WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE
WEEK ENDING Thursday, May 25, 2006
There's no doubt that Prince Edward Point is the place to be these days The
star bird of the week was a second year male LAZULI BUNTING which was
trapped in net 6B on the 23rd May. This bird was well photographed after
having been banded and was seen by all those present. When released, the
bird flew into the bushes behind the banding hut and was not seen again
despite being well looked for. This is a new species for the Observatory
and also for Prince Edward County, bringing the list of confirmed species
for Prince Edward County, to 342.
Now back to the birds in general. The DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS are
increasing as more come in to False Duck to breed, up to a thousand can now
be seen in a day. The HORNED GREBE first seen late last week was last seen
on the 20th, also the LONG-TAILED DUCKS have dwindled to just a handful
now. In the harbour today was a female HOODED MERGANSER. Three
BROAD-WINGED HAWKS flew over in a kettle of TURKEY VULTURES on the 23rd and
PEREGRINE FALCONS have been seen on the 21st and 23rd. The only BLACK TERN
so far of the spring was seen feeding offshore on the 23rd, although others
have been seen elsewhere in the County with the first observed at Point
Petre on May 16th. BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO'S can be heard occasionally, but are
not reliable yet. A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was seen on the 22nd around the
Observatory. The first EASTERN WOOD PEWEE was singing on the 19th and
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERS returned on the 21st, LEAST FLYCATCHERS are
becoming common and 60 were observed on the 24th, with 6 GREAT-CRESTED
FLYCATCHERS being present that day as well. Today there was an OLIVE-SIDED
FLYCATCHER near the harbour. Single COMMON RAVENS were seen on the 21st and
23rd over the Observatory. On the 24th a small resurgence occurred in the
numbers seen of RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES (10) and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS
(25). A few thrushes arrived today with counts of 20 VEERY, 3 GRAY-CHEEKED,
a late HERMIT and 50 SWAINSON'S being counted.
A BLUE-WINGED WARBLER was trapped on the 19th and a GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER
on the 23rd. A large arrival occurred on the 24th with the following warbler
numbers being seen, 15 TENNESSEE, an ORANGE-CROWNED, 60 NASHVILLE, 6
NORTHERN PARULAS, 55 YELLOW, 35 CHESTNUT-SIDED, over 300 MAGNOLIAS, 25
BLACK-THROATED BLUE, 75 YELLOW-RUMPED, 70 BLACK-THROATED GREENS, 70
BLACKBURNIAN, 50 BAY-BREASTED, 15 BLACK-AND-WHITES, 40 AMERICAN REDSTARTS,
15 WILSON'S and 5 CANADAS. A CAPE MAY WARBLER was seen on the 19th.
WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS have all but gone now, but a few WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROWS are hanging on. An EVENING GROSBEAK was seen on the 23rd and was
seen again on the 24th. And finally, a female HOODED WARBLER was trapped
today and was the second Hooded Warbler of the spring. Don't forget the
Observatory is holding its AGM at Lake-on-the -Mountain on the 3rd June.
The Prince Edward County Birding Festival wrapped up on May 22nd. Despite
overcast skies, most events were quite successful, with birders there from
across Ontario and Quebec, as well as from the United States, and two from
Norway. There were 9 morning bird walks at Prince Edward Point during the
week, and on Sunday, with rain falling first thing in the morning, breaking
into full sun within a couple of hours, birders were met with clouds of
migrants in one location in the Point Traverse Woods. Without moving a step,
over 20 species of warblers were counted, along with all the common vireo
species. A CERULEAN WARBLER was among those present. A total of 26 species
of warblers were present in the general area that day, including the first
BLACKPOLL WARBLER of the season.
The Bucknell's Slough along Wesley Acres Road, south of Bloomfield,
continues to offer a good variety of wetland species, quite unusual for this
site, as this low lying field is usually pumped dry by now for crops. On
Wednesday, there was a pair of REDHEADS, BLACK DUCK, BLUE-WINGED TEAL, a
single DUNLIN, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, LESSER
YELLOWLEGS and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER. BLACK TERNS were also seen in the
area. Along the shore of the Bay of Quinte, at George's Road, east of
Northport, a GREAT EGRET was present during one recent weekend. At Muscote
Bay, CASPIAN TERNS are still present over the bay and an OSPREY has been
present for several days, believed to be nesting on a platform along
Demorestville Creek. Another pair of OSPREYS located this past week atop a
high light standard in a soccer field at Belleville's Zwick's Island Park.
These appear to be favoured sites of this species in recent years and there
is much to be learned about the dangers of such locations due to the heat
from the powerful lights. If anyone has any knowledge with respect to the
heat factor of these locations and what measures have been taken, or of any
mishaps that have occurred, I would be interested in hearing about it.
Other interesting sightings include continued observations of COMMON RAVENS
in the county, two SNOW GEESE and an AMERICAN PIPIT observed just south of
Picton, and a RING-NECKED PHEASANT that has been seen by many travellers
along County Road 13 in the South Bay area.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area.
Our thanks to David Okines of the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory,
Lloyd Paul, Bill Hogg, Margaret Kirk, Barry Pinsky, Nancy Fox, Silvia
Botnick, Fred Chandler, Marilyn Holland-Foster, Henri Garand, Frank Artes &
Carolyn Barnes, John & Margaret Moore, and Rosemary Smith for their
contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on
Thursday, June 1st. 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, where this week's photo by
Terry Sprague is of Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory bird bander David
Okines as he concentrates on the Baillie Bridathon.
Terry Sprague
Prince Edward County
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
