WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA for Sunday, April 20, 2003 Let the birding begin! Fine weather over the past week had birders out all over the place checking out the arrival of new migrants in the area. TREE SWALLOWS have returned en masse after the species suffered extensive mortality as a result of the sleet and snow storm of early this month. Phone calls continued to come in last week as residents checked their nesting boxes only to find many of them stuffed full of dead swallows. A Trenton area resident found an incredible 37 dead swallows jammed inside one of her backyard nest boxes and another 13 on her lawn. Hopefully, that is the end of the winter weather and that spring birding can continue.
New arrivals during the week included a SAVANNAH SPARROW in the Carrying Place area today, CHIPPING SPARROW and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET on April 15th at the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area; PALM WARBLER and CLIFF SWALLOWS on April 20th, also at Prince Edward Point; and a PURPLE MARTIN on Massassauga Road on April 15th. Another PURPLE MARTIN was seen today at Point Petre. Other new arrivals were NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW at Point Petre today along with BARN SWALLOW, also at Point Petre and another on Scoharie Road. Combined reports from several observers at Point Petre during the week also included hundreds of BONAPARTE'S GULLS on Friday, RED-TAILED HAWK, NORTHERN HARRIER, PURPLE FINCH, BROWN THRASHER, more SAVANNAH SPARROWS, both kinglets, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, BROWN CREEPERS, AMERICAN WIGEON, BLUE-WINGED TEAL, WOOD DUCK, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, and SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, just to list a few. OSPREYS were seen during the week at Massassauga Road (4) , Waupoos (1 on nest on light standard in ball diamond), Prinyer's Cove (hovering above water), and three between Hastings and Keene, north of the county. Mountain View produced WINTER WREN, BROWN CREEPER, and NORTHERN FLICKER during the week, and there was a SHORT-EARED OWL today at the corner of Highway 62 and County Road 1. EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were found nesting in the Hay Bay area during the week. And as the nesting urge beckons, birds can often be found doing some strange things. A WILD TURKEY was ON the 401 today west of Belleville, and 7 were also observed strolling nonchalantly with Easter traffic on the 401 near the Wooler Road exit. Several calls came in during the week reporting both NORTHERN CARDINALS and AMERICAN ROBINS attacking their reflections in the windows of local homes. It's that time of year. And the Prinyer's Cove VARIED THRUSH, present since early January, continues to be seen feeder hopping in the residential area. There were numerous waterfowl reports during the week. Early in the week at Prince Edward Point there were RED-NECKED GREBES (3), HORNED GREBES (12), COMMON LOONS (10), along with 50 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, 8 SURF SCOTERS, and 2 BLACK SCOTERS. At Point Petre, WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, LONG-TAILED DUCKS (8 found dead on the shore), BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE, and both RED-BREASTED and COMMON MERGANSERS were tallied. Other interesting sightings were 60 NORTHERN FLICKERS and 20 BROWN CREEPERS at Prince Edward Point today, 12 CEDAR WAXWINGS at Thomasburg, WHITE- THROATED SPARROW at Point Traverse as well as near Rose's Crossroad, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS at Little Bluff, and RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER east of Waupoos. Two SANDHILL CRANES were seen today on Victoria Road, south of Rednersville. It depended largely on where you were. Some birders travelled far to find their day's list while others such as one couple near Carrying Place did all their birding today in the backyard where they recorded EASTERN TOWHEE, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, a pair of PILEATED WOODPECKERS, BROWN CREEPER. 15 CEDAR WAXWINGS, SAVANNAH SPARROW and a BELTED KINGFISHER. Bird banding is now under way at the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory. Among the noteworthy captures were 2 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and the first ever BELTED KINGFISHER. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte Area. Our thanks to Jon Robb, Bruce Ripley, Fred & Janet Chandler, Armin Quickert, Sherri Covell, Albert Boisvert, Jane Hough, John & Janet Foster, Mike Jaques, Rita Chapman, Lloyd Paul, Trudy & Russ Kitchen, Ove and Mary-Ann Ojaste, Ken Edwards, Henry & Joan Pasila, Wynne Thomas, Angela and Dave Mantle, Matt Holder and Joe Victor for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated by 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 27th. Bird sightings must be in by 6:00 p.m. on Sunday evening to be included in the next report. Good birding. Terry Sprague Picton, Ontario [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.naturestuff.net "Terry Sprague" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.
