Last Sunday's field trip to Wolfe Island was very successful; the weather cooperated, which is more than can be said for the rest of the week. Highlights included 13 Black-bellied Plover in a flooded field, 3 Mute Swans, a blue phase Snow Goose, and a N. Mockingbird. Huge numbers of Greater Scaup seemed to be migrating upriver as the sky above Button Bay was filled with ducks and there were several very large rafts on the water. What was a bit of a surprise was the total lack of "winter" birds; no Snowy Owl, Rough-legged Hawk, N. Shrike, Tree Sparrow, Snow Bunting, or Common Redpoll.
Amherst Island has yet to produce any Saw-whet Owls but the Owl Woods did have a few migrants on Wednesday including a Blue-headed Vireo, 4 E. Phoebe, 15 Hermit Thrush, and 3 E. Towhee. There were several shorebirds on the KFN property: 12 Black-bellied Plover, 2 American Golden Plover, 6 Greater Yellowlegs, and 20 Dunlin. Three Surf Scoters were offshore and for the fourth week in a row, a Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow was in the vegetation at the north end of the ponds. Both the Little and Greater Cataraqui Rivers are excellent spots in the fall. There were 10 Ruddy Ducks in the Little Cat last Friday and that had increased to 25 by Wednesday. There were about 200 American Coots in the Greater Cataraqui along with several hundred American Wigeon last Sunday. A group of birders also found a Carolina Wren, an immature Bald Eagle, and a Peregrine Falcon on a midweek outing in the same area. Other sightings of the week include a Black-backed Woodpecker at Eagle Lake near Parham (just outside the Kingston 50km circle) and a Great Egret at Sillsville south of Napanee last Saturday. There were 4 Eastern Bluebirds on the Isle of Man Road on Wednesday and the previously reported Eurasian Wigeon is still present in Elevator Bay. A Sandhill Crane was on the Florida Road yesterday. There is a problematic white goose on the penitentiary property; found on the 17th, it was first identified as a Ross's Goose but subsequent observations have only added to the confusion; is it a Snow Goose or even a hybrid? Observations have been hampered by bad weather and an inability to get close to the bird.(Corrections Canada takes a dim view of trespassers) Further observations this week may clarify things. Cheers, Peter Good Kingston Field Naturalists 613 378-6605
