Although there are days in winter when the birding seems pretty slim at
Presqu'ile Provincial Park, there have been over 60 different species
seen in the relatively small area of the peninsula since the beginning
of the year. The prolonged cold and CALM weather of the latter half of
January has caused both Presqu'ile Bay and Popham Bay to freeze over
completely for the first time in several years. This has obviously
created difficult conditions for water birds, which have fled to the
open waters far offshore and almost out of sight of birders, even those
with powerful scopes. Today, however, there has been some breaking up
of the ice, and hundreds of ducks are congregating nearer the shore.
Canada Geese and Mute Swans have managed to outlast the cold weather,
albeit in considerably reduced numbers. Two Mallards appeared with the
other ducks today, the first of that species to appear at Presqu'ile
this year and perhaps a sign that other dabbling ducks may also return
with the current thaw or soon thereafter. Four Redheads were near the
lighthouse today, the first in almost two weeks. Flocks of Greater Scaup
were streaming past the Park all day today. A White-winged Scoter was
off Gull Island on February 1. In a departure from previous winters,
Red-breasted Mergansers are outnumbering Common Mergansers by at least
two to one.
An adult Bald Eagle spent most of this morning sitting in a treetop on
High Bluff Island. On two separate days, an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk
was harassing the smaller birds at the feeders at 186 Bayshore Road,
even sitting briefly on the roof of one of the feeders. On February 1,
a Northern Harrier was patrolling Gull Island before eventually flying
off to High Bluff Island. Another hawk, possibly a Rough-legged Hawk,
flew from Gull Island to High Bluff Island today.
Most gulls have remained too far off shore to be identified until
today. A group of Ring-billed Gulls on an ice floe off Sebastopol
Island appeared ready to re-occupy their nesting ground on Gull Island,
on which there is already about 10-20% of bare ground.
There has been only one sighting of a Great Gray Owl at Presqu'ile
during the past week, that being on January 28. Pileated Woodpeckers
have been very active in the Park lately: Tuesday was the only day of
the past week when none was seen, and two or three were seen on most
other days. There was an adult Northern Shrike on Gull Island today.
The Tufted Titmouse whose temporary residence has been at 186 Bayshore
Road for a few months has become restless. It disappeared from early
Sunday morning until early this morning (Thursday), when it put in a
brief appearance, but on Tuesday it was heard singing its loud spring
song a kilometre away in the woods (spring fever?). As yet the American
Robins that are so numerous in the Park have not been heard singing.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the week, while not a rare bird, was a
Song Sparrow that was foraging on the algae along the shore at the east
end of the totally treeless Gull Island on Tuesday. How it survived in
that bleak and windswept location all winter is a mystery. There are
still two White-throated Sparrows at 85 Bayshore Road. Two flocks of
Snow Buntings were discovered where they had not been all winter. The
first was feeding on the roadside at the calf pasture on January 29, and
on the next day a much larger flock was on the move past the
lighthouse. Similar reports from other areas nearby suggest that there
might have been an early migration of that species late in January.
Only one Pine Grosbeak, a female, was found at Presqu'ile this week, but
Common Redpolls are regular visitors to feeders on Bayshore Road.
The only other sighting of interest was a snow-white weasel (ermine)
with a black-tipped tail that ran past the feeders at 186 Bayshore Road
on Tuesday, the first such beauty that this observer had ever seen after
60+ years of nature study, some of which were in northern Ontario.
To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton.
Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid
that is available at the Park gate. The channel separating Gull Island
from Owen Point is completely frozen over, and, at least for now, access
to Gull Island is easier than at any other time of year. A southerly
wind could change that very quickly. On the basis of a tragic accident
years ago, it would be unwise for anyone to attempt to walk from Gull
Island to High Bluff Island, but it certainly seems, for the first time
in several years, as if that might be possible. (I am definitely
advising against it.)
Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be
directed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
--
Fred Helleiner
186 Bayshore Road,
R.R. #4,
Brighton, Ontario, Canada, K0K 1H0
VOICE: (613) 475 5309
If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park.
