WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE
WEEK ENDING Thursday, December 21, 2006
More in tune with the season this week, if not even a little encouraging,
was the sighting of 20 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS at Glenwood Cemetery in
Picton on Saturday. This is a species we didn't really expect to see this
winter, given the finch forecast of earlier this fall, resulting from an
abundant food supply in the boreal forests. An EVENING GROSBEAK showed up
during the Prince Edward Point Christmas Bird Count along Old Milford Road
near Kingsley Road. On the 17th, two NORTHERN SHRIKES were seen within a
short distance of each other in the Consecon area. One was eyeing a MOURNING
DOVE perched atop a brush pile in the Stinson Block, and another was in hot
pursuit of a HOUSE FINCH along the Millennium Trail, just off Salem Road. A
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK in the Carrying Place area is taking advantage of a
population of HOUSE SPARROWS in one backyard, and another one in Thomasburg
flew out of the woods and landed on a tree branch beside a backyard pond
looking for a meal there. One showed up again at 23 Sprague Road, and if
it's the same individual that made four unsuccessful attempts at capturing a
BLUE JAY and a HAIRY WOODPECKER a week or two ago, there is probably little
cause for worry at this address. A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK also appeared near
feeders along Glenora Road and there was another at Mountain View a few days
ago.
Two CAROLINA WRENS continue to visit at least three feeders in the East Hill
area of Belleville, up in the Charles, Alexander and Forin Streets part of
the city. A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW is at a feeder at Smith's Bay, and a
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER turned up in a tree where several feeders are located
at South Bay. YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS (3) also showed up on Kingsley Road on
Saturday.
RED-TAILED HAWKS appeared during the week along Bradley Crossroad, south of
Glenora Road, Cape Vesey, Gomorrah Road, and Harmony Road north of
Belleville, as well as the Madoc area. Lots of RED-TAILED HAWKS though if
you are travelling 401. One observer noted four between Brighton and
Cobourg, and another saw close to 20 unidentified hawks between Belleville
and Kingston. A NORTHERN HARRIER was seen at Macaulay Mountain on the 16th.
BALD EAGLES are taking their time settling in for the winter, but one adult
bird was seen at Hay Bay on the 17th, and another was seen near Cape Vesey
today. More unusual were two sightings of RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, normally not
present in these parts during the winter months. One was seen along North
Road, also known locally as Norton's Sideroad, in Prince Edward County on
the 17th, and another report came in during the week from the Cobourg area.
An AMERICAN KESTREL continues to hunt along County Road 2 near Wellington if
you are still looking for one to add to your winter list. A GREAT HORNED OWL
was seen on the 16th at a Black River tributary along Old Milford Road, and
a BARRED OWL was spotted on Flinton Road, north of Highway 7 on the 18th.
Waterfowl watching at Wellington Harbour continues to be a bit thin, at
least, until freezing temperatures and ice conditions start to force them
closer within viewing range. Seen there today were 36 MALLARDS, 2 LESSER
SCAUP, 53 CANADA GEESE, 11 AMERICAN COOTS and the still lingering
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT. CANADA GEESE can turn up just about anywhere,
with skeins of them often seen in flight, and others loafing or feeding in
fields of corn stubble. About 400 were seen off County Road 2, north of
Wellington on the 19th. Three GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS were spotted in Lake
Ontario at the end of Arthur Road near North Beach Provincial Park on the
17th, and 6 BONAPARTE'S GULLS appeared in Muscote Bay the same day, and
another was at Waupoos Marina on the weekend.
Also taking advantage of the fine weather has been numerous flocks of
AMERICAN ROBINS. Forty were seen at Sandbanks last week, and another 20
appeared in a Herchimer Avenue address in Belleville early this month. A
tardy TURKEY VULTURE floated lazily over a hay field along Bradley Crossroad
on the 16th and GREAT BLUE HERONS are still showing up everywhere. TUNDRA
SWANS are taking full advantage of open water conditions, and have been
widely distributed this past week, although most, up to 200 or more, appear
to be concentrated in the Smith's Bay and South Bay areas. Thirteen were
counted on Weller's Bay on the 17th and scattered numbers continue to appear
on a short term basis in other bodies of water before moving on.
Terry Sprague
Prince Edward County
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
