WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE
WEEK ENDING Thursday, April 06, 2006
Now that the spring migration of songbirds is upon us, waterfowl seems to be
taking a back seat. However, birding continues to be excellent at the Kaiser
Crossroad site where on Sunday, there were still some 450 NORTHERN PINTAILS
and 2 NORTHERN SHOVELERS along with the regulars. But capturing the
attention of birders this past week have been birds other than waterfowl.
Unusually warm weather earlier in the week put the migration into high gear,
resulting in a number of record early arrivals, among them at least three
separate VIRGINIA RAILS vigorously calling from the marsh at the H.R. Frink
Centre, north of Belleville, April 2nd. An early PURPLE MARTIN turned up
west of Demorestville on the same day, and there were 2 more at a martin
house yesterday along Massassauga Road. CHIPPING SPARROWS appeared at
Crookston Road near Madoc and in Picton on April 2nd and 3rd respectively,
and in Belleville on the 5th. There were 2 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS at Prince Edward
Point on April 2nd. Other arrivals, now here in good numbers are EASTERN
PHOEBES, EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, COMMON LOONS, BELTED
KINGFISHERS, NORTHERN FLICKERS, and 8 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were seen on
Snake Island in the Bay of Quinte.
TREE SWALLOWS are well established now in the county and major groups of 100
each were noted during the week at Massassauga, Wesley Acres Road, and 200
over the Trent River at Trenton on April 1st. A few shorebird arrivals to
whet the appetite included 3 GREATER YELLOWLEGS at Kaiser Crossroad on the
3rd, 2 at the Bucknell's Slough along Wesley Acres Road, a LESSER YELLOWLEGS
at Cherry Valley, and 6 GREATER YELLOWLEGS at Kaiser Crossroad on April 2nd.
WILSON'S SNIPE are putting on spectacular day and evening aerial
performances at several locations. Two OSPREYS have returned to the nesting
platform at the corner of Massassauga Road and County Road 28 near Rossmore,
first observed on the 3rd, and another returnee was observed during the week
at Maitland Drive in Belleville. Two have returned to the nesting site at
the North Marysburgh Hall, and another pair was seen at a site at the Lennox
Generating Station. There were two sightings of FOX SPARROWS, in Belleville
on the 5th and four at Prince Edward Point on the 2nd.
Although landbirds seem to be the focus, observant birders paying attention
to local waters and wetlands managed to come up with a few good sightings
during the week. GREEN-WINGED TEAL, GADWALL and 10 NORTHERN SHOVELERS were
seen along Wesley Acres Road on April 3rd, and WOOD DUCKS were observed at
Consecon Lake, and another pair was checking out a nest box at Adolphustown.
Muscote Bay has between 400 - 500 scaup, while Prince Edward Point came out
on top with 8,000 GREATER SCAUP and 150 LESSER SCAUP on April 2nd. Also seen
down there were 100 AMERICAN WIGEON, 50 REDHEADS, 50 RING-NECKED DUCKS, 150
LONG-TAILED DUCKS, 50 BUFFLEHEAD, 40 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 50 COMMON MERGANSERS
and about 300 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS. So, there are plenty of waterfowl
around yet.
The plethora of COMMON RAVENS has calmed somewhat and only one was reported
during the week, this one at Prince Edward Point. An interesting sighting on
April 3rd involved a pair of AMERICAN KESTRELS entering and exiting an
ornamental mailbox that has been placed on a garage roof near the corner of
Salem Road and Carnrike Road. A CAROLINA WREN was singing in a backyard in
the Barry Heights area of Trenton on April 2nd, and the 50 or so WILD
TURKEYS that are traditionally seen along Sidney Street north of Belleville,
were still roaming the field on April 3rd.
Although feeder patronage and interest has dropped considerably with the
arrival of warmer weather, and the close of this year's Project FeederWatch,
all is not dead. Two WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS appeared at a feeder along
North Big Island Road on April 4th. There are still good numbers of PINE
SISKINS, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES present at the Glenora
Road feeder that was the scene of considerable activity all winter long.
Yesterday, there was also a pair of MALLARDS perched in one of the backyard
trees.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area.
Our thanks to Brian Durell, Lloyd Paul, Ron Weir, Christine Trulsen, Nancy
Smitts, Janet Foster, John Charlton, Jerry Foster, David & Yvette Bree, Alan
Cullum, Tom Mikel, Cheryl Anderson, Albert Boisvert, Carmen McDermaid, Judy
Bell, Judith Gray, Silvia Botnick, Rosemary Kent, Marilyn Holland-Foster,
Henri Garand, Nick Quickert, Janet Mooney, Paul Wallace, Jane Hough and Bill
Hogg for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be
updated on Thursday, April 13th. 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 TREE SWALLOW is by Alan Cullum of the Cobourg area.
Terry Sprague
Prince Edward County
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
