WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE
WEEK ENDING Thursday, September 21, 2006
Although the winds at Prince Edward Point have finally shifted to the
northwest there has been surprisingly few birds arrive. In this same one
week period last year volunteers at the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory
banded 1000 more birds than they did during the week this year. A
BLUE-WINGED TEAL was in the harbour on the 21st and new additions to the
fall list were a group of 6 GREATER SCAUP which flew past in the evening on
the 15th and 3 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS on the 20th. The only OSPREY so far this
month was a single bird seen on the 17th, 1 - 2 BALD EAGLES continue to be
seen daily and 8 flew over on the 19th with 7 of these in one flock.
SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS are continuing to move and up to 65 have been seen in a
day, 6 COOPER'S HAWKS were seen on the 19th and a few groups of BROAD-WINGED
HAWKS are being seen as well with a peak of 30 on the 20th. With the switch
to the northwest winds a few AMERICAN KESTRELS can be seen moving through
with the SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS. Twelve AMERICAN KESTRELS were counted on the
wires a few kilometers up the road on Babylon Road on the 20th. A PEREGRINE
FALCON flew over on the 21st.
Single BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS were seen on the 15th and 16th and
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS have stared to move through with the first one on
the 16th and 6 were seen on the 21st as were 25 NORTHERN FLICKERS . Five
EASTERN WOOD PEWEES could be found in the bushes today and EASTERN PHOEBES
are starting to become noticeable with up to 4 found daily. After a five day
gap, BLUE-HEADED VIREOS are moving again and 15 were seen on the 17th with
lesser numbers seen on other days. BROWN CREEPERS are moving now that the
colder days are arriving and 10 were seen on the 21st. Also moving are
WINTER WRENS with a peak of 10 on the 19th. As RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS have
been arriving in larger numbers, 50 on the 16th and 17th, with 75 on the
21st, the first GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS have arrived as well with 4 on the
17th and 6 on the 21st. A late BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER was seen today and was
assumed to be a local bird as it was banded. GRAY-CHEEKED and SWAINSON'S
THRUSHES are going through in larger numbers now with 30 and 40 of each seen
today.
A GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER was trapped on the 19th and a TENNESSEE WARBLER on
the 20th. MAGNOLIA WARBLERS are starting to decrease and BLACK-THROATED BLUE
WARBLERS and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS are starting to increase. Late
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS were seen on the 16th and 20th and a few Western PALM
WARBLERS are going through. Single OVENBIRDS were seen on the 16th and
18th, a LINCOLN'S SPARROW was seen on the 16th and that day had the first
WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS (8). The following day, the first of the
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS were seen, two SWAMP SPARROWS were seen on the 21st
and an INDIGO BUNTING was seen on the 20th. The last BALTIMORE ORIOLE was on
the 15th.
The shorebird migration at Sandbanks continues with pretty much the same
species that appeared a week earlier. Almost daily checks of the Outlet
River mouth this week produced highs of 6 STILT SANDPIPERS on September
16th, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS (3) on September 16th & 18th, SEMIPALMATED
PLOVERS (3) on September 18th, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS (4) on September
20th, and SANDERLINGS (3) on September 20th. LITTLE GULLS there have
fluctuated from lows of 1 to a high of 9 on September 16th. A LESSER
YELLOWLEGS flew over the east end of Big Island today. Also in that area, an
immature SABINE'S GULL was seen.
An early LESSER SCAUP turned up at Long Reach at the end of Quick Shortt
Road (Green Point) on September 8th, and there were three late EASTERN
KINGBIRDS near Point Petre on Monday, and a somewhat late GREAT CRESTED
FLYCATCHER calling vigorously in the Woodlands Campground at Sandbanks
Provincial Park at 10 a.m. today. The campground over the last several days
also produced a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and an extremely agitated WOOD
THRUSH. In the Madoc area, at least 10 GREAT EGRETS have been counted at a
pond north of the village, and a BALD EAGLE was spotted on Moira Lake.
At Point Petre, over 60 BLUE JAYS were there yesterday milling around the
lighthouse, making short forays into the wind, then settling into the trees,
then flying up into the air and circling even higher, then settling back
down again as they experimented with trying to make a lake crossing. Today,
the BLUE JAYS were replaced by 100 migrating TURKEY VULTURES as they
ridge-soared along the lakeshore, with one group being persistently attached
by a NORTHERN HARRIER. Among the other sightings around Point Petre and Soup
Harbour were BALD EAGLE, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, BELTED KINGFISHER, upwards of
100 CANADA GEESE, EASTERN PHOEBE and RED-TAILED HAWK.
This is a condensed version of the Quinte Area Bird Report containing only
the significant sightings for Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. The
full version can be found on the NatureStuff website, under BIRDING from
the Main Menu.
Terry Sprague
Prince Edward County
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
