WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA for Sunday, December 07, 2003
Birders had a great week, weather-wise, to get a start on their official winter bird list for the 2003 - 2004 winter season. To coincide more closely with normal bird behaviour, the winter season for birders commences on December 1st and closes on February 29th.To start the season off, there was plenty to see in the open waters around the county, despite wind gusts up to 60 km/h on opening day. In the Bay of Quinte, behind CFB Trenton, one observer counted 75 AMERICAN COOTS, 14 NORTHERN SHOVELERS, 10 GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE and COMMON MERGANSERS. West of there, at 12 O'Clock Point at Carrying Place, the high counts continued with 50 HOODED MERGANSERS. The Pleasant Bay and North Bay areas contributed 55 TUNDRA SWANS, 30 RING-NECKED DUCKS and a number of GREATER SCAUP. There were good numbers of WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, LONG-TAILED DUCKS, and some COMMON MERGANSERS at Huyck's Point, and 4 NORTHERN PINTAILS at Wellington Harbour. Observers keen on getting their lists started also found 4 DOUBLE-BREASTED CORMORANTS at Wellington Harbour. The day started at Smith's Bay with a band of 10 EVENING GROSBEAKS at a feeder there. The Elmbook area did even better with no fewer than 8 LONG-EARED OWLS, 2 COMMON RAVENS and an immature BALD EAGLE. In the Rossmore area, 2 LITTLE GULLS turned up, a new location for this species as they generally hang out in the Sandbanks Park and East Lake areas of the county. Two BROWN CREEPERS were seen the same day at Massassauga Point Conservation Area. And the week has not stopped. Today at Wellington Harbour, there was a lone AMERICAN COOT, associating with MALLARDS, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE, COMMON MERGANSER, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (1), 20 or so GREATER SCAUPS and a LONG-TAILED DUCK at the end of the Wellington Channel at Lake Ontario. A fairly accurate count of 1,000 CANADA GEESE was made east of there in West Lake, near Bass Lane. With them, were 2 white phase SNOW GEESE. Beside the Millennium Trail in Hillier, just behind the chicken farm, a MARSH WREN turned up today. At Point Petre, location of the famed cave swallow of early last month, there were four EASTERN BLUEBIRDS today as well as the season's first report of a SNOWY OWL (first observed Friday), as well as a TURKEY VULTURE (a high of five were seen Saturday by one observer). In supporting roles in Soup Harbour were approximately 25 - 30 AMERICAN GOLDENEYE and a more or less resident flock of 24 MALLARDS. Also seen in the Point Petre area during the week were two GREAT HORNED OWLS and a HAIRY WOODPECKER. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, seen in good numbers earlier, have disappeared but there is still an abundance of RED-TAILED HAWKS (20) and NORTHERN HARRIERS. Near Bongard Road, east of Lake-on-the-Mountain during the week, good sightings there included RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, PINE SISKIN, 7 EVENING GROSBEAKS, 1 NORTHERN FLICKER and a RED-TAILED HAWK. In addition to the late dates of TURKEY VULTURES at Point Petre, one was seen at Waupoos November 29th. The five seen Saturday at Point Petre were likely the same individuals that had been seen by another observer on November 30th. Several late DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were seen at Wellington December 3rd, and there was a GREAT BLUE HERON there as well. Another GREAT BLUE HERON flew over Elmbrook yesterday, and another was seen in flight at Pleasant Bay on December 4th. A BELTED KINGFISHER showed up at Northport on Wednesday, along with two MUTE SWANS. Activity at most bird feeders continues to be brisk with several operators reporting higher than usual numbers of HOUSE FINCHES. There is a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER at Elmbrook where there are also 15 COMMON REDPOLLS. The NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD continues to appear regularly at 23 Sprague Road at Big Island. A NORTHERN SHRIKE appeared at a feeder in Belleville. Other miscellaneous sightings during the week were an immature BALD EAGLE near Waupoos on November 30th, a first-year BALD EAGLE at Soup Harbour on Saturday, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK on Doxsee Road, and an AMERICAN KESTREL at Huyck's Point December 1st. North of the county line, there several AMERICAN ROBINS and a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK at the Quinte Conservation Area on Friday, 3 EVENING GROSBEAKS on the Hastings Heritage Trail near Springbrook on Wednesday, and a flock of 15 WILD TURKEYS on Hoard's Station Road during the week. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Nancy Fox, George Bryant, Don Chisholm, Ken & Shirley Joyce, Evelyn Sloane, Joanne Dewey, John Blaney, Lloyd Paul, Joe Victor and Wynne Thomas for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated by 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 14th. Bird sightings must be in by 6:00 p.m. Sunday evening to be included in the next report. Good winter 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.
