Yesterday afternoon, I did a little leap-day birding on Wolfe Island along with fellow Queen's biologists Jamie Morris-Pocock, Martin Mallet and Susie Crowe. We worked over about half the area west of 8th line. Highlight of the day was an exceptional view of 1 Snowy Owl at 5th Line and Baseline Rd., where it seems to favour the telephone poles at the corner and the surface of the field itself. Doubtless other birds remain in this general area as well, but we did not spend much time searching for them. Early spring migrants included 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet with chickadees along Hwy 96 west of Hwy 95, and a flock of 13 Cedar Waxwings in this same area. Horned Larks are now abundant again on the roads of the island - about 50 individuals were seen. Other birds seen included ~50 Rough-legged Hawks, 5 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 American Kestrel, 1 male Northern Harrier, 1 Northern Shrike (along Hwy 96) and ~25 Wild Turkeys NE of Reed's Bay.
A lack of open water with the exception of the ferry channel itself is limiting waterfowl numbers, though Common Merganser, Common Goldeneye, Greater Scaup and American Coot may be found at the Kingston-side ferry dock. Mammals included both a coyote and a red fox on the ice along the ferry channel. Directions: Wolfe Island may be reached via a free ferry from Kingston, which leaves from the docks at the foot of Barrack St (Barrack and Ontario St.). A schedule may be found at this link: http://www.wolfeisland.com/ferry.php Typically the area W. of 8th line, where the bulk of the island lies, is the area most birded in winter. Please keep in mind that Wolfe Island is essentially all privately owned and respect landowner's rights by not trespassing. Good birding, Chris Kimber Dept. of Biology Queen's University Kingston, ON _______________________________________________ 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
