WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA for Sunday, May 11, 2003
While numerous reports this past week came in from across Prince Edward County, the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area seemed to be the spot this week where things were happening and arrival dates documented. David Okines of the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory says that 19 species of warblers were seen around the Point during the week. Highlight of the warblers was a CERULEAN WARBLER, singing in the Cedar Woods today, Also today, YELLOW-THROATED VIREO was seen at Point Traverse, and was also seen yesterday. A WHITE-EYED VIREO was seen yesterday afternoon across the harbour from the Observatory, and it, or another, was observed at Point Traverse this morning. On May 5th, an unusual species to be seen for the Observatory area was a MUTE SWAN, which was seen flying out over the lake in the morning. New species at the Observatory for the year during the week were ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, and YELLOW WARBLER on May 4th; GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER, GRAY CATBIRD and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER on the 5th; ORCHARD ORIOLE, LEAST FLYCATCHER, WOOD and SWAINSON'S THRUSH on the 6th; CAPE MAY, CHESTNUT-SIDED, BLACK-THROATED BLUE and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS, AMERICAN PIPIT, BANK SWALLOW and SCARLET TANAGER on the 7th; CLAY-COLORED SPARROW on the 8th, AMERICAN REDSTART and SPOTTED SANDPIPER on the 10th; and CERULEAN, BAY-BREASTED WARBLERS, INDIGO BUNTING, TRAILL'S FLYCATCHER and YELLOW-THROATED VIREO today. The busiest days were the 7th and 8th, when 210 and 120 birds were banded, mostly WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS. A CAPE MAY WARBLER banded on the 7th was the first to be banded here since 1999. Meanwhile at Prince Edward Point, Bird Migration Awareness Week, organized by Quinte Conservation, continues. A total of 96 species of birds has been tallied so far despite cool weather and heavy rains, beginning today, and forecasted to continue through much of the week. Guided bird walks are taking place daily every morning commencing at 8:00 a.m., meeting at the Bird Sightings Board at the Ducks Dive Charters and Cottages. The birding trip to Main Duck Island, scheduled for Wednesday, has been cancelled and rescheduled for Thursday, May 22nd, due to the weather this week. Today, in the Point Traverse woods, there were numerous BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, several NORTHERN PARULAS, CHESTNUT-SIDED, YELLOW-RUMPED, BLACK-AND-WHITE, NASHVILLE, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, PALM, and YELLOW WARBLERS, along with AMERICAN REDSTART, OVENBIRD, both WARBLING and RED-EYED VIREOS, CHIMNEY SWIFT (in flight), and WOOD THRUSH. Yesterday, there was both a WHIP-POOR-WILL and a COMMON NIGHTHAWK in the Point Traverse woods. A LINCOLN'S SPARROW was singing energetically at the Cedar Woods yesterday, and two or three CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS are dependable in the open field near the telephone wires just west of the banding station. A GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER was seen on Monday. Other good sightings over the past few days at Prince Edward Point have been BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON at the Prince Edward Point Harbour yesterday, LARK SPARROW near the Ducks Dive Charters and Cottages more than a week ago by members of the Kingston Field Naturalists, and an OSPREY today. A SANDHILL CRANE was also seen over a week ago, and more recently GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER, VEERY, and ORCHARD ORIOLE. CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS, GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS, and UPLAND SANDPIPERS are present now on Babylon Road, and WILD TURKEYS can be heard most days behind the Ducks Dive Charters and Cottages property. Throughout the county WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS are patronizing most feeders, and there were two INDIGO BUNTINGS today at a residence at Albury, one of which was at a feeder. Elsewhere in the county - Landon's Lake near Glenora had a nice mix of birds this weekend including PILEATED WOODPECKERS, 2 HERMIT THRUSHES, a WOOD THRUSH, 8 OVENBIRDS, 1 COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, COOPER'S HAWK, WOOD DUCK, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and GREAT HORNED OWL. OVENBIRDS, GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, 3 HERMIT THRUSHES, 3 WOOD THRUSHES and 2 VEERYS were among those seen on Bradley Crossroad on Friday, and the Harry Smith Conservation Area at Ameliasburgh on Thursday produced BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, SCARLET TANAGER, GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS, LINCOLN'S SPARROW and NASHVILLE WARBLERS. Other good sightings in the area during the week were PILEATED WOODPECKER on Wooler Road, 4 WILD TURKEYS at Warkworth, an ORCHARD ORIOLE at Albury, NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD at Sandbanks on May 3rd and another on Ridge Road May 8th, and a SCARLET TANAGER near Bongard's Crossroad. The EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE was still present in the Marysville area this weekend. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to David Okines (P.E. Pt. Bird Observatory), Evelyn Sloane, Lloyd Paul, Don Craighead, Rae O'Brien, Myrna Wood, Karen Stenhouse, Russ and Trudy Kitchen, Ken Edwards, John & Margaret Moore, Thomas Rymes, Donn Legate, Fred Chandler, Henry & Joan Pasila, Donn & John Legate, Helen Graham, and Bob Sachs. This report will be updated by 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 18th. 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.
