinte area - don't keep it a secret. We'd like to hear about it.
This report will be updated Sunday, October 5th Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
The family of four Red-necked Grebes in the Bronte outer harbour are still present. The two young bird are almost full grown, however they retain the black and white striping on their faces.
I was in Saskatchewan last weekend and found many Western Grebes still being fed by their parents. They will be frozen out long before our birds will be so I don't think we need be too concerned about the advanced season for them.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, September 21, 1997
Raptors are still on the move in Prince Edward County as the fall migration continues. A fully mature BALD EAGLE was seen flying over Bloomfield on the 13th by Don and Judy McClure. At Prince Edward Point the following day hawks were on the move with RED-TAILED HAWK, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, MERLIN, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, and COOPER'S HAWK being among those checked off.
Two WHIMBREL were also see just west of Babylon Road and CLAY-COLOURED SPARROWS were observed feeding young. Masses of PALM WARBLERS were seen by members of the Kingston Field Naturalists who were at the Point that day, also seeing SCARLET TANAGER, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, EASTERN KINGBIRD and VEERY.
Sandbanks Provincial Park had 4 LITTLE GULLS at the park on September 13th. Sandbanks has always been a dependable location for this species in the fall of the year, until freeze-up.
Shorebird migration has been very good at Amherst Island where both BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and GOLDEN PLOVER have been present. On the 13th, a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER was seen on the Kingston Field Naturalists property at the east end of Amherst Island. By Tuesday, the LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER had disappeared, but there were over 400 KILLDEER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, SANDERLINGS, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, and PECTORAL SANDPIPER. A MERLIN and several BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS were also reported from the island, along with hundreds of PALM WARBLERS.
Albury Swamp, east of Carrying Place, had SWAMP SPARROW, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, RED-TAILED HAWK and NORTHERN FLICKER on the 20th. Three dead GREAT BLUE HERONS at Essroc Cement, near Picton, on the 15th has raised some concern as to what may have killed these birds, although it may be nothing more than coincidence. One of the birds was found in the quarry, while another may have hit hydro lines.
The best find of the week was a MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD seen on the 16th on the shoal, just south of the Kingston Airport, according to the KFN's weekly recorded report.
This report will be updated Sunday, September 28th Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
In Reply to: Trip announcement - Cranberry Marsh posted by Marcel Gahbauer on September 17, 1997 at 19:20:54:
Cranberry Marsh was exceptional this morning. The walk I led from 9 to 11 was fairly successful, with 40 species spotted. These included Solitary Vireo, Blackburnian, and Black-throated Green Warbler, and Least Flycatcher on the beach; Phoebe, White-throated Sparrows, Juncos inland. Waterfowl highlights ncluded 2 Redhead, 10 Scaup, 30-40 Green-winged Teal, and 1 male Common Merganser flying south over the marsh.
After the walk, I stayed at the Hawk Watch for another hour. This is when the activity really picked up. Between 11 am and noon, there were over 700 Broad-winged Hawks, 100 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 Osprey, 1 Bald Eagle, and several each of Kestrel, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, and Harrier. A Pipit and 2 Rusty Blackbirds also flew by. The weather conditions were nearly ideal for hawk-watching, and I imagine that today's total probably ended up being several thousand raptors.
This Sunday (September 21), I will be leading a walk for the conservation group Song of Hope at Cranberry Marsh in Whitby. At this time of year, Cranberry Marsh is usually one of the best local areas to see a wide cross-section of migrating raptors, waterfowl, shorebirds, and passerines. Within the past week, both Western Kingbird and Western Grebe have been reported here. Although these rarities seem to have moved on, there will certainly be a variety of interesting species present on Sunday.
Birders of all levels of experience are welcome to join us for this walk. Some of the raptors will likely be quite distant and will pose a challenge to even experienced birders, while the more stationary waterfowl and shorebirds will provide a valuable learning experience for beginners. We will have several field guides on hand to help people identify their sightings.
We will be meeting near the south end of Halls Road at the path to the south lookout at 9 AM. The walk will probably last approximately two hours. For directions or more information, please e-mail me.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, September 14, 1997
The fall migration seems to be in full swing now in Prince Edward County with plenty of reports of autumn migrants passing through, and overhead at night.
Kingston Field Naturalists members found numerous little pockets of migrants at Prince Edward Point last Sunday, including MOURNING WARBLERS, SWAINSON'S THRUSH and GREY-CHEEKED THRUSH. The following day there were three PHILADELPHIA VIREOS there with some movement of hawks including 1 COOPER'S HAWK, 1 RED-TAILED HAWK and 12 KESTRELS.
Raptors were also on the move today at Presqu'ile Park for members of the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists, and within a space of 20 minutes, 4 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 1 KESTREL, 19 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 1 COOPER'S HAWK, 1 HARRIER and 1 BALD EAGLE passed over Owen Point. Shorebird counts were low with SANDERLING, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER representing the more abundant species. One AMERICAN PIPIT was also present on the beach, with numerous others heard flying overhead. The best find was a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER seen at 11:00 a.m. by O.F.O. president Jean Iron. It remained in the area for some time allowing all of us an opportunity to study its features.
A GREAT EGRET was seen on Thursday at Stirling, and a family of GREEN HERONS was present earlier this month along the Outlet River at Sandbanks Provincial Park.
Also in Prince Edward County, a WHIMBREL was spotted by Bob Sachs of Kingston, some distance west of Prince Edward Point. Amherst Island still had the AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER as of last Sunday.
Bird bander Joanne Dewey caught a GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER in her nets about two weeks ago at her home north-east of Picton.
Sharron and John Blaney of Belleville spent the day at Point Petre today, coming up with YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, BLACK and WHITE WARBLER, and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, as well as RED-EYED VIREO. Both RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES and WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES were present. Point Petre is one of the better areas in the county for hawk watching in the fall. SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, COPPER'S HAWK, KESTREL, and NORTHERN HARRIER were all seen as well as TURKEY VULTURE. There were also a few INDIGO BUNTINGS and a lone SCARLET TANAGER, none of them showing any signs of their earlier colours. The picture of the advancing season was completed by flocks of HORNED GREBES and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS out in Soup Harbour.
And that's it for this week from the Quinte area. Remember - if you have been birding in the County this past week, we'd appreciate receiving your more notable finds.
This report will be updated Sunday, September 21st Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
Today I happened to find myself at the Eglinton Flats at Jane & Eglinton. Although I've never seen anything of interest here before, I had some time to kill, and walked over to the large pond in the southeast quadrant of the park. When I got there, I was treated to a spectacular aerial display, as a Merlin and a female Kingfisher chased each other around the pond. I say 'chased each other' because their flight was so irregular and fast-paced that it was impossible to tell which bird was the aggressor. Eventually, the Merlin had enough and flew off to the west, while the Kingfisher returned to her perch overlooking the water. Interestingly, there were flocks of crows and Blue Jays in the area, but they completely ignored the commotion involving the Merlin.
Although there were few other species present, there were a few more surprises. On the floating algae mats, there were 2 Solitary Sandpipers; there was a BC Night Heron on the south side, and there were 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches in the poplars along the north side. I tend to visit a few parks on a regular basis. My experience here today served as a reminder that there are always new places to be discovered, and that in migration nearly any pocket of greenery can produce interesting results at times.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, September 07, 1997
Not a whole lot going on in the Prince Edward County area this past week. There have been a few fairly strong days of migration at some of the more well known birding areas in the Quinte region.
Sandbanks Provincial Park on Saturday had SPOTTED SANDPIPER, EASTERN MEADOWLARK and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD in large numbers along the lakeshore drive on County Road 12.
Nesting GREAT BLUE HERONS seem to be doing quite well in Prince Edward County. Another heronry was spotted in a swamp along Salem Road, just southwest of the village of Ameliasburgh last week, with a count of 60+ nests. This brings to 6 the number of known heronries in the county. The larger heronries exist at Albury Swamp, Royal Road (Milford) and Mitchel Cross road near Smith's Bay. All contain 50 or more nests each.
Elsewhere in the Quinte area this week, the Quinte Conservation Area, just west of Belleville, is starting to pick up as the fall migration accelerates. John and Sharon Blaney visited the conservation area on Saturday and came up with the usual birds along with a flock of 50 or more CEDAR WAXWINGS, a few YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and a couple of BAY-BREASTED WARBLERS. These were all in the same area with a HOUSE WREN, a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and a GRAY CATBIRD. Action quickly came to an end when a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK appeared and landed right in the middle of the flock. The best sighting of the afternoon was definitely a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. It flitted in and out of a dead tree for several minutes allowing the Blaneys plenty of opportunity to observe it.
Nothing spectacular in Prince Edward County as far as shorebirds go, although an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER has been at Amherst Island since Wednesday.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and area.
This report will be updated Sunday, September 14th Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
In Reply to: Possible Brambling? posted by Marcel Gahbauer on September 04, 1997 at 15:32:47:
Over the past two days, I've spent more than five hours trying to relocate the possible Brambling I spotted on Thursday afternoon. Unfortunately, I have had no luck yet. However, I think that the bird may still be in the area despite this. When I saw it on Thursday, it was in the company of 15 to 20 House Sparrows. This sparrow flock is resident in this area, but wanders widely. I didn't see more than a couple of sparrows yesterday or today, so I think that the mystery bird is likely with the rest of them. I don't know where the flock goes when it isn't in the valley, but I suspect they probably head up to the subdivision along Finch Avenue east of Morningside.
There is a woman who regularly puts out seeds all around the area where I saw the bird. The sparrow flock comes to this area because of the food. I have a feeling that the bird may well turn up again with the rest of the sparrows; it's just a matter of being there when they turn up. The last couple of days, there have been 20 to 50 Blue Jays in the area, and the smaller birds have been reluctant to come to the feeders.
I've spoken to a couple of people regarding the identification of this bird. Both said that Brambling is not a cage bird, and thus if this is one, it would be a wild bird that has flown in from Europe. However, it's also possible that what I saw was a tropical finch of some sort that has escaped. I only have field guides for North America and Europe, and among the birds there, the Brambling is the best match, but I don't know whether there are species from elsewhere in the world which have a similar appearance.
Despite the fact that I couldn't relocate the mystery bird, I did have other good sightings in the area, especially on Friday morning. Along the north edge of the Zoo property along Old Finch, there is a large Norway Spruce. Around this tree there were over 30 warblers of 10 species, including Canada, Nashville, Blackburnian, Chestnut-sided, and Black-throated Green, which were by far the most common. There were also up to 10 each of Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatch. The raptor movement was also surprisingly good. A Cooper's Hawk flew low overhead, while 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks and a Peregrine also flew west, but somewhat higher up. 15 Broad-winged Hawks and 5 Red-tailed Hawks soared past, heading southeast.
I haven't given up yet on the mystery finch. I'll try again on Monday, and if I have any success, I'll post an update as soon as possible.
In Reply to: Possible Brambling? posted by Marcel Gahbauer on September 04, 1997 at 15:32:47:
Wow. Your sighting is off the wall but is remotely plausible. Brambling are wanderers and have been seen in North America many times before including Ontario. Timing of your bird would be usual. Brambling is usually (if usual is the right word for a vagrant) a winter feeder bird. Earliest N.A. record I am aware of is Oct 20 in Colorado. I'd recommend spreading some seed around. and call me the moment you see it again. 905-279-9576 (Mississauga). look for a white rump in flight. Good luck
Mark
This afternoon I came across a bird which looked very much like a male Brambling, unlikely as that is. The bird was the size of a House Finch, and also had the bill and body shape of a finch. It had a black head, an orange-brown breast, and a white belly.
Unfortunately, I was driving at the time and could not stop because of traffic, so I had no chance to see the sides or back. I hope to return tomorrow to try to get another look at the bird.
The bird was located near the Rouge River in Scarborough, between Sewells Road and Reesor Road on Old Finch Avenue. Going west from Reesor Road, the road winds down a slope. Near the bottom, there is a series of wooden posts on the right (north) side, where bird food is often scattered. The bird was on the last (westernmost) of these posts.
My thought is that this was likely a captive bird which has escaped and joined the flocks of finches which frequent this area. Can anyone offer any other ideas?
Marcel Gahbauer gsteve6@ibm.net
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, August 31, 1997
This past week has seen a few migrating warblers passing through. Several REDSTARTS and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were seen in the woods behind Kenron Estates, west of Belleville early this week. Warblers comprising several species have also been noted passing through Prince Edward Point. Also seen down there this past week in greater numbers have been BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS, CEDAR WAXWINGS and BALTIMORE ORIOLES. A COMMON RAVEN also turned up.
Today at Prince Edward Point, there were several COMMON LOONS on Prince Edward Bay. MALLARDS and NORTHERN PINTAILS also showed up in several locations. A YELLOW RAIL was seen at Prince Edward Point, just west of the lighthouse, on August 16.
Two MERLIN and 2 NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS were spotted this week along Babylon Road (formerly Rose's Lane & Middle Rd.) Today, Ostrander Point Rd., which runs south off Babylon to Lake Ontario had WILD TURKEY, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER and EASTERN TOWHEE.
Shorebirds continue to be sparse in Prince Edward County, although Presqu'ile Provincial Park is reporting great shorebirding up there. The best find in Prince Edward County this week was a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE in winter plumage on Monday at the mouth of the Outlet River at Sandbanks Provincial Park. With it were three LESSER YELLOWLEGS and several SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS. The phalarope was seen only the one day. SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS had joined the above species the following day.
Shorebird watching is a bit better on Amherst Island where early this week there were RUDDY TURNSTONE, both GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, UPLAND SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. A WILLET was also seen on Amherst Island.
This report will be updated Sunday, September 07th Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
The following birds were seen this morning in Petro Canada Park. This park is on the east side of Bronte Creek just north of Rebecca off of Bronte Road in Oakville.
Osprey, Eastern Wood-pewee, Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Red-eyed Vireo, Nashville Warbler, Chestnut-sided W., Magnolia W., Black and White W., Blackburnian W., Black-throated Blue W., Black-throated Green W., Bay-breasted W., American Redstart, Wilson's W., Canada W., and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
In Reply to: Parking Fees at Lynde Shores C.A. posted by Bill Edmunds on August 26, 1997 at 13:49:03:
Thanks very much for the timely post Bill - I was planning to visit Cranberry Marsh & Lynde Shores C.A. this weekend. I can't say I wasn't forewarned
It seems that the fall migration is upon us. I spent an hour in the eastern part of High Park this afternoon, and came across three mixed flocks of warblers, chickadees, and White-breasted Nuthatches. Chestnut-sided were by far the most common warbler species (10-12), but there were also 2 Redstarts, 2 Black-and-white, 1 Blackburnian, and 1 Canada. The best spot was directly west of the streetcar loop, halfway down the slope. Blue Jays, Flickers, and Grackles were flocking in the same area.
In the southeast corner of the park, I looked for the Great Egret and Wood Duck which were present earlier in the summer, but could not find either. They may be in Grenadier Pond -- I didn't have time to check. A Great Blue Heron and a cormorant were present in the south duck pond, and a muskrat was swimming in the murky water of the creek feeding this pond (at the northwest end).
Anyone birding at Lynde Shores C.A. should take note that there is now a charge to park there. There is a sign near the 'Parking Tag' dispenser (it's based on the honour system), but it (the sign) is not obvious!! The fees aren't very high, but the fine is $15 if you don't have a parking tag. I was there on Sunday for less than 1 hr, didn't notice the 'new' machine, and received a ticket. Watch out!!!
There will be a South Peel Naturalist's Club trip to Petro Canada Park on Sunday August 31. We will meet at the Bronte car pool (Bronte Road & QEW) at 8:00 AM. Petro Canada Park is beside Bronte Creek between Speers and Rebecca. It is an excellent place to observe fall passerine migrants, especially warblers. Everyone is welcome. We will finish before lunch time. It is sometimes a bit wet down there with morning dew.
After the walk why not go down the street to check out the Red-necked Grebe family? The two chicks are now too big to hide under a parent's wing so they are always visible.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, August 24, 1997
Prince Edward County skies are active these days as the southward migration of birds begins. TREE SWALLOWS continue to fight for space on hydro lines in the county, especially those near cattail marshes. The "pink" call-notes of BOBOLINKS can be heard daily and nightly as flocks of these birds make their way out of the county. In nearby fields, large flocks of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and COMMON GRACKLES march across harvested oat fields in search of gleanings from the combine. Very shortly these flocks will be joined by RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, and the migrating flocks of blackbirds will swell.
Beaver Meadow Wildlife Management Area had plenty of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS on Monday. Also seen were GREEN HERON, BELTED KINGFISHER, TREE SWALLOWS, CANADA GEESE, and GREAT BLUE HERON.
Quinte Conservation Area today had YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, SONG SPARROW, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, EASTERN BLUEBIRD and numerous EASTERN KINGBIRDS.
Shorebird reports continue to be few and far between in Prince Edward County, strongly suggesting that the best shorebird watching is to be had at nearby Presqu'ile Provincial Park where the tempo is said to be increasing. Prince Edward County shorelines and mudflats had SPOTTED SANDPIPER, LESSER YELLOW LEGS, KILLDEER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, SANDERLING, and PECTORAL SANDPIPER reported from various locations by different people throughout the week. RUDDY TURNSTONES were reported at the West Lake Sector beach on Thursday. The August 26th meeting of the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists will be taking place at Macaulay Mountain Conservation Area at 7:00 p.m. Guest speaker will be Kim Kathan, assistant park naturalist at Sandbanks who will be presenting an interesting evening on mammals. Focussing on her personal collection of skulls, Kim will be talking about many of the mammals found in this area. Everyone welcome. Refreshments.
This report will be updated Sunday, August 31st Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, August 17, 1997
Things should begin to pick up for birders in Prince Edward County in the weeks to come. Several showers and thunderstorms this past week freshened up the county making birding trips a bit more enjoyable.
While Prince Edward Point boasts an area unsurpassed anywhere in eastern Ontario for spring warbler concentrations, the whole county fails in its attempt to provide the superb shorebird populations that nearby Presqu'ile Park can boast. While scattered reports of shorebirds have come in this week from various beaches and ponds in Prince Edward County, Presqu'ile still has the leading edge when it comes to variety and numbers of shorebirds. Beach 4 there this past week has produced LESSER YELLOWLEGS, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, LEAST SANDPIPERS, SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, RUDDY TURNSTONE and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS.
Meanwhile in Prince Edward County, the most exciting bird to turn up last week was a YELLOW RAIL, seen by Walter Frey at Prince Edward Point on Friday. The bird was seen for only a few minutes as it crossed the road just west of the lighthouse. While this species is often thought of as a nocturnal bird, these birds are often seen during the day, if they feel there is no danger about. The very first sighting for Prince Edward County some decades ago was in broad daylight.
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS were seen Friday at Sandbanks Provincial Park along the lakeshore near the entrance to the new Woodland Campground. A tour of the new campground, officially opened that morning, produced GRAY CATBIRD, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, BROWN THRASHER, EASTERN WOOD PEWEE and PURPLE FINCH.
GREEN HERONS continue to be reported at the Outlet River, Beaver Meadow Wildlife Management Area and one was seen on Tuesday at Macaulay Pond.
The August 26th meeting of the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists will be taking place at Macaulay Mountain Conservation Area at 7:00 p.m. Guest speaker will be Kim Kathan, assistant park naturalist at Sandbanks who will be presenting an interesting evening on mammals. Focussing on her personal collection of skulls, Kim will be talking about many of the mammals found in this area.
This report will be updated Sunday, August 24th Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
In Reply to: No eggs in nest posted by Gavin Edmondstone on August 11, 1997 at 20:46:36:
The Red-necked Grebe family continues to use the area near the nest. As the chicks have grown they are more visible and active, sometimes swimming on their own and even diving briefly. They sometimes come very close to shore allowing good viewing and photography. This morning visitors from Dallas and Seattle were entertained by these birds.
In Reply to: Two Hatched posted by Gavin Edmondstone on August 09, 1997 at 13:35:31:
I checked the nest using an inflatable boat today and found no eggs. The family continues to use the nest and the area around it.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, August 10, 1997
And Prince Edward County continues to struggle through a lengthy drought with trees withering and dropping their leaves and fields of corn looking more like pineapple. Despite the high lake levels this year, many of the ponds, swales and other low-lying areas that usually produce a few shorebirds at this time of the year are all but dry. A small pond on Old Milford Road which can usually be depended on in the late summer has dropped below the limestone ledges of the Alvar on which it is situated providing no habitat this year for shorebirds. Wannamaker's Pond toward Prince Edward Point is bone dry.
Prince Edward Point on Wednesday produced some fairly good birding. There were plenty of young BALTIMORE ORIOLES about. A 2 km walk west along the lakeshore from the point yielded 23 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, 100+ COMMON MERGANSERS, 2 GREAT BLUE HERONS, 1 COMMON LOON, 4 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, 3 MALLARDS, and 15 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS. The best find along the lake was an immature BALD EAGLE which sprang from a large willow tree not more than 25 feet in front of me.
Sandbanks Provincial Park these days has both COMMON TERN and CASPIAN TERN, but few shorebirds. A check of the pannes in the West Lake Sector produced nothing, although the water level here appears to be holding its own. Sandbanks this past week also reported GREEN HERON, GRAY CATBIRD (thank you, Jim), BANK SWALLOWS, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO and PILEATED WOODPECKER.
The August 26th meeting of the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists will be taking place at Macaulay Mountain Conservation Area at 7:00 p.m. Guest speaker will be Kim Kathan, assistant park naturalist at Sandbanks who will be presenting an interesting evening on mammals. Focussing on her personal collection of skulls, Kim will be talking about many of the mammals found in this area.
This report will be updated Sunday, August 17th Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
In Reply to: One Hatched posted by Gavin Edmondstone on August 05, 1997 at 20:47:16:
There are now two chicks at the Bronte Harbour Red-necked Grebe nest. The chicks are not always visible so patience is usefull. So is a scope for the best view. They are being fed whole small fish.
In Reply to: Bronte Red-necked Grebes posted by Gavin Edmondstone on August 04, 1997 at 21:18:45:
The first egg has hatched. Sue and I saw a small striped head poking out from the back of the sitting bird. These birds now have a following of people who sit on the bench and observe the nest.
The Bronte Harbour Red-necked Grebe nest is still being incubated. I saw what happens to Mallards and Canada Geese that approach for too close a look- they get jabbed from below by the non-incubating grebe!
This morning in Bronte Creek Provincial Park I saw a Ruffed Grouse, my first in that park.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, August 03, 1997
A few interesting things this past week. Two TUNDRA SWANS were seen near Cressy early this past week, a bit unusual for this time of the year in this area, and at Highway 62 near Jericho Road, a GREEN HERON has been making regular visits to a backyard farm pond.
Close to 30 WILD TURKEYS were seen today near Bongard Crossroad, just east of Lake-on-the-Mountain. This species seems to be doing very well since the initial release at Beaver Meadow Wildlife Management Area in the late 1980s. The population has burgeoned to close to 600 now in the county.
The Big Island Marsh these days continues to be alive with ALDER FLYCATCHER, AMERICAN BITTERN, VIRGINIA RAIL, SWAMP SPARROW and MARSH WREN. This 2,000-acre cattail marsh was once a well known site for king rails.
An example of how planting wildlife shrubs can induce birds to one's property can be seen at our home this summer. Our mountain ash trees and honeysuckle bushes attract a flock of over 20 CEDAR WAXWINGS daily. AMERICAN ROBINS have also been seen feeding on the fruit of these trees in the absence of regular fare due to the drought we are currently experiencing in the county.
Kit Chubb's "Notes and Anecdotes" from the Avian Care and Research Foundation in Verona, reports that a swan (species unknown) hit some high voltage wires in the Brighton area, causing a shower of sparks and a blackout. The swan fell into a marsh, but recovered after a period of time. It was likely jolted by electricity when each wing touched separate wires, something that only birds with large wingspans can do. Another similar incident recorded in the same newsletter was that of a snowy owl who was eating his meal on a utility pole, and got nose-volted when he leaned over and wiped his beak on a live wire.
The fall migration is under way as TREE SWALLOWS commence lining up on the utility wires in the Quinte area, preparatory to their journey south. Shorebirds are also appearing this month and we should be getting a few reports of these in the weeks to come.
And that's it from Prince Edward County this week. If you have been birding in the Quinte area this summer, be sure to drop us an e-mail note with your observations.
This report will be updated Sunday, August 10th Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
In Reply to: Bronte Red Necked Grebe posted by Sue Davis on July 21, 1997 at 21:15:17:
The Bronte Red-necked Grebes are still incubating.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, July 27, 1997
The hot and humid days this past week did little in the way of producing any interesting birds, or even any enthusiasm to pursue any birds for that matter. An albino TREE SWALLOW showed up on Thursday with flocks of other swallows flying for insects over the Outlet River at Log Cabin Point. And the partial albino AMERICA ROBIN continues to alternate between Macaulay House Museum and the Regent Theatre area in Picton.
Despite the heat, birds continue to sing happily away at Macaulay Mountain. On a Prince Edward County Field Naturalists evening hike Tuesday, WOOD PEWEE, RED-EYED VIREO, WOOD THRUSH, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and WINTER WREN were heard singing. The SEDGE WREN is still present in the hay field at Big Island, along with a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW. UPLAND SANDPIPERS have also been heard calling over this same field.
I hesitated whether or not to mention the following sighting, but decided to in hopes that some reader out there might be able to interpret its meaning, if indeed it has any meaning at all. Last Sunday morning , a Lake-on-the-Mountain resident found a large white sealed envelope at the end of his driveway. Upon examining its contents he found a dead EUROPEAN STARLING with a nail rammed down its throat, and a nail shoved into each of its shoulders. There were no other contents or written message included with the bizarre discovery. The resident is a passive birder himself, and is unaware of any enemies or disgruntled acquaintances. Was this some sort of a voodoo thing (if there is a subtle message it is surely going over our heads!), or was it just a random act of barbarianism? Any ideas? ? ?
And on that pleasant note, that's it from Prince Edward County this week.
This report will be updated Sunday, August 3rd Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
Birds seen this morning on the new islands west of Eastport Drive, by CCIW: Bald Eagle, immature eating a fish Caspian Tern - nesting colony, still lots of young birds Common Tern - nesting colony, some young birds still around Whimbrel (1) Short-billed Dowitcher (3) Red Knot (1)
From Toronto: exit the QEW at Eastport just before the Skyway bridge. You can park off the road under the bridge or at CCIW.
I saw a female Red Phalarope in breeding plumage beside the north pier of the Burlington Ship Canal exit QEW at Eastport. It seemed healthy although a Ring-billed Gull tested its nerves. Check with Hamilton hotlline. This bird is unusual ( and personal lifer)
Viewed nesting pair in Bronte Harbour, watched them change places on the nest. Repairing nest seems to be ongoing; also checked area at end of Guelph line, pair of Grebes have moved on, their "nesting" site is now totally under water, lake appears extremely high right now.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, July 20, 1997
While we tend to think that most forests are quiet these days except for the monotonous phrases of the RED-EYED VIREO and the plaintive call of the WOOD PEWEE, both these species and more were present Friday morning at Picton's Macaulay Mountain Conservation Area. Singing in fine fettle were OVENBIRD, WOOD THRUSH, WINTER WREN, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and VEERY.
An OSPREY was observed fishing at Picton Harbour on Thursday, one of numerous sightings of this species this summer in Prince Edward County. Despite the plethora of nesting platforms in the county, the pair of ospreys at Massassauga Road continue to be content with the top of the hydro pole in a pasture field adjacent to a cattail marsh.
Big Island, near Demorestville, seems to be producing some pretty good birds these days, especially the field in which Henslow's Sparrows appeared last summer. The SEDGE WREN that appeared some weeks ago in this field, then disappeared, has reappeared - along with a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW. Several EVENING GROSBEAKS passed over the same field early today.
Last week, the Friends of Birdhouse City was formed to help with the maintenance of the structures in this famous complex, just east of Picton. The "city" features the reproductions of numerous historic buildings in the county, with some spectacular creations such as the 80-compartment Massassauga Park Hotel, so massive it needed to be supported on two poles.
Elsewhere in the Quinte area this week, Belleville birder John Blaney paid a visit to Vanderwater Conservation Area, near Thomasburgh, on Thursday. The most striking thing was the ambiguity of the birdlife in mid-July; some are getting ready to migrate and some are still nesting. Swallows are obviously gathering. There were two or three unspotted SPOTTED SANDPIPERS by the river. The most commonly heard songsters were EASTERN WOOD PEWEE and RED-EYED VIREO, replacing June's OVENBIRD and VEERY. The SCARLET TANAGERS were surprisingly vocal with three or four singing in the area of the old campground. The only warbler singing consistently was a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER in (just to keep the streak intact) some Red Cedars at the corner of the Moneymore Road. Nearby a FIELD SPARROW sounded very much as though it was still on territory.
At nearby Presqu'ile Provincial Park, a CATTLE EGRET has been present along Huff Road for the past couple of weeks.
The next meeting of the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists will take place at Macaulay Mountain Conservation Area at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday evening (July 22nd). An evening hike along some of the conservation area's 12 km. of hiking trails will be featured.
This report will be updated Sunday, July 27th Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, July 13, 1997
A few interesting birds this past week. It's not often we have an opportunity to see a LEAST BITTERN, but one sauntered across the road on Tuesday at South Bay for everyone to see.
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS seem to be holding their own in Prince Edward County. The first nesting record for the county occurred in 1972, and there have been nesting records for nearly every year since. Sightings of individual birds have been made this year at Prince Edward Point, East Lake, and at Sandbanks Provincial Park. The village of Milford also had one turn up early this week.
A LITTLE GULL was observed in Lake Ontario at Wellington, July 09. Traditionally, the species can usually be depended on every year in East Lake, commencing in November and continuing until freeze-up.
And from the oddity file comes a sighting of a BELTED KINGFISHER last week on a hydro wire patiently staring at the asphalt pavement of County Road 14 just west of Demorestville. The kingfisher has been seen by this writer on three occasions and one can only presume that this is a very inexperienced bird as the nearest body of water is several hundred yards beyond him, and below a wooded escarpment.
The next meeting of the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists will take place at Macaulay Mountain Conservation Area at 7:00 p.m., July 22nd. An evening hike along some of the conservation area's 12 km. of hiking trails will be featured.
This report will be updated Sunday, July 20th Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
In Reply to: Re: Bronte Red-necked Grebe nest posted by Gavin Edmondstone on July 13, 1997 at 15:55:39:
July 12, 13 Interesting that the Grebe's have been mentioned, we've been viewing a pair at the foot of Guelph Line. To see them, face the Burlington Bridge and look down into a small "cove", they are attempting to build a nest. I think the pair in the tire have a better chance. Could it be the Bronte Pair have moved? or are we fortunute enough to have 2 pairs? Wonderful mating ritual these two perform, spending quite a lot of time at the "nest", and then a leisurely swim out into the lake. I'm not sure this nest will withstand any weather. Any more. If anyone has more info about both pairs, please advise
In Reply to: Bronte Red-necked Grebe nest posted by Gavin Edmondstone on July 12, 1997 at 13:06:58:
This morning I could see at least 4 eggs as the incubating bird turned them.
There is a Red-necked Grebe nest on a floating tire in the east end of Bronte Harbour. While I was taking photos this morning a summer plumaged Little Gull made a brief appearance.
In Reply to: August trip posted by Jon Ausubel on July 11, 1997 at 10:34:26:
August is a good time of year in Algonquin. We only think of it as "doldroms" because there is little migration happening. (Actually fall migration is well under way by the end of August.) Here are my thoughts on good places for Algonquin Boreals:
Spruce Grouse: Spruce Bog Trail between Post 1 Post 2 and the adjacent trails. Try very early in the morning. On my last visit there was no sign of Grouse on the way in but a male was right on the trail on my way out so be persistant.
Boreal Chickadee: Try the back of the old airfield. Take the wide trail from the parking lot to the other side and check the spruce trees there.
Black-backed Woodpeckers are nesting on Opeongo Road and at km 8 but they will have left the nests by August I would assume.
I was told that both crossbills are present in low numbers this summer. White-winged is more likely in the Hwy 60 area.
I have seen Ruffed Grouse along the old railway east of Arowhon Road.
Get "An Explorer's Guide to Algonquin Park" by Mike Runtz. Also ask at the Visitors' Centre.
Good luck!
I'm thinking of heading up to Algonquin in August--I know it's the doldrums time of year. I'm wondering, though, if someone might suggest some good spots for boreal species in or around Huntsville/road-accessible in Algonquin. Specifically, I'd like to see both Crossbills and any Grouse. Of course, owls and other broeal birds would be welcome. Thanks. Jon Ausubel
My husband and I sited a male wood duck in the beaver pond in the Metro Toronto Park at Leslie and Sheppard Avenues in North York in late May. Tuesday, June 8, 1997 we saw a female wood duck with about 15 very young ducklings on the pond. We returned today, July 10, 1997 and we sited her again but not near enough to count the ducklings. Other mallard ducklings have suffered predation (4/9 still alive from one family, 3/9 from another and another female is raising three more (we don't know how many she started with)). The beaver pond was just created last July when a pair of beavers arrived and stayed.
Pouvez vous me dire à quoi correspondent ces noms d'oiseaux ? fideluca narcissima cyanolipta cyanomelana erithacus akahlge terpsiphone atrocaudata emberiza sulphurata parus major cuculus canorus tarsifer cyanurus turdus chrysolaus cettia diphone zosterops japonica emberiza cioides cuculus pollocephalus parus montanus prunella collaris eophona personata
avec mes remerciements
In Reply to: Re: Swan behaviour posted by Gavin Edmondstone on July 04, 1997 at 19:20:22:
As it was explained to me, swans do this as a way to regulate their body temperature. Since their feet don't have feathers, they are the place on the swan where the blood vessels come in closest contact with the air. When a swan is hot, it will wet it's foot and then wave it around to cool off. (Same principle as humans sweating.) When a swan is feeling cool, it wil rest its foot on its back and let it soak up the sunshine.
I haven't verified this with any encyclopedia, but it makes sense. :)
Cheers, Chris
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, July 06, 1997
The Napanee Conservation Area today had a BLACK VULTURE, LANNER FALCON, GOLDEN EAGLE, HARRIS' HAWK, and BARN OWL.
Got your attention? These birds were actually part of the Cambridge based African Lion Safari's Birds of Prey demonstration there today. Falconer Carole Precious put on two demonstrations as part of the Napanee Region Conservation Authority's 50th anniversary. These birds were probably the most exciting thing to show up in the Quinte area this week.
The SEDGE WREN, discovered last week in a Big Island hay field, has disappeared, although the individual at Prince Edward Point is apparently still present.
The new Woodlands Campground at Sandbanks Provincial Park donated some good sightings this past week, among them, a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, which has been seen by staff during the past two weeks. On Wednesday, a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was also observed. Sounds like the new campground which is being built to cater to RVs might be a good spot for visiting birders to consider camping once it is finished.
Other notable sightings in the Sandbanks area include a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK in Scott's Pine plantation and a BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER in the Richardson's Campground.
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, CHIPPING SPARROW, and nesting BANK SWALLOWS were checked off on Wednesday during a guided hike along the sand dunes for some 20 Quinte Conservation staff. Young BLUE JAYS and BALTIMORE ORIOLES just out of their nests were also observed.
Belleville birder John Blaney who has undertaken two Forest Bird Monitoring sites, one in the Stoco Fen and one in the Salmon River Alvar, had a few interesting sightings to report during this past week. NASHVILLE WARBLERS and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES seem to be well established in the Stoco Fen according to his observations. For the second year in a row there was a family of BROWN CREEPERS on the route. The most unusual bird is a PEACOCK which can be heard every year on the neighbouring farm. For some reason it is always disallowed when the report goes in!
The Salmon River Alvar is a prime site for EASTERN TOWHEES. There may have been a slight decline in their numbers during the last five years but there are still several pairs there. This year there were also at least two YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS on territory. The Yellow-rumped Warbler-Red Cedar association is really obvious in the Quinte area year-round. The singing birds were both in the cedars. It's also Red Cedars where you find these warblers in the winter.
John also managed to get to Prince Edward County's Massassagua Point for a couple of hours on Friday morning. He chalked up a respectable 28 species with an adult YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER feeding a juvenile in (you guessed it) a Red Cedar. There was also a female MALLARD with 15 ducklings, which likely represents the absolute maximum sized brood for this species which normally lays about 8 eggs.
This report will be updated Sunday, July 13th Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
The Lawence's Warbler was seen this morning at 8:00 in the Currie Tract. The Currie Tract is on Guelph Line opposite the Mohawk Racetrack on an unmarked lane into the woods. Walk about 5 min. then turn right along the power lines. The trail leaves the power lines and renters forest briefly before coming to a field. The bird was seen in the scrub east of this field past the old stone fence. It briefly sang like a Blue-winged Warbler. Silent Blue-winged Warblers were also seen.
A Snowy Egret was reported in the Sudbury area. Does anyone have recent info on its exact location and how long it has been there?
In Reply to: Swan behaviour posted by George Sheppard on July 03, 1997 at 23:53:44:
Yes, I have seen this many times. I do not know why they do this.
Today I noticed a pair of Swan at the Sunnyside. They had one of their feet up over their wing while they were drifting around. Occasionally they waved it around. Is this normal behaviour??
In Reply to: Surprises at Humber Bay posted by Chris Clark on June 30, 1997 at 08:40:29:
I dropped by Humber Bay yesterday afternoon. The Tundra Swan was on the newly built land ridge at the east end of the feeding bay, and the female Hooded Merganser was just to the west. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the Harlequin Duck or Ruddy Duck. However, i did discover some other winter ducks. There were 2 male and 3 female Common Goldeneyes, and 1 male Bufflehead. All of these were in the northeast part of the feeding bay.
In Reply to: Re: Visiting Toronto posted by Anne Anthony on June 28, 1997 at 20:49:14:
Algonquin Park is good in mid-summer. The young of the year are out and flying so there are lots of warblers to see. You can also try for the park specialties (places I have had luck): Boreal Chickadee (back of the old airfield, km 8), Spruce Grouse (Spruce Bog Trail), Gray Jay (Opeongo Road) and Black-backed Woodpecker (Opeongo Road, km 8).
By mid-summer the peak of biting insect activity passed. Of coures the park is at its busiest then so make reservations ahead. Also be aware that there is minor road work going on on the western portion of the hwy 60 coridor.
Rode my bike out to Humber Bay on Friday. Along with the usual Mute Swans, Canada Geese and Mallards there were a few surprises. The TUNDRA SWAN is still there (and it was honking up a storm too!). The male HARLEQUIN DUCK was also in the feeding area. Got a very good look at him as he was maybe 10 feet from shore. A male RUDDY DUCK was further out. Finally, there was a female HOODED MERGANSER. This was all in the "feeding area". Didn't have time to look elsewhere in the park as the light was starting to fade.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, June 29, 1997
With the arrival of some hot and sultry days, bird activity is reaching a low ebb in the Quinte area. Still, the songs of WOOD THRUSH, RED-EYED VIREO and WARBLING VIREO persist in areas where these birds are known to frequent. The field of brome grass on Big Island which raised such a stir last summer at this time with the appearance of two Henslow's sparrows, this year has a SEDGE WREN persistently singing just a hundred yards from the Henslow's sighting of last year. In past years, the field has attracted nesting Grasshopper sparrows. It's a good field, that field of brome grass there!
Albury Swamp, a Class One wetland in Ameliasburgh Township east of Carrying Place and due south of Trenton attracted 66 avid birders, ranging in age from 6 to 91, last Monday evening for a hike in to see a colony of GREAT BLUE HERONS. A trail has been created through the efforts of Apple Doorn Farms and is strategically placed so as not to disturb the herons, but affords an excellent opportunity to view the heronry through a spotting scope. About 60 pairs are nesting here this summer. Owners of the farm have renovated their barn into a retail outlet which features the usual farm food items for sale, along with hummingbird feeders, great blue heron videos, silo feeders and bird books. Ongoing slide shows featuring the heronry and guided walks every weekend by local naturalists including Steve LaForest of Presqu'ile Park and Don Shanahan of the Brighton area also take place. Our congratulations to the Bonter and Vandervelde families for creating yet another birding attraction in Prince Edward County.
Albury Swamp on Monday also contained WOOD THRUSH, WARBLING VIREO, RED-EYED VIREO, VEERY and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK.
A pair of MUTE SWANS continue to alternate between Consecon Lake and Huyck's Bay on the western side of the county.
Quinte Conservation receives between 10 and 15 phone calls per day with queries on everything from turtles, snakes, cedar-apple rust, moths and butterflies to bats, nesting boxes and bees. Among the more unusual reports to arrive more than a week ago was a pair of MALLARDS that had taken their ducklings from their nesting site in an east end Belleville outskirts meadow to the nearest body of water - not the Bay of Quinte, but a backyard in-ground swimming pool! The water was clear but the pickin's were slim!
If you have been birding in the county and have made some interesting sightings, we invite you to share them with us. This report will be updated Sunday, July 6th Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
In Reply to: Visiting Toronto posted by Francis Stiteler on June 27, 1997 at 19:45:40:
The north shore of Lake Superior is beautiful but a good 3 day drive there and back. Suggest you stick closer to Toronto. In Toronto, the Lesley Street Spit is usually good, as is Humber Bay, but I am new to birding and there may be better places. Oshawa's Second Marsh may also be of interest. Or go west to Hamilton. Tobermory, on the tip of the Bruce Penisula between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, may give you the scenery you want and some birds. It's about 4 hours from Toronto, I think. July is not especiallly good for birding and I would be interested myslf in knowing where to go in Southern Ontario.
In dundas conservation along path near 12k post on bird house. Bright Blue and black with white ring around neck. Just a beginning bird watcher. Can anyone help with ID. Doug dgold@sympatico.ca
I will be visiting the Toronto area for a Bonsai Convention from July 16-20. This will be my first visit to Toronto and I would appreciate any tips on where I might do some casual birdwatching. I am a long time audubon member and a lifetime member of GOS. Iam also looking for a seasonal field list of what might be about. Finally I am thinking of staying an extra daythe 21st and driving north toward Thunder bay ust to see the scenery and maybe catch some birds oof shore. Would this be a good trip to make or is there a better one day excursion? I would appreciate any heps or comments. Gratefully, Francis Michael
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, June 22, 1997
Macaulay Mountain Conservation Area throughout this week has had WOOD THRUSH, OVENBIRD and BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO singing, according to one observer who visits the area often. There were WINTER WREN and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH on the Cedar Sands Trail at Sandbanks Provincial Park on Monday evening, while Beaver Meadow Wildlife Management Area the following evening produced COMMON MOORHEN, GREEN HEREON, GREAT BLUE HERON, BLACK TERN, CANADA GOOSE and WOOD DUCK. The resident OSPREY failed to show up, although a pair can be depended on at Massassauga Road where they are nesting atop a hydro pole. OSPREYS are still seen at Big Island Marsh although there appears to be no activity at the quadropod nesting platform at the marsh's east end.
A white-headed AMERICAN ROBIN appears to be gaining some attention near the area of the Macaulay House Museum in Picton where it has been present for several days. Other reports of albinism in robins have also come in this spring from Consecon and Wellington.
Wellington also had two dead COMMON LOONS wash up on shore from Lake Ontario along Beach Street on Friday. Cause of death is unknown although lead poisoning is suspected.
I guess all one has to do in order to bring rain to Prince Edward County is to emphasize that we have had none since April, as I did in last week's report. Since last week's report more than 90 mm of rain fell last week over two separate days, providing lots of opportunity in most yards these days for birds to feed hungry young, now just leaving the nest. Cheers this week to Isaiah Tubbs Resort at West Lake who enquired into attracting PURPLE MARTINS and TREE SWALLOWS to answer an outdoor insect concern instead of resorting to pesticides. And jeers once again this week to the Cannifton area resident who continues to fire shotguns into the air to drive away a flock of CANADA GEESE which have entered his property from the nearby Moira River. One irate resident commented that perhaps it's time to start blasting some of his billboard signs that plague the Quinte area landscape.
And on that cheery note, that's it for this week in Prince Edward County. Don't forget, if you have been birding in the county and have made some worthwhile sightings, we'd like to hear about it. My e-mail program sometimes has a problem replying to some incoming mail, usually bouncing my replies right back to me. To those who have not had a response to their enquiries regarding next year's Prince Edward County Birding Festival, please try again, perhaps using a different e-mail address. This report will be updated Sunday, June 29th Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
I am happy to report that two of the four Peregrine Falcon young at 18 King St. E. have successfully made their first flight over to 33 Victoria St. The first bird flew last night (June 19) and the second bird this morning (June 20).
Once again, those wishing to help monitor the progress of these birds at this critical time in their development are encouraged to join the monitoring efforts which are based from 1 Toronto St.
See you there,
Glenn Coady Toronto Ornithological Club coady@ftn.net
Today, June 18, 1997, the Ministry of Natural Resources banded the three Peregrine Falcon eyases at Islington Ave. & Bloor St. in Etobicoke. It has been determined that they are two males and a female, weights 577g, 584g & 752g & ages approx. 29, 30 & 31 days respectively.
The banding operation took about 40 minutes start to finish and all was calm at the nest site within about 45 minutes after completion.
Therefore, all seven of the eyases in Toronto are now banded.
The Etobicoke birds are likely to start making their first flights in 10-12 days.
Glenn Coady Toronto, ON coady@ftn.net
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, June 15, 1997
Now that we are well into the nesting season, birders are busy reaping the benefits of all that hard work of providing specific shrubs and trees and flowers that appeal to birds, as well as ensuring the bird bath is cleaned and filled daily. Prince Edward County has had virtually no measurable rainfall in June, to date, and only 46 mm in April, so water is essential these days to keep those birds around.
Anyone who also provides nesting material for birds should be cautioned about the types and lengths of material made available. Birds can easily become entangled in string and yarn if the material is too long. Persistent fluttering against the leaves of one of our maples drew our attention today, and upon investigation, we found a CEDAR WAXWING dangling by its foot with a long piece of string that had become snagged on a twig. The bird was rescued and released having suffered no apparent harm.
Naturalizing one's yard will always pay off in handsome dividends. A Pitt Street resident in Picton has several species of birds nesting in her 1/4 acre lot this summer, including BLUE JAY, CHIPPING SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, TREE SWALLOW and AMERICAN ROBIN. One of several nesting boxes erected around the perimeter of her yard has attracted a pair of GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHERS for the second consecutive year. Her yard is a birder's paradise and everything she has planted or erected has been with either birds or butterflies in mind.
Cheers to Sandbanks Provincial Park for placing a road barrier at West Point to prevent vehicular traffic from entering this critical bird migration staging area during the month of May. The road leads to a popular Lake Ontario viewing point and despite criticism from some local residents, remained closed in order to offer protection to migratory birds. The trails remained open for walking however. Now that the migration season is over, the gates are open for the summer season.
And jeers to a Canifton area resident who apparently likes CANADA GEESE, only if they are not on his property. The phone at Quinte Conservation was ringing off the hook this past week from irate neighbours who reported that the person was repeatedly firing a shotgun to keep the geese away.
Prince Edward Point is quieter these days, compared to the last couple of weeks in May, although several observers have reported fairly good birding to be had yet down there. The SEDGE WREN which I found near the old dump site on May 26th, was still there last week, according to Prince Edward County Field Naturalists member Doug Guay who photographed the bird singing from the same area where it was initially discovered.
The next meeting of the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists will take place at Macaulay Mountain Conservation Area at 7:00 p.m., next Tuesday night (June 24th). Terry Sprague will be presenting an illustrated slide talk, "Natural Spaces."
And that's it for this week in Prince Edward County. Don't forget, if you have been birding in the county and have made some worthwhile sightings, we'd like to hear about it. This report will be updated Sunday, June 22nd Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
On June 8th I watched as House Sparrows terrorized a colony of Cliff Swallows who had built their mud nests the week before. The sparrows would hover under the nests, move straight up, latch onto the opening, and thrust thier head into the nest if it was occupied. If occupied the swallow(s) would leave with haste completely with no attempt at defence of their home, (they were totaly in fear). I then watched as other (now Swallowless) nests had their enterance opened out. I then found other nests filled with House Sparrow nesting material. The nests which are surviving are those with the opening pointing down instead of to the side.
The bridge is over Mimico creek at Eglinton Ave. in Etobicoke.
I was so please to see this new colony being constructed but gained a lot of disrespect for the House Sparrow. (A good example of the devestation of native species which can be caused by introduced species.)
I made brief stops at Humber Bay and the southeast end of High Park around noon today, and was rewarded with a couple of good birds at each location. At Humber Bay, I saw several Bank Swallows and a Cliff Swallow in the 'feeding bay' (or 'feeding pond', now that it is cut off from the lake). Also, near the northeast end of the bay/pond, there was a female duck which looked like a Common Goldeneye, sitting on a tire.
Over at High Park, the interesting birds were in the southmost duck pond. In one of the willows on the north shore, there was a Great Egret, and there were at least 8 BC Night Herons in the same area. There was also a female Wood Duck near the west side of the pond.
Some birds encountered in the Currie Tract (opposite The Mohawk Race track on Guelph Line N. of 401) on June 13, 1997:
Eastern Towhee, Blue-winged Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, Mourning Warbler, Ovenbird, American Redstart, Chestnut- sided Warbler, Black-billed Cuckoo, Field Sparrow, Ruffed Grouse and Veery.
In Reply to: Re: A third Peregrine family in Toronto? posted by Glenn Coady on June 12, 1997 at 15:40:49:
Thanks for the clarification, Glenn. I actually read the article on the Sun's web site, and never saw the photo you referred to, so I had no idea that it wasn't really a Peregrine. Nevertheless, it's good to know that the Kestrels are also doing well downtown.
In Reply to: A third Peregrine family in Toronto? posted by Marcel Gahbauer on June 12, 1997 at 15:03:24:
Just an update on the Peregrine Falcons at Bloor St. & Islington Ave. in Etobicoke. Earlier this week a group of us from the Toronto Ornithological Club were able to confirm the unique band numbers on the female at this nest site on both her coloured band and her aluminum band.
She is the only female of three birds which fledged in 1995 from the successful nest in Hamilton. This nest fledged one successful chick that hatched (a male subsequently named Hamilton) and two eyases from the captive breeding program at Wainright, Alberta that were added to this nest - a male (subsequently named Wainright) and a female (subsequently named Alberta).
Therefore the female at this Etobicoke nest we shall henceforth refer to as Alberta.
We now have the band number on the male adult from this nest and a partial number so far from his aluminum band. We expect to know some of his history shortly.
The three chicks at the Etobicoke nest all seemed to be doing fine as of this morning.
BTW, today's Hamilton Spectator has a front page photo of the four Peregrine Falcon chicks at the Hamilton nest on the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel roof. It has an accompanying article bemoaning the new-found knowledge that one of their Peregrine alumni has now taken up residence in Toronto.
Also for those who want to see more of what goes on at these Peregrine eyries, I did an interview on behalf of the Toronto Ornithological Club with the Discovery Channel this week at the Etobicoke eyrie. This piece will show some very good footage of the nest site, the chicks, the adults (at the nest and in flight). The Discovery Channel team later that day also visited the Hamilton nest for what turned out to be an aborted attempt to band those four chicks, so I expect some footage of this nest will make it into the story.
This story can be seen on Tom Hince's segment of @discovery.ca on the Discovery Channel tomorrow (June 13) at 7:00 p.m. EDT and 11:00 p.m. EDT. It will be re-broadcast when the show also airs on Saturday and Sunday as well. Set your VCRs.
Those wishing to help monitor the Peregrine Falcons both at King St. & Bloor St. at the crucial times of respective first flights please e-mail me at the address below.
Good Birding,
Glenn Coady Toronto, ON coady@ftn.net
In Reply to: A third Peregrine family in Toronto? posted by Marcel Gahbauer on June 12, 1997 at 15:03:24:
Yes Marcel, I can certainly shed more light on this story.
If you would glance again at the picture of Jack Carscadden on page 52 of today's Toronto Sun you will notice that the fledged bird in his hands in the accompanying photo is indeed a young American Kestrel which can be told by the much smaller size than a Peregrine Falcon, prominent moustachial mark, more rounded wing and more rounded individual primaries, as well as the barring pattern in the primaries.
When I visited the building Mr. Carscadden manages to tell him the bird was an American Kestrel he showed me the roof on which he liberated the fledgling - it was nowhere to be found but there were both a male and female adult American Kestrel on the much higher building's antenna immediately to the west. Although I could not find the fledgling I'm sure they must have known where it was. At this point no one he contacted who had seen the article had doubted it was a Peregrine Falcon either so don't feel bad.
I did regret that it seemed very few people were willing to help him when he found the bird.
On the other hand I think Ken Kerr's photo is a good one. I hope he provides Mr. Carscadden with a print to remember his good deed.
Hope this helps,
Glenn Coady Toronto, ON coady@ftn.net
An article by Rob Granatstein in today's Toronto Sun raises the possibility that there is another breeding pair of Peregrines in downtown Toronto. Apparently a fledgling was found trapped between two apartments in the Church/Wellesley area yesterday (June 11). The superintendent caught the bird and returned it to the sixth floor roof. Witnesses in neighbouring towers report that adult falcons later returned and encouraged the fledgling to fly away.
The last I had heard was that the King/Victoria Peregrines were not expected to fledge until early next week (i.e. June 16 or later), so it seems unlikely to me that one would have fledged so much earlier than expected and flown so far. The only conclusion that I can come to is that there is another nest somewhere downtown which nobody has reported yet. Can anyone else shed some more light on this story?
The birding in Scarborough has become quite uneventful in the past couple of weeks. The highlights of last week were a dozen Red-breasted Mergansers off the foot of Morningside, and both Alder and Willow Flycatchers in the Finch/Morningside area.
This morning I spent a couple of hours at Ross Lord Park in North York (Dufferin/Finch). Among the 40 species seen or heard were Great Blue Heron, Black-billed Cuckoo, Warbling & Red-eyed Vireos, Kingfisher, Great-crested Flycatcher, and Veery. I also happened across an active Balitmore Oriole nest.
I will be leading a free Song of Hope walk at Ross Lord Park this Sunday, June 15, from 1 to 3 pm. I won't promise all the above species, but a good number of them should be present, and others not seen today, such as Caspian Tern and Night Heron, might also put in an appearance. Everyone is welcome to attend. Please e-mail me if you have any questions or need directions.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, June 08, 1997
The monotonous robin-like phrases of the RED-EYED VIREO and the spirited melody of the WARBLING VIREO are sure signs of early summer as these two birds proclaim their territories in woodlands everywhere in the Quinte area. Both were in fine fettle Monday evening at Beaver Meadow Wildlife Management Area where the songs of BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, WOOD THRUSH and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK also filtered through the dense deciduous foliage.
The wetland itself contained BLACK TERN, CASPIAN TERN, CANADA GOOSE, MALLARD (40+ !), GREEN HERON, GREAT BLUE HERON and OSPREY. The best find was a LEAST BITTERN calling persistently in a small isolated section of cattails not far from the trail.
The Menzel Nature Reserve, north of Deseronto, contained a wonderful mixture of birds on Saturday. The Alvar contained RUFOUS-SIDED TOWHEE, VESPER SPARROW, SAVANNAH SPARROW, BROWN THRASHER and RUSTY BLACKBIRD (1). The fen was not to be outdone either, with NASHVILLE WARBLER, TENNESSEE WARBLER and BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER present. The tamaracks in the fen had their share of bird life too, with WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and ALDER FLYCATCHER present.
Reports of INDIGO BUNTINGS and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS at feeders continue to pour in, and there was a possible BLUE GROSBEAK Friday at a feeder near Cloyne.
Have the HENSLOW'S SPARROWS returned? Birders have not forgotten the appearance of two of them in a hay field just behind our house at Big Island on June 11 of last year. So far nothing, but we'll keep you posted.
Be sure to join us in Napanee next Monday evening at 6:30 p.m., as we explore the wildlife inhabitants along the Napanee River. This river also has an interesting history of rising and falling water levels and we will be discussing the theory behind this phenomenon during our walk. Meet at Springside Park parking lot.
And at 6:30 p.m. on June 19th, Joanne Dewey will be leading a walk in search of birds, flowers and herptiles at Sandbanks Provincial Park. Meet at the Main Gate. Sponsored by the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists. This report will be updated Sunday, June 15th Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
In Reply to: Toronto Peregrine Falcon Update - June 4/97 posted by Glenn Coady on June 04, 1997 at 13:42:05:
Thanks Glenn for the URLs. Another one, which has further information on another pair can be reached via the links above( or here.
Just a quick update on the Peregrine Falcon nesting progress here in Toronto:
At present the pair at 18 King St. E. have four eyases which are projected to be making their first flights somewhere around June 20-22. These birds can be seen from a camera placed above the eyrie at any of the follwing web sites.
http://www.wwfcanada.org/pfalcon/nestsite.html
http://www.tor.ec.gc.ca/falcon/falcon.html
http://www.on.doe.ca:80/falcon/
This morning myself and three other observers confirmed that the nesting pair at the Shipp Centre at Islington and Bloor have three eyases estimated to be 8-10 days old. It is projected that these birds will be making their first flights somewhere in the period July 10-14.
In addition, Hugh Currie of the Toronto Ornithological Club reports that a single Peregrine Falcon has been seen roosting on the Sussex Centre at Burnhamthorpe Rd. & Hwy# 10 in Mississauga. I would be very interested to here of any other sightings of Peregrine Falcons at this location. The Peregrine Falcons have a tendency to select eastward facing eyrie locations on these large buildings.
Once again the Toronto Ornithological Club will be helping organize volunteers under the guidance of the Canadian Wildlife Service to monitor and help protect fledgling birds during the critical first weeks of flight. Those wishing to volunteer their time to help can contact me at the e-mail address below.
Good Birding,
Glenn Coady Toronto, ON coady@ftn.net
This message was lost when the board crashed two weeks ago, so I am reposting it. Just thought posters might be interested in Bushnell's site at www.bushnell.com/birding/home.html.
Rode out to Humber Bay last night after work. The feeding area was occupied solely by Mallards, Canada Geese and Mute Swans. With one exception... There was a juvenile swan (lots of gray, smaller than adult Mutes, bigger than the geese). It's bill was all black (nothing new there), BUT the shape of the bill reminded me of the bill on the Trumepter that we saw earlier (straight and long, no nob at the base). Also, the neck was straight (no S-curve) and the shape of the head (narrow, flat) also reminded me of the Trumpeter. Now, I think it is a tundra rather than a Trumpeter because there was a faint white teardrop at the base of the bill where it meets they eye and trumpeters are bloody rare even with the re-introduction program.
If anyone else has seen this bird (or goes and finds it) I'd appreciate your views. I'm curious how old it is for one thing. The swans nesting by HBP West are still sitting on eggs (from what I can tell), and all the swans from last year seem to have lost their gray. If I had to guess, I'd say the one I saw was about 6-9 months old. Also, if anyone can confirm the species, Tundra swan would be a lifer for me so I'd be happy for confirmation. :)
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, June 01, 1997
And the birds, they still come, after a lengthy cool May which produced no spectacular waves of spring migrants, except on May 24th when 26 species of warblers were tallied at Prince Edward Point in about one hour.
Yesterday, there were still some 18 species of warblers present at Prince Edward Point and Point Traverse. The Point Traverse woods contained BAY-BREASTED WARBLER, WILSON'S WARBLER, CANADA WARBLER, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, BLACKPOLL WARBLER and PHILADELPHIA VIREO.
Bird Banders at the Prince Edward Point banding station caught and banded two CONNECTICUT WARBLERS yesterday, a species not often encountered at the Point in spring, but common enough during the fall migration.
Last Monday, there was exceptional birding to be had in a small patch of trees near a former dump site at Prince Edward Point. The few trees in a clump by themselves not far from the Lake Ontario shoreline contained no fewer than 15 species of warblers! Among them were NORTHERN PARULA, BAY-BREASTED WARBLER, BLACKPOLL WARBLER, CANADA WARBLER, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, and NASHVILLE WARBLER. The best finds however were in an adjacent wetland just a few metres from the trees where a SORA was heard singing. Also found in the same area was SEDGE WREN singing vigorously from a dogwood bush.
The swamp some distance west of Prince Edward Point still had the generous complement of NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES it did on last weekend's visit. Also present were RUSTY BLACKBIRD (1), YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, NASHVILLE WARBLER and BLACKPOLL WARBLER.
A mature BALD EAGLE was present on Monday along Demorestville Road, and an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was seen at Sandbanks Provincial Parl two days earlier. Over 50 BRANT were also seen at Sandbanks, in the West Lake area on the 25th. Commercial fisherperson (fisherwoman?) Joanne Dewey, a former park naturalist at Sandbanks, who keeps her eyes on the sky as well as in the water, spotted a SNOW GOOSE on Thursday, flying with a flock of CANADA GEESE, in Lake Ontario, just south of Garratt Island. She also found ICELAND GULL just offshore from Sandbanks Provincial Park on Wednesday.
On Monday, the Frink Centre wetland, near Plainfield, north of Belleville, contained SORA, COMMON MOORHEN, MALLARD, BLUE-WINGED TEAL, CANADA GOOSE and GREAT BLUE HERON.
Our congratulations to Brandon Wilkinson, Mary Pringle and Jeff Holler, winners of the Picton BIA's "Spot the Warbler Contest" during this spring's first annual Prince Edward County Birding Festival. They hunted through 40 different stores in Picton and managed to find the photos of 40 species of birds strategically placed by participating merchants.
Join us at 6:30 p.m., June 9th as we explore the nature along the Outlet River in Sandbanks Provincial Park. Meet at the Cedar Sands Trail parking lot. Presented by Quinte Conservation. This report will be updated Sunday, June 8th Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
The Canadian Wildlife Service and Long Point Bird Observatory have asked me to produce a training video illustrating and representing the accepted techniques and procedures involved in the capture and banding of migratory song birds. This video is being produced in order to establish a standard in these procedures and teach them to biology students in Canada, U.S., Mexico, and Central America. Anyone interested in utilizing this resource please contact Luci Metras at the C.W.S. fax-819-953-6612 e-mail Lucie.Metras@ec.gc.ca
In Reply to: Trumpeter Swans posted by Steve Moreland on May 26, 1997 at 19:12:25:
The front page of the Toronto Star this past saturday had a picture of a tagged Trumpeter swan chasing a dog in the water in a park out in Scarborough. They didn't note that it was a Trumpter. If I had to guess, I'd say that they weren't aware of the differences or the status of the species in Ontario. Seemed somehow funny to me. :)
Had a nice day up at the Wye Marsh on Sunday. The highlight is about 100 Trumpeter Swans, some are tagged and some aren't. So it looks like this species is being resurrected just fine. You have to be careful when leaving the path on the boardwalk trail as many chicks are still in the nest just off the path. I believe that I saw "purple martins" in number there, but am still secnd guessing there. Saw only one double crested cormorant and the osprey posts were empty. However, I have photographed a pair near my home in Innisfil.
Warmer Weather Spurs on Bird Migration at Presqu'ile Provincial Park An excellent weekend for birdwatching at Presqu'ile Provincial Park! At least 134 species were identified in this 900 hectare peninsula.
As I sat in the park office this afternoon, Mike Maannaart from the Netherlands, who is conducting shorebird studies for his BSc. and May Wilson, President of the Presqu'ile-Brighton Naturalists stood at opposite ends of the beach and relayed observations to each other via walkie- talkie as migrating birds passed by. From my vantage point near the base station, it sounded very much like a "blow-by-blow" description! "Oh, there's two white-rumped sandpipers". "There's about 140 brant flying overhead." "I've got 2 short-billed dowitchers". "A peregrine falcon just flew over my head". "Out in the lake are a number of scoters". And so on!
The marbled godwit found on May 18th may be the same one discovered 25 km west of the park at Chubb Point near Grafton by Clive and Joy Goodwin, and John and Joan Thompson on May 21st.. It was also seen there on May 22nd.
Over this past weekend, 25 warbler species and 4 vireo species were spotted. As well, the first whimbrels were seen flying by:
May 25 15 whimbrel ~35 dunlin 12 warbler species at Owen Point 2 female and one male orchard oriole May 24 2 red-throated loons 2 golden-winged warblers 1 cerulean warblers 1 black bellied plovers (6 today) 2 ruddy turnstones 5 white-crowned sparrows 2 (?) willow flycatchers 1 pine siskin 1 blue-winged warbler 1 scarlet tanager
Other selected observations:
May 23 1 lesser yellowlegs 1 Swainsonb's thrush May 22 1 peregrine falcon May 20 1 northern mockingbird 2 black scoters May 19 160 brant 3 indigo butting 1 summer tanager 1 winter wren 1 northern parula 2 black-throated blue 1 sharp-shined hawk 1 solitary sandpiper 1 pair of blue-winged teal May 18 1 surf scoter 1 Lincoln's sparrow 1 marbled godwin 1 blue-gray gnatcatcher May 17 thousands of swallows 1 great egret 1 red-headed woodpecker May 14 1 clay-colored sparrow May 13 1 magnolia warbler May 13 1 hooded warbler
No signs of migrating monarch butterflies. It's been too cold!
For official statistics, please contact Steve Laforest at (613) 475-4324
Don Davis Toronto, ON
donald_davis@stubbs.woodsworth.utoronto.ca
Dear Fellow Birders
Hi, I was up to Presqu'ile today, a bit out of the Toronto though. The highlight was a Peregrine Falcon chasing 68 Dunlin and 2 Least Sandpiper on the 4th Beach. Also seen on the beach were Caspian and Common Terns, Ring-Billed and Herring Gulls, 2 White-Winged Scoters, and 3 Oldsquaw. In the marsh there were Great Blue Heron, 2 American Bittern, Marsh Wren, C. Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Caspian Tern, and Coot. At the Lighthouse there were Yellow, Nashville, Chesnut-Sided, and Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Warbling Vireo, lots of Baltimore Orioles, Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks, E. Kingbird, E. Phoebe, C. Loon, C. Tern, Spotted Sandpiper, and Gnatcatcher.
Mike
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, May 25, 1997
With Prince Edward County's first sighting of a Virginia Opossum last week near Picton, it's looking like Prince Edward County is well on its way to becoming the banana belt of Ontario. This was certainly reinforced on Thursday with Prince Edward County's first sightings of a BLACK VULTURE. The bird was seen - where else, of course, - but at Prince Edward Point, floating lazily above the bird banding station where several birders were on hand to study it, including bird bander Eric Machell.
For a while it appeared as Prince Edward Point would fail to enjoy the large waves of spring migrants for which it has become famous in eastern Ontario over the years. However, Saturday brought new hope as 26 species of warblers were tallied in approximately one hour in the Point Traverse woods. BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS were the "dirt bird" of the day. Others in good numbers were YELLOW WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTART and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER. Both BLUE-WINGED WARBLER and GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER were found in the same woods, along with TENNESSEE WARBLER, NORTHERN PARULA, CAPE MAY WARBLER, BAY-BREASTED WARBLER, PALM WARBLER, CANADA WARBLER, WILSON'S WARBLER and MOURNING WARBLER.
Myrna Wood, Bill Aiken and Terry Sprague found a male CONNECTICUT WARBLER just west of the main Point Traverse woods, and the same trio located at least five NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES in a swamp less than a kilometre west of Prince Edward Point, along with OVENBIRD, NASHVILLE WARBLER, and BROWN CREEPER, and the usual species expected at this time of the year.
SWAINSON'S THRUSH, HERMIT THRUSH, VEERY and one GREY-CHEEKED THRUSH were also tallied in the Point Traverse woods along with WOOD PEWEE, YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, RED-EYED VIREO, EVENING GROSBEAK and the usual complement of ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS and BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS.
Prince Edward Point also donated a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD on Thursday. CLAY-COLOURED SPARROWS are present again this spring in the cedar pasture field along Middle Road, just west of the Whattam's Road junction.
OSPREYS are doing well in Prince Edward County this spring. A pair is nesting atop a hydro pole on Lower Massassauga Road, another pair is present regularly at Beaver Meadow, and interest is being displayed by yet another pair at a quadrupod nesting platform in the Big Island Marsh.
On Monday, the Menzel Nature Reserve, north of Deseronto, had NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, TENNESSEE WARBLER and NASHVILLE WARBLER singing in the fen area of the property. BROWN THRASHER, FIELD SPARROW and EASTERN TOWHEE are present again in the Alvar section. This 600-acre parcel of land is worth a visit and can be found by taking County Road 10 (Boundary Road) from Deseronto, north through Kingsford, and continuing on until the road deteriorates into a narrow gravel road. Follow around the sharp corner and head east for a kilometre and look for the sign.
Presqu'ile Park today had a PEREGRINE FALCON chasing 68 DUNLIN and 2 LEAST SANDPIPER on Beach 4. Also present were 2 WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, 3 OLDSQUAW, and several CASPIAN TERNS and COMMON TERNS. Out in the marsh there were several GREAT BLUE HERONS, 2 AMERICAN BITTERN, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, MARSH WREN, SWAMP SPARROW, and AMERICAN COOT. Birder Mike Boyd reports having also seen in the lighthouse area COMMON LOON, YELLOW WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, NASHVILLE WARBLER, and CHESNUT-SIDED WARBLER, along with WARBLING VIREO, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS, EASTERN KINGBIRD, EASTERN. PHOEBE, and lots of CEDAR WAXWINGS.
The Prince Edward County Field Naturalists will be holding its regular meeting Tuesday evening, 7:00 p.m., at the Prince Edward Region Conservation Authority office, Picton. Guest speaker will be herpetologist Tom Huff from the Exotarium. This report will be updated Sunday, June 1st Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
On May 23, I went out to East Point Park to look for warblers. While I found a few Black-throated Blue, Yellow, and Magnolia, the highlight was a pair of Orchard Orioles. I found the male singing in the spruces at the southeast end of the new pond by the eastern parking lot. As I watched, it flew over to the female in a large willow, and continued singing. A male Baltimore Oriole chased them off, but they flew only as far as the poplar grove on the west side of the pond, where they remained undisturbed. It would be nice to see this pair breeding here - I'll check on them from time to time.
Out on the lake there was very little activity. There were still a few Common Loons, and 1 pair each of Common and Red-breasted Mergansers. 2 Caspian Terns flew by, but otherwise there were only Ring-billed Gulls. On the plateau, there was a single Bobolink, 2 Meadowlarks, and a large influx of Catbirds.
The board is back, but we lost a whole slew of posts. I still have them, but resurrecting them will be too major a chore. You will see them soon below in "Past Reports", so they are not totally gone.