WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE
WEEK ENDING Thursday, September 06, 2007
The elusive AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN that turned up at Snake Island in the Bay
of Quinte near Belleville, is in the news once again. After being absent for
several days, one observer found that it had returned to Snake Island last
Friday. Yesterday and today, it showed up again, this time in Muscote Bay at
Big Island, about 10 km, as the pelican flies, southeast of Snake Island
where it remains at time of writing. The bird is associating with some 100
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS. One observer at Big Island who has been watching
the activity on Muscote Bay from his back yard commented today that it looks
like a resort out there with both the cormorants and the pelican relaxing
and feeding. Also present there have been 100 CANADA GEESE and 4 PIED-BILLED
GREBES, and a lone GREAT EGRET turned up there yesterday. If this birder
keeps a yard list, he certainly has added some impressive additions over the
last two days. The weed growth in the bay now is so thick that, from a
distance, the surface resembles a solid surface. At least, it did to one
NORTHERN HARRIER last week where it had been hunting over the open fields,
and then veered out into the bay where it continued its systematic low
flights as if expecting a meadow vole to surface. Anyone wishing to observe
the WHITE PELICAN is advised to e-mail me first so I can provide an update.
At the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, at the south-eastern tip
of Prince Edward County, bird banders at the Prince Edward Point Observatory
have enjoyed another eventful week. One or two COMMON LOONS have been seen
going over as their migration starts and occasional GREAT-BLUE HERONS are
going over as well. TURKEY VULTURES are starting to gather and 30 were
floating about over the area on the 31st with 10 -15 seen on most other
days. A flock of 11 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS flew past on the 1st and returned
heading north again an hour later. OSPREYS were seen on the 31st and 1st,
and occasional NORTHERN HARRIERS can be seen moving out over the lake.
BROAD-WINGED HAWKS are starting to put in an appearance and we re-trapped
one we banded last week and we banded our third new one of the fall on the
4th. MERLINS have been seen sitting in the tree tops on the lookout for a
passing meal and different PEREGRINE FALCONS flew past on the 3rd and 4th.
Up to 9 KILLDEER have been seen on the beach as was a SANDERLING on the
31st, 10 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS were in the harbour on the 2nd and 2-3 have
been seen since, a late SPOTTED SANDPIPER was seen on the 4th while 2 RED
KNOT were on the south beach on the 2nd along with 9 LEAST SANDPIPERS.
COMMON NIGHTHAWKS (23) were seen on the 31st but numbers have dwindled since
then with 1-8 seen in a night. They have been seen on eight nights this
year, up from the normal 3-4 nights. One to five flycatchers of each of the
commoner species have been present daily all week. A YELLOW-THROATED VIREO
was present on the 2nd and up to a dozen RED-EYED VIREOS have been seen in a
day, and PHILADELPHIA and WARBLING VIREOS are trickling through with 1-2 a
day counted.
Single BLUE JAYS have been seen on 4 dates and should start to increase once
the winds become more favourable. The first GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH of the fall
was captured on the 4th and up to 7 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES are to be found
daily. A WOOD THRUSH was banded on the 4th which is one more than we banded
last fall. A BROWN THRASHER with white patches in its wing and tail is being
seen regularly but evades capture. Three TENNESSEE WARBLERS were banded on
the 31st and 2 more were seen on the 3rd, another NORTHERN PARULA was
trapped during the week and 10 CHESTNUT SIDED WARBLERS were counted on the
2nd. MAGNOLIA WARBLERS are increasing and 20 were seen on the 2nd and 4th
while 11 BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS were found on the 31st. Fifteen
BLACKPOLL WARBLERS were present on the 2nd, and 8 were seen on the 4th.
AMERICAN REDSTARTS (2) were seen on the 2nd with 12 around the next day.
Eight WILSON'S and 5 CANADA WARBLERS were present on the 2nd. Nineteen
species of warblers in total were observed during the week. The first
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW of the fall arrived on the 2nd and another was seen
on the 4th. The only BOBOLINK so far of the fall was seen on the 2nd. PURPLE
FINCHES continue to be seen with 10-40 present daily although the actual
numbers being trapped have almost come to a stop. AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES
continue to visit the feeders and up to 80 are present daily. GIANT
SWALLOWTAIL butterflies continue to be seen and their caterpillars are
starting to be found on the Prickly Ash with at least 50-60 having been
found around the harbour and at point Traverse. A special article on the
Prince Edward County influx of this species featuring photos by assistant
bird bander Elizabeth Kerr will appear on the NatureStuff website within the
week.
Operators of bird feeders in the county and across the region continue to
report brisk business, particularly at bird baths as the summer drought
continues. Our own bird bath on one memorable day, at least for me, anyhow,
was refilled no fewer than 12 times as more than 250 EUROPEAN STARLINGS kept
returning several times that day to drink and bathe at our five bird bath
locations. The correct term of assemblage, "mumuration" was certainly well
founded as little else was heard singing during the several times they
appeared. At Pleasant Bay, it hasn't been starlings, but BROWN-HEADED
COWBIRDS who have been sending water there left, right and centre. Also
looking at water, but not doing too much with it last week were a half dozen
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS perched on a utility wire across the Trent River
at Frankford.They were all facing downstream and appeared to be simply
enjoying the bucolic scene of running water.
More interested in water, at least, what it contained, was a return visit
from the adult BALD EAGLE at Morrison's Point that has been seen in the
South Bay and Prince Edward Bay areas all summer. Two OSPREYS were also seen
on the long weekend, and a COOPER'S HAWK was also reported from the area. An
interesting sighting near Chisholm's Mills in Tyendinaga Township during the
week involved about 100 COMMON CROWS that assemble just before dark every
evening, arriving from the south and proceeding north towards the Moira
River where they roost among the trees and continue to make considerable
noise until after dark. This behaviour is apparently noted at this same
location every year at this time.
Although well beyond the normal reporting area for this summary of bird
activity, a cottage resident at Pringle Lake near Cloyne just north of
Kaladar, reported seeing a strong population of NORTHERN RAVENS, flocks of
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES which appeared to be passing
through, and a family of COMMON LOONS was also noted there. Closer to the
reporting area, in the Stirling region, the Tuftsville Wetlands there had a
pair of GREEN HERONS all summer, along with COMMON MOORHENS, BLUE-WINGED
TEAL, LEAST BITTERN among the species seen. Huge flocks of RED-WINGED
BLACKBIRDS have also been seen, dropping from the trees, flying in great
clouds and descending into fields of corn.
Meanwhile, back at the backyard feeders, the usual winter clientel of
chickadees, woodpeckers, jays, etc. are starting to increase in numbers as
the summer draws to a close. A male BALTIMORE ORIOLE was still coming to a
nectar feeder south of Picton as of today, and RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS
are still going strong at most feeders. PURPLE FINCHES continue to show up
in small numbers at many feeders across the region, and a NORTHERN
MOCKINGBIRD has been present off and on at 23 Sprague Road, presumably
attracted by multiflora rose hips.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area.
Our thanks to David Okines (Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory), Charles
Crowe, Dave Shannon, Ken & Shirley Joyce, Wayne McNulty, Henri Garand, Dirk
deBoer, Ted Cullin, Kathy Willis, Cathy Stewart, and Eric Fry for their
contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on
Thursday, September 13th, but sightings can be e-mailed anytime before the
6:00 p.m. Thursday deadline. Featured photos this week in the online version
of the Quinte Area Bird Report include a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD by Allan
Cullum of Salem and an AMERICAN GOLDFINCH in fall plumage at a sunflower by
Sandra Morgan of South Glens Falls, N.Y. Photo of the new banding
sub-station at Prince Edward Point on the Main Birding Page of the
Naturestuff website is by Don Chisholm of Waupoos.
Terry Sprague
Prince Edward County
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
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