WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA
for the week ending Thursday, May 26, 2005
The Prince Edward County Birding Festival concluded on May 23rd,
with birders from across Ontario, Quebec and into the United States, coming
to sample some of the fine birding in this area, particularly at Prince
Edward Point. Except for May 15th, there appeared to be no major waves of
warblers, although some days were especially favourable, with up to 21
species of warblers being checked off in one day.
David Okines of the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory offers his
views of this past week: The cool northerly type winds have kept the numbers
low again this week, but the birds have still been trickling through. There
was a GREEN HERON in the harbour on both the 19th and the 21st, and 36
BRANT flew north on the 24th. Duck numbers offshore have decreased
dramatically with few birds being seen now. Single OSPREYS were seen on the
21st and again today (26th) and apart from the breeding NORTHERN HARRIERS
and the odd SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, there have been no raptors around. One or
two SPOTTED SANDPIPERS are being seen occasionally in the harbour and four
LEAST SANDPIPERS flew past on the 24th. Two BONAPARTE'S GULLS on the 24th
were the first for almost two weeks. The first BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO appeared
on the 21st but YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS remain scarce. Up to two RED-BELLIED
WOODPECKERS have been seen in the area and flycatchers are now starting to
appear. Two OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS were seen on the 21st with that day
having the first YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERS as well. Ten PHILADELPHIA VIREOS
were seen on the 19th at Point Traverse with a few odd individuals being
seen around the Observatory since. Four BANK SWALLOWS were seen on the 24th
and 25th with all the other swallows actively nesting. A GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH
was seen on the 21st, and WOOD THRUSHES are still being trapped regularly,
SWAINSON'S THRUSHES are still in low numbers with the odd HERMIT THRUSH
still appearing. It's been a good year for BLUE-WINGED and GOLDEN-WINGED
WARBLERS with one BLUE-WINGED and five GOLDEN-WINGED being seen during the
week. TENNESSEE WARBLERS are increasing and 8 were seen on the 21st, an
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was seen on the 21st and up to three NORTHERN
PARULAS are being seen daily. Fifteen CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS were seen on
the 24th and two CAPE MAY WARBLERS were also seen. This is becoming a good
year for this species as we have now had 14 of them recorded at the Point.
A late PINE WARBLER was trapped on the 22nd and two mourning warblers have
been trapped so far. Three WILSON'S WARBLERS were seen on the 21st but most
warbler species are being seen in low numbers, although the diversity is
good. Finally, a fine adult male HOODED WARBLER was trapped on the 22nd,
and a female was seen the same day in the trees just west of the banding
station.
Today, at Prince Edward Point, members of the Prince Edward County Field
Naturalists found several species of warblers including 10 BAY-BREASTED
WARBLERS, 20 TENNESSEE WARBLERS, 9 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS, 2 CANADA
WARBLERS, 1 MOURNING WARBLER, 8 BLACKPOLL WARBLERS, 10 MAGNOLIA WARBLERS, 6
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, 3 BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS, 2 OVENBIRDS, 7 NORTHERN
PARULAS, and a CAPE MAY WARBLER. Also joining the menagerie of warblers were
BLUE-HEADED, PHILADELPHIA, RED-EYED, and WARBLING VIREOS, along with
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, and INDIGO BUNTING.
On the weekend, during the Kingston Field Naturalists annual spring
round-up, members at the Point found 21 species of warblers, including a
CERULEAN WARBLER. Included in their totals were RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER,
several PHILADELPHIA VIREOS, a LINCOLN'S SPARROW, 2 ORCHARD ORIOLES and a
PINE SISKIN. A single of the latter species is also present at a feeder at
2800 County Road 1, near Bloomfield.
Another birder on May 23rd at the Point also rounded up 21 species of
warblers, managing to record with his total, a female PRAIRIE WARBLER and a
late PINE WARBLER, along with BLACKPOLL, WILSON'S and CANADA.
Birders exploring Prince Edward County should always reserve some time
for Sandbanks Provincial Park which is quickly making a name for itself as a
prolific birding area. On May 15th, the day of the fallout at Prince Edward
Point, the park offered birders there no fewer than 22 species of warblers
with some of the notables being GOLDEN-WINGED, BLUE-WINGED, ORANGE-CROWNED
and HOODED WARBLERS. While good birding can be found practically anywhere
within the park, some of the best birding can be had at the Park's West
Point, at the far end of Lakeshore Lodge Road, beyond the County Road 12
Four-way stop sign.
Throughout the county, INDIGO BUNTINGS and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS are
visiting bird feeding stations as these two species continue to migrate
through. While most INDIGO BUNTINGS remain only a few days, one feeder on
Wilson Road has had an individual for two weeks now. On the south shore of
East Lake, an ORCHARD ORIOLE there is competing for nectar feeder space with
4 BALTIMORE ORIOLES. At a Glenora Road feeder, there are WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROWS, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, ROSE-BREASTED
GROSBEAKS (up to 8), and BALTIMORE ORIOLES eating suet. A Wellington feeder
had a male RED-HEADED WOODPECKER (supported by a digital photo) from May
15th to the 19th.
Other interesting sightings during the week included an ICELAND GULL and
BLACK SCOTER in Prince Edward Bay at the end of Kaiser Crossroad on May
19th, 3 SANDHILL CRANES flying south over the West Lake dunes at Sandbanks
on May 18th, 2 OSPREYS south of the Quinte Skyway Bridge as well as another
2 circling above Muscote Bay May 23rd, PLEATED WOODPECKERS at Gilead Road
and East Lake, a juvenile HORNED LARK exploring a feeder area in a backyard
along Green Point Road, and a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER on May 14th in the Kaiser
Crossroad Cornfields.
And to finish off this week's report, a story that was submitted to me
from the Tweed area which they titled "7 Turkeys Jumping."
"We forgot to tell you about the coyote and the turkeys. A couple of weeks
ago seven turkeys were waiting patiently for the sun to hit the horizon so
that they could announce roosting time, and head for the big trees over the
pond. If it isn't quite time they kind of dither about. So there they were,
standing in a line about 10 metres from the woods, when a coyote burst out
from behind the rail fence and charged. 10 seconds later there were seven
turkeys at the tops of seven big maple trees, and one very confused coyote
wondering where everyone went. Now that's vertical take-off. These birds can
fly." So, anyone who ever saw the WKRP Cincinnati episode when the radio
station dropped a number of Thanksgiving turkeys from an airplane which
ultimately plunged to their deaths, here is proof that WILD TURKEYS can
indeed fly - straight up, if need be!
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte
area. Our thanks to David Okines, Paul Kenny, Joanne Dewey, Lloyd Paul,
Bruce Ripley, Stewart McFarland, Silvia Botnick, Evelyn Sloane, Monica and
David Mills, Donald & Judy McClure, Henri Garand, Joe Victor, Ken & Shirley
Joyce, David Bree, and John & Janet Foster for their contributions to this
week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, June 2nd. Bird
sightings may be forwarded to [EMAIL PROTECTED] anytime before the Thursday
6:00 p.m. deadline. This report also appears on the NatureStuff website
under BIRDING where this week's featured photo is an INDIGO BUNTING by
Thomasburg photographer Russ Kitchen.
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
