WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK
ENDING
Thursday, May 15, 2008
The Prince Edward County Birding Festival started on the 10th and 29 species of
warblers have been seen so far, making for a lot of happy birders. The woods at
Point Traverse and at the Observatory have had a few good days and a few quiet
ones but there has always been something to see. A very nearsighted
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD was seen hovering in front of the red breast patch of
a ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK in the Point Traverse Woods this week, and in the same
woods, a BALTIMORE ORIOLE early in the week was giving an almost perfect
rendition of a Carolina Wren song! While most of the attention was focussed on
Prince Edward Point this week, a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was seen by one party
behind the Maple Rest Heritage House at Sandbanks Provincial Park on Monday,
and three BLACK TERNS showed up nearby the same day.
Daily birding tours at Prince Edward Point have enjoyed great attendance with
nearly capacity crowds every day. The birding walks in the Point Traverse Woods
conclude Sunday morning, and banding demonstrations at the Observatory will
also wrap up this coming weekend.. BRANT started moving on the 11th when 400
went past and they were followed by 18 the next day and 40 on the 14th. Many
people have watched the SURF SCOTERS off Point Traverse on most days this week
and on the 10th all three species of SCOTER were recorded there. LONG-TAILED
DUCKS have decreased to about 100 offshore now and WHITE- WINGED SCOTERS number
about 35. The female COMMON GOLDENEYE has been seen in the harbour but is often
elusive. The first SPOTTED SANDPIPER was seen on the 11th and apart from the
resident KILLDEER, WILSON'S SNIPE and WOODCOCK, it was the only shorebird seen
all week. BONAPARTE'S GULLS can be seen occasionally offshore and the odd
CASPIAN TERN pays a visit as well.
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS are becoming more regularly seen as they visit the
feeders. Flycatchers have started to arrive and an ALDER FLYCATCHER was seen on
the 14th and 15th, an EASTERN WOOD PEWEE was see at Point Traverse on the 14th
and up to 5 LEAST FLYCATCHERS are around in the woods, and GREAT-CRESTED
FLYCATCHERS arrived on the 11th with 5 present on the 14th. WARBLING VIREOS are
becoming commoner and some are even singing as they set up their territories
around the harbour. The first RED-EYED VIREO was found on the 14th. BLUE JAYS
continue to move through with up to 150 a day being seen. The COMMON RAVEN made
his weekly appearance on the 14th. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS have dropped right off
now and only one or two a day are being seen. At least three pairs of BLUE-GRAY
GNATCATCHERS are breeding now. Thrushes are starting to arrive and 6 VEERY were
seen on the 14th, with the first SWAINSON'S THRUSH being banded on the 14th
with several more present the following day along with more VEERYS. WOOD
THRUSHES numbered 10 on the 14th.
By now you've probably guessed that we have had an arrival on the 14th and the
numbers of our local birds increased that day, GRAY CATBIRDS numbered 18, while
the local YELLOW WARBLERS were swamped by incoming immigrants with 120 recorded
for the day. We banded 328 birds of an incredible 47 species that day. There
were 27 species of warblers recorded, and highlights included 5 BLUE-WINGED
WARBLERS, 3 BREWSTER'S WARBLERS, 2 GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLERS, 25 TENNESSEE
WARBLERS, 2 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, 25 CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS, 15 MAGNOLIA
WARBLERS, 45 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, 25 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS, 20
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS, 4 HOODED WARBLERS, 15 AMERICAN REDSTARTS and the first
BAY-BREASTED, CERULEAN, BLACKPOLL and CANADA WARBLERS of the spring. SCARLET
TANAGERS arrived on the 9th and the red and black flashes of them can be seen
daily in the woods. Two CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS were singing on the 11th but have
not been seen since. WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS have decreased and WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROWS are still plentiful. The last DARK-EYED JUNCO was seen on the 9th.
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS are increasing with 20 seen on the 12th and 13th and 40
were recorded on the 14th. INDIGO BUNTINGS are adding a touch of blue to the
woods, BALTIMORE ORIOLES are adding orange, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS are adding
orange and black, while the SCARLET TANAGERS are adding red and all are
providing lots of colour in the woods these days.
If you haven't sponsored anyone yet for the PEPTBO Baillie Birdathon its not
too late to do so, Terry Sprague does his on the 16th and David Okines, the
station manager, does his on the 25th. Wish us luck.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte Area.
Special thanks to David Okines of the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory for
submitting his material early early while I psych up my feet and polish my
binoculars for the Baillie Birdathon as I accompany Birding greats Michael
Runtz and PEPtBO president Brian Joyce for what will truly be a straight
24-hour experience. We get under way at midnight. If I survive, this report
will be updated on Thursday, May 22nd, but sightings can be e-mailed any time
before the Wednesday night deadline. Belleville resident Dave Bell contributes
all of our photos this week, including a ghostly photo of a TURKEY VULTURE in
the setting sun on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website. His photos
of a BALTIMORE ORIOLE and a YELLOW WARBLER, taken on Saturday, appear in the
online version of the Quinte Area Bird Report.
Terry Sprague
Prince Edward County
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
_______________________________________________
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
