WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK ENDING Thursday, August 07, 2008
Reminders of an autumn migration in the making was evident at Prince Edward Point on Monday when lots of YELLOW WARBLERS were about and up to 10 ALDER FLYCATCHERS, and a BROWN CREEPER along one of the net lanes. By contrast, a few CLIFF SWALLOWS are still nesting, and BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS can be heard calling. Elsewhere across the region, it may not be a fall migration in full swing per se, but there is movement and action. Although at least 1 adult BALD EAGLE, and as many as 2 (flying over Milford Aug 1st), have been coursing back and forth in the Morrison's Point, South Bay and Black River all summer, they have since been joined by migrating arrivals. Three immatures have been noted along Adolphus Reach, while another individual was seen along Black River. Near Prince Edward Point on Saturday, an immature was seen being harassed by CASPIAN TERNS. However, it is OSPREYS that have been capturing the attention of birders this past week. This week's featured photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website shows one how one clever pair of OSPREYS has incorporated upright willow branches into its nest, with the leaves still attached, and into the prevailing winds, as though for a windbreak. At Zwick's Island Park, a sidewalk passing beside an OSPREY platform there has been unceremoniously whitewashed with droppings, indicating that the adult birds seemingly arrive to the nest from the same direction each time, into the prevailing westerlies as a plane would when landing. During an interpretive kayak tour along the Rideau Canal last weekend in Sand Lake, an OSPREY passing overhead, shook itself vigorously as would a dog having just come in from a swim, during which the bird neither missed a wing beat or lost altitude. It was like a gigantic aerial sneeze. For a kayaker at the mouth of Sawguin Creek at Muscote Bay, a GREAT EGRET in flight over Sawguin Island was only the beginning, as he also added 5 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, MARSH WRENS, GREEN HERON, GREAT BLUE HERONS, BELTED KINGFISHERS, RING-BILLED and BONAPARTE'S GULLS, MUTES SWANS, COMMON LOON, OSPREY, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, NORTHERN HARRIER, CASPIAN TERNS, and TREE and BARN SWALLOWS, just to name a few in his long list. Other kayakers on Weller's Bay last Friday found GREAT EGRET, GREEN HERON, COMMON and CASPIAN TERNS, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, and numerous MARSH WRENS. The moral? Get a kayak, I guess for better birding. As the Presqu'ile colony of GREAT EGRETS experience their autumn dispersal, others will no doubt turn up in the coming weeks, in addition to yet another one observed in the Moira River at Riverside Park, Belleville. For other birds, it is business as usual with several reports of BARN SWALLOWS still nesting, along with a few tardy TREE SWALLOWS. At Tweed, one two lucky residents along Crookston Road had no fewer than 153 TREE SWALLOWS fledged this summer, along with 19 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS. A WILSON'S SNIPE was seen at Bradley Crossroad, and in Trenton, a CAROLINA WREN showed up at a backyard sundeck. What is presumed to be a LONG-TAILED DUCK that went unnoticed all summer, turned up at Wellington Harbour during the week. EASTERN WOOD-PEWEES were calling during the week in Bloomfield and at Beaver Meadow. A GREEN HERON was at Belleville's Victoria Park during the week, and another at South Bay. Ten WILD TURKEYS were seen on Mowbray Road, likely part of a much larger rafter that routinely hangs out during the winter at nearby Ridge Road. Several WOOD DUCKS have been seen on Black River, and several COMMON TERNS can be found around Cow Island, just east of the Norris Whitney Bridge at Belleville. The tempo at bird feeders is beginning to pick up as more and more local nesters with young in tow sample the offerings. At our own feeder, two juvenile HAIRY WOODPECKERS constantly bicker back and forth and vie for space on a peanut feeder, seemingly never satisfied even when on opposite sides of the feeder. Strangely, they always arrive together. ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS and their young continue to patronize local feeders as do NORTHERN FLICKERS, BLUE JAYS, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES and a variety of others. Just west of Picton, an adult CEDAR WAXWING and a juvenile visited a hanging feeder, and WILD TURKEYS have shown up at a few feeding areas in the region. An INDIGO BUNTING was in a Bloomfield backyard on July 28th, and the individual at Sandbanks continues to sing energetically near the Dunes Day Use Area. Fall Bird banding gets under way at Prince Edward Point in a week's time, and we can expect to see some news from that area once again from the bander in charge, David Okines. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Fiona King, Anne Potter, Peter Mohr, John Turner, Janet Mooney, Janet Foster, Margaret Kirk, Wayne McNulty, Joe Bartok, Steve Bolton, Carolyn Barnes, John Vieira, Heather Heron, Marilyn Holland-Foster, Ted Cullin, Donna Fano, Pamela Stagg, Marc Vermander, Ove & Mary-Ann Ojaste, David Okines, Brock Burr, Laura Pierce, and John Charlton for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, August 14th, but updates can be e-mailed any time before the Wednesday night deadline. Feature photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website is of an OSPREY platform at Frankford where the birds have created an innovative approach to protection from the elements. Photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report include a HOUSE WREN by Laura Pierce and an immature BALD EAGLE by John Vieira. 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
