WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE
WEEK ENDING Thursday, October 19, 2006
With a centimetre of snow on the ground (we got off lucky, compared to other
regions) to start off the week on an unlucky Friday the 13th, to rain nearly
every day, including today, this has been a somewhat dreary week for birders
and for birds. Waterfowl, however, have had no problems coping. Thousands of
ducks are on Muscote Bay right now, despite heavy hunting in wetlands on
either side of them, among the 200 close enough to shore to identify, being
AMERICAN WIGEONS, MALLARDS and RING-NECKED DUCKS. The 12 MUTE SWANS that
seem to have been a permanent fixture on the bay for the past several weeks,
are still present.
At Prince Edward Point, rain doesn't seem to have deterred the fall passage
of birds. On the lake, 6 HORNED GREBES were seen on the 14th and 8 were
seen on the 18th, the DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS are fluctuating between 500
and 2000 as the numbers start to drop as they migrate south. Eleven AMERICAN
WIGEON flew over the area on the 16th, and on the 15th, 2 GREEN-WINGED TEAL
were in the harbour and at least 3 REDHEAD were in among the scaup flock
which now number at least 2500. WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS have increased to 150
and the first LONG-TAILED DUCKS of the fall arrived on the 14th, the same
day as the first COMMON MERGANSERS appeared. Six BUFFLEHEAD were seen on the
18th.
One hundred TURKEY VULTURES were seen in a kettle over the Observatory on
the 16th. Small numbers of hawks have been moving all week and the best day
was the 15th when 100 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 6 COOPERS HAWKS, 6 NORTHERN
GOSHAWKS and a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, among others flew over. Only two
shorebirds were seen at Prince Edward Point during the week, a KILLDEER on
the 15th and a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER on the 16th.
Owling has been as hit and miss as the weather this week but at least the
owls have started moving, A total of 32 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS were trapped
on the 15th, 34 the following night and 15 on the 19th, with SCREECH and
GREAT-HORNED OWLS calling most nights. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER seen on the
bird table on the 13th, was soon trapped and is the first one ever caught
here in the fall. YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS have been seen only once this
week, a single bird on the 14th indicating that the good migration of them
this fall is over for the year. EASTERN PHOEBES continue in good numbers and
up to 14 in a day have been seen. BLUE-HEADED VIREOS continue to trickle
through and a peak of 12 were seen on the 19th, a very late WARBLING VIREO
was seen in the woods on the 16th. A few BLUE JAYS are still moving as noted
by the 120 seen on the 15th, but 20-30 a day are more usual now. TREE
SWALLOWS were seen on the 15th (7) and 19th (3).
BROWN CREEPERS peaked this week at 25 on the 16th, and kinglets continue to
pass through in good numbers with a peak of 150 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS on
the 16th and 150 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS on the 16th and 19th. A single
EASTERN BLUEBIRD on the 15th was followed by 3 the following day, with yet
another single seen on the 18th. HERMIT THRUSHES numbered 30 on the 15th and
50 the next day. AMERICAN ROBINS are passing overhead on most days and
peaked at 185 on the 15th, the same day that 350 EUROPEAN STARLINGS passed
over.
Warbler variety has really dropped and only 5 species have been seen this
week. The only NASHVILLE WARBLER of the week was a single seen on the 15th,
a very late CAPE MAY WARBLER was trapped on the 18th and a surprise near,
but not in, the nets unfortunately on the 16th was a PRAIRIE WARBLER, which
was watched for five minutes as it gradually worked its way along the cedars
at the edge of the woods before disappearing. YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS
numbered 140 on the 15th and with up to 90 seen on other days during the
week. A VESPER SPARROW was found on the 19th and a FOX SPARROW was seen on
the 18th, and the only LINCOLN'S SPARROW of the month was seen on the 16th.
Up to 45 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS are frequenting the bushes as are 10-20
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS. DARK-EYED JUNCOS are still in short supply this fall
and peaked at 15 on the 19th. As is usual at this time of the year, large
numbers of icterids can be seen flying high over the area and the peaks were
of 660 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS on the 15th, 110 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS on the 19th,
2000 COMMON GRACKLES on the 15th and 19th, and 70 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS on
the 19th.
Out at Sandbanks Provincial Park, one lonely SANDERLING turned up near the
mouth of the Outlet River on Monday, and three were seen there today.
Another surprising arrival on the beach were 2 immature BALD EAGLES, both
appearing to be either second or third year birds. Unlucky Friday the 13th
did produce a raft of over 400 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS on Athol Bay, and
Wednesday was a bit more productive at Outlet Beach when a RED PHALAROPE
turned up, along with 300 CANADA GEESE, 3 SNOW GEESE, 5 DUNLIN, 1
SANDERLING, 2 TURKEY VULTURES and 3 LITTLE GULLS. One DUNLIN appeared again
there today. There was an EASTERN PHOEBE in Richardson's Campground on the
16th and today, and another phoebe was also seen during the week in the
Tweed area where a late BROWN THRASHER has also been hanging out along a
stone fence covered in grape vines and sumac. A PILEATED WOODPECKER showed
up this week in a Glenora Road backyard.
At Point Petre, a flock of 60 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were seen on Soup
Harbour, about 40 EASTERN MEADOWLARKS showed up in the area on the 18th, as
well as a flock of at least 500 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and BROWN-HEADED
COWBIRDS, along with good numbers of WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS and a few
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS. AMERICAN KESTREL and RED-TAILED HAWK were also seen.
On up the shoreline, at Consecon Lake, MUTE SWANS are still present in the
lake (at least 40 are there during the summer), and along the Millennium
Trail near Lakeside Drive, there was a GREAT HORNED OWL on Sunday and three
RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were also seen in the area. And at Trenmur Lake, near
Telephone Road west of Trenton, there are now 30 LESSER SCAUP.
From the pages of the unusual, comes a sighting of a GREAT BLUE HERON. One
was observed this past week in the Quinte area leaving its watery habitat
and making repeated saunters onto a lawn where it was seen snatching EASTERN
CHIPMUNKS. The heron then dunked them in the water and swallowed them whole.
Bon appetite!
Terry Sprague
Prince Edward County
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
