WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA for Sunday, May 04, 2003
Now that we are into May, new arrivals to the birding scene in Prince Edward County and the Quinte area are showing up almost daily. Today, BOBOLINKS turned up at both Big Island and at Point Petre. The latter location also hosted the first arrivals of COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS, UPLAND SANDPIPERS, GREEN HERON and CLAY-COLORED SPARROW. The first GRAY CATBIRD of the season showed up today near North Beach Provincial Park, and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS appeared at feeders near Rose's Crossroad, Ridge Road and at R.R. # 3, Picton. There was a RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD just north of Belleville on May 2nd, and another was in Bloomfield the same day, and one turned up today east of Lake-on-the-Mountain. At Prince Edward Point RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS continue to move through, but in lesser numbers than expected for this time of the year. Seen during the week there were BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS, NASHVILLE WARBLER, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, OVENBIRD, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and on May 1st, a male BLUE-WINGED WARBLER was banded. WARBLING VIREO, BALTIMORE ORIOLE ( and one at Adolphustown Apr. 30), EASTERN KINGBIRD have all arrived at the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, with HOUSE WRENS showing up on April 30th. Large numbers of WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS have been seen in the last few days, but in much lower numbers than the thousands reported in south-western Ontario. The final new birds for the week were CHIMNEY SWIFT at Prince Edward Point on May 3rd, and a BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER east of Lake-on-the-Mountain on May 4th, and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, BLUE-HEADED VIREO and BANK SWALLOW at Point Petre April 29th. Lots of EASTERN TOWHEES reported during the past week, and numerous OSPREY sightings with some occupying nesting sites. One was seen diving for food at the Quinte Skyway Bridge today. Birds seen today at Pleasant Bay included YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, BROWN THRASHER, GREAT BLUE HERON, COMMON LOON, BELTED KINGFISHER, 2 PINE SISKINS and the GRAY CATBIRD mentioned earlier in this report. The roads south of Military Road are questionable at best, and for those who dare, this area can produce some good birds. One person down there on Monday, in the Gull Pond area, came up with 2 PIED-BILLED GREBES, 50 nesting GREAT BLUE HERONS, 2 BLUE-WINGED TEAL, 2 OSPREYS on a nest, 2 NORTHERN HARRIERS, 1 COOPER'S HAWK, a RED-TAILED HAWK, 6 WILSON'S SNIPE, 1 AMERICAN WOODCOCK, 1 CASPIAN TERN and a GREAT HORNED OWL. At the Bayside water treatment plant on Tuesday, there were 2 WOOD DUCKS, a COMMON LOON, 2 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, 8 COMMON MERGANSERS, 2 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, OSPREYS (on nest), and 2 CASPIAN TERNS. A visit to the Belleville Marsh behind the old Bakelite plant in Belleville produced 2 COMMON MOORHENS. And in the Bell Creek area, not far from there, a LEAST SANDPIPER and 2 COOPER'S HAWKS were seen yesterday. Other interesting birds reported during the week included 2 SANDHILL CRANES at Prince Edward Point a week ago today, LITTLE GULL on Lake Ontario last Saturday, BARRED OWL and GREATER YELLOWLEGS near Vanderwater Conservation Area at Thomasburg April 30th, a pair of PILEATED WOODPECKERS at Glenora today, and a pair of BELTED KINGFISHERS at Gomorrah Road. Two GOLDEN EAGLES were reported today just north of Belleville, and a BALD EAGLE at Cherry Valley last week. Although well out of the general reporting area, a 13 km hike along the rugged Slide Lake Loop Trail at Frontenac Park yesterday produced RAVENS, NASHVILLE WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER as well as singing PINE WARBLERS wherever there was suitable habitat. Also seen were nesting GREAT BLUE HERONS and OSPREYS. The one hour paddle along Buck Lake to arrive where the hike started produced MALLARDS, COMMON MERGANSERS and several calling COMMON LOONS. A reminder that Quinte Conservation is celebrating the spring bird migration with Bird Migration Awareness Week, at Prince Edward Point from May 10th to May 17th. I will be offering guided bird hikes every morning at 8:00 a.m. May 10, 11, 12, 13 and 16. On Wednesday, there is a special trip to Main Duck Island (fully booked), and the 17th marks the end of the special week with a full day of birding with members of the Ontario Field Ornithologists. Join us if you can. Complete details at: http://www.pec.on.ca/conservation/awareness.html And that's it from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Joe Victor, David Bree, Thomas Rymes, Donald Craighead, David Okines, Sandra Dowds, Matt Holder, Henry & Joan Pasila, John & Margaret Moore, Doug and Evelyn Sloane, Judy Bell, Bill Hogg, Karen Stenhouse, Cheryl Anderson, Mary Hart, Lyle Anderson, Fred Chandler, Marlene Bulpit, Trudy Kitchen, Lloyd Paul, Carolyn & Alan Whiteley, Joanne Dewey and Bob Sachs. This report will be updated by 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 11th. 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.
