WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE
WEEK ENDING Thursday, March 23, 2006
Colder temperatures during the week ground the spring migration almost to a
halt, except for the waterfowl which continue to appear in varying numbers
at the famous Kaiser Crossroad site east of Waupoos. Yesterday, there were
close to 300 NORTHERN PINTAILS, 42 TUNDRA SWANS, 200 MALLARDS, 30 AMERICAN
BLACK DUCKS, 300 CANADA GEESE, and a scattering of AMERICAN WIGEON, along
with a lone SNOW GOOSE. Other observers on Sunday found a GADWALL and 4 WOOD
DUCKS. This huge field consisting of two separate flooded areas, will
continue to be productive into early May. Visitors are reminded to observe
from the road, and please respect the No Trespassing sign at the gate.
Kaiser Crossroad is about 15 km east of Lake-on-the-Mountain off County Road
7. It can also be accessed via County Road 8 east of Waupoos. This excellent
waterfowl location will be featured on the NatureStuff website, under
BIRDING, by the weekend.
Waterfowl can also be seen on Pleasant Bay where both TUNDRA and MUTE SWANS
were seen earlier this week, and if you enjoy CANADA GEESE, it's not unusual
to see about a thousand here. Waterfowl numbers at Wellington Harbour
continue to dwindle as the ice disappears from West Lake, but good numbers
of diving ducks can most always be seen from County Road 12 at Athol Bay at
Sandbanks Provincial Park. As the ice disappears from the East Lake Marsh,
MUTE and TUNDRA SWANS, MALLARDS, AMERICAN BLACKS and mergansers are still
present here.
In Adolphus Reach during the week, there were hundreds of both COMMON and
HOODED MERGANSERS, BUFFLEHEADS and CANADA GEESE, and the two resident MUTE
SWANS at Adolphustown Park. HOODED MERGANSERS were also present in the Bay
of Quinte near the Norris Whitney Bridge on Wednesday. A high of 20 HOODED
MERGANSERS were seen during much of the week at Big Island's Muscote Bay
along with 30 RING-NECKED DUCKS, 500 CANADA GEESE, 30 MALLARDS, 2 GADWALLS
and 4 AMERICAN WIGEONS.
But all is not lost on the songbird scene. A BROWN CREEPER visited a suet
log feeder in Albury today, and NORTHERN SHRIKES were seen at Prinyer's Cove
on Monday, and in the Madoc area earlier today. The once famous bird feeder
on Glenora Road continues its struggle to hang on to its reputation with a
total of 80 HOUSE FINCHES, PINE SISKINS, COMMON REDPOLLS and AMERICAN
GOLDFINCHES. MOURNING DOVES still number 20, and 2 RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS
continue to visit this location, along with 5 WILD TURKEYS. Meanwhile, at
Cape Vesey, the one time high of 60 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES at a feeder there
has dropped to 6, as birds continue to shuffle around in response to
spring's advance. Two PURPLE FINCHES appeared at this feeder on the 17th and
18th, and there were 6 PINE SISKINS from the 19th to the 22nd. A large
flock of CEDAR WAXWINGS were seen on Rock Crossroad on the 19th, and 16
appeared on a mountain ash tree on Barker Street in Picton on the 22nd. A
Low Street feeder in Picton had 2 PURPLE FINCHES during the week. Up to 60
AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES are at a feeder in Thomasburg, and 30 continue to empty
a Niger feeder daily at 23 Sprague Road in the County.
BALD EAGLE numbers continue to be strong in Prince Edward County. Two were
seen at Bongard Crossroad on the 19th and 20th, three immature birds were
also seen on the ice at Adolphus Reach on the 19th, and a BALD EAGLE
casually floated over a house near the Quinte Skyway Bridge on the 18th.
RED-TAILED HAWKS during the week were seen east of Lake-on-the-Mountain and
at Crookston Road in the Madoc area. An AMERICAN KESTREL was seen east of
Rose's Crossroad yesterday. Albeit chilly, TURKEY VULTURES continue their
northward migration with individuals appearing during the week east of
Lake-on-the-Mountain on the 19th, and another near Codrington on the 23rd.
Up to 16 were seen all week in Picton circling above the LCBO building on
Lake Street, and singles were observed elsewhere in town as well. A NORTHERN
HARRIER, likely a spring arrival, was seen at Rednersville on the 22nd.
Prince Edward County continues in its efforts to establish what COMMON
RAVENS are where. Just when we thought we had it all figured out with the
possibility of three distinct pairs, yet another pair showed up with an
existing pair at Cape Vesey on the 22nd. Known locally as The Rock, this
area offers some good potential for nesting, and a resident there intends to
watch these new arrivals to the county scene. WILD TURKEYS are showing up
everywhere these days, but noteworthy flocks turned up during the week at
the Quinte Skyway Bridge, Ridge Road, Sandbanks, Black River, and the
dependable flock north of the 401 off Sidney Street and 18 along Old Marmora
Road.
Other than a PILEATED WOODPECKER seen flying over Highway 7 at Highway 62
on the 18th, and a pair at Adolphustown on Tuesday, that's it for this week
from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Rae O'Brien,
Henri Garand, Albert Boisvert, Pamela Stagg, Cathy Anderson, Judy Bell, Russ
& Trudy Kitchen, Cheryl Anderson, Henry Pasila, Silvia Botnick, Frank Artes
& Carolyn Barnes, Ove Ojaste, Doris Lane, John Charlton, Dwight Wages, Fred
Chandler, Judith Gray, Doug & Evelyn Sloane, Norma Broadbear and Lloyd Paul
for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated
on Thursday, March 23rd. Bird sightings may be forwarded any time to
[EMAIL PROTECTED] before the Thursday 6:00 p.m. deadline. This report also
appears for a week on the NatureStuff website, under BIRDING, where this
week's photo of a PILEATED WOODPECKER is by Russ Kitchen of Thomasburg.
Terry Sprague
Prince Edward County
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
