Now that winter has settled in, waterfowl numbers are down. Hardy Mallards and Blacks and a few Common Mergansers make up most of the ducks but there were still about 60 Tundra Swans on Wolfe Island last Sunday, although even those will be forced to move on when their long necks can't reach the bottom to feed. Raptors remain abundant on Wolfe; over 3 dozen Rough-legged Hawks, with smaller numbers of Bald Eagles, Red-tails, Am. Kestrels, and N. Harriers. The high count for Snowy Owls this week was 4 last Saturday, along with 3 Short-eared Owls. Another Barred Owl was seen yesterday, this one right in the city not far from the Queen's campus. This makes a total of 8 that have been reported this month south of their normal habitat. Great Horned Owls have started to sing duets and although it's not yet spring, we are well past the winter solstice and the days are getting longer. There are lots of gulls at both Violet and Napanee dumps, but a single Glaucous at Bath was the only white-winged reported. Also at Bath on Wednesday, a N. Flicker and at Sillsville 5 Rusty Blackbirds were noteworthy. Four Common Ravens were seen north of the city. Other than Common Redpolls, finches seem to have moved on. No Hoaries have been reported since Jan. 14th and no one has mentioned Am. Goldfinches lately.
Cheers, Peter Good Kingston Field Naturalists 613 378-6605 _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
