WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE
WEEK ENDING Thursday, April 19, 2007
It may not boast the road adventure of the popular 1991 movie Thelma and
Louise, but if these two ducks could talk, they probably would have their
own stories to tell. Thelma is a LESSER SCAUP. So is Louise. They are only
two of several scaups that have been implanted with transmitters that have
turned up in the Quinte area, although Thelma actually never made it right
to the Quinte area. Louise turned up at Weller's Bay this week after having
spent a few days on West Lake. Another, named Freda, showed up at Cape
Vesey, and another named only WRF was in Muscote Bay last week and was last
heard from at Northport, then Deseronto on Monday. The latter was tracked on
her flight all the way from Florida. Even a duck's life is no longer
private.
With sunny weather predicted for the next several days, we may begin to see
the spring migration producing some interesting arrivals over the next few
days. New arrivals this week were SAVANNAH SPARROWS at Big Island on the
13th, and further sightings near Point Petre. A CAROLINA WREN was heard
singing near Mohawk Bay at Deseronto on the 18th. Other species such as
DARK-EYED JUNCOS, SONG SPARROWS, TREE SWALLOWS, NORTHERN FLICKERS,
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS, BROWN CREEPERS and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS have
all increased in numbers as the migration of these species continues. An
AMERICAN BITTERN turned up at Thomasburg on the 14th, followed by a SANDHILL
CRANE four days later, feeding in a corn field.
While a few AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS still linger at many feeding stations,
elsewhere there is love in the air, and some are not the least bit bashful
about getting it on in the presence of observers. A RUFFED GROUSE at
Thomasburg was photographed this past week in full display only a few metres
from a back deck of one home. Suddenly a female grouse took off from a pine
tree right above the male. Upset with the interruption to his courting, the
male gave a disgusted look to the photographer before walking off into the
bush, one of today's featured photos on the website version of this report.
And so it goes as we forge even deeper into spring. There has been an
encouraging number of EASTERN BLUEBIRD reports, many of the birds in the
process of nesting. A pair of COMMON CROWS is nesting in a backyard spruce
tree at Pleasant Bay, and OSPREYS are holding down territory at nest
platforms in several locations, including a new platform at West Zwick's
Park at Belleville.
A WINTER WREN was singing enthusiastically at Quinte Point this morning at
5:45 a.m., and a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD is still present along Huyck's Point
Road. The HARRIS'S SPARROW at 2800 County Road which first showed up in
mid-February is still present at the feeder, and comes almost daily now.
Also present at this address are 4 WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, 2 RED-BELLIED
WOODPECKERS, and 6 each of HAIRY and DOWNY WOODPECKERS. Obviously little
sign of decline in interest at that feeder. With the migration of NORTHERN
FLICKERS in full swing, there have been numerous sightings of a half dozen
or more feeding together on lawns. PILEATED WOODPECKERS were seen during the
week in the Tweed area, and along Harmony Road a short distance north of
Belleville, and a COMMON RAVEN was seen at Cape Vesey on the 19th
Waterfowl continues to dot, or otherwise cover, many of the smaller lakes
and bays. There were fully 250 RING-NECKED DUCKS at Big Island's Robinson's
Cove on Sunday, seeking protection from the wind. Nearby Muscote Bay had 60
LESSER SCAUP on April 13th, and 2 GADWALLS. SPRING PEEPERS, WOOD FROGS,
CHORUS FROGS and LEOPARD FROGS have all been seen and heard, so let's
welcome spring at last with open arms.
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
