WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK ENDING Thursday, August 14, 2008
The two GIANT SWALLOWTAILS that greeted us yesterday at the harbour at Main Duck Island, 19 km out from Prince Edward Point in Lake Ontario, were welcome sights, as was the plethora of EASTERN KINGBIRDS, NORTHERN FLICKERS, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, BOBOLINKS and BARN and TREE SWALLOWS. However, it was the extremely vocal YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO east of the harbour near the former Robert Hart cottage that was the real treat of the day. BARN SWALLOWS were still actively nesting in the old lightkeeper's house 2 kms west near the lighthouse, and YELLOW WARBLERS were in good numbers. The past week was punctuated by several such sightings, not the least of which was a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER atop a telephone pole along County Road 1 just west of the Consecon Lake Trailer Park and Campground. Three GREAT EGRETS were seen at Gardenville during the week and another was seen in flight over Carrying Place. In the Sandbanks area, a SANDHILL CRANE in flight was a highlight, and a PEREGRINE FALCON passed over the South Bay Mariner's Museum on August 2nd, and a RED-NECKED GREBE in Picton Bay was ogling the statue of a great blue heron at the Picton Water Treatment Plant. Also in Picton, a GREEN HERON, and the first TENNESSEE WARBLER of the fall season was in the Sandbanks area on the 9th. A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was present at the corner of Kelly and Wellbanks Roads this week, likely one of a small colony that nested there this summer. A COMMON NIGHTHAWK was seen at Trenton last night. While COMMON LOONS have been seen congregating in small numbers in Adolphus Reach, and an increasing number of BALD EAGLES are making their fall appearance in the county now, for others it is household business as usual. HOUSE WRENS are still nesting in Wellington, BARN SWALLOWS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES in several locations, and certainly MOURNING DOVES aren't quite ready to throw in the towel just yet. Bird feeders across the region are alive with the sounds of young BROWN THRASHERS, BALTIMORE ORIOLES and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS, along with the young of more typical clients such as BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, DOWNY & HAIRY WOODPECKERS, BLUE JAYS and HOUSE FINCHES. Juvenile EASTERN PHOEBES and a family of WILD TURKEYS were noted in Bloomfield during the week. Although the migration monitoring does not start at Prince Edward Point until this Saturday, bird activity is starting to pick up at the Point. Notable are the flycatchers, with several ALDERS being seen daily along with the odd GREAT-CRESTED, LEAST and YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERS, while the EASTERN KINGBIRDS are still to be seen feeding their fledged young. Warbler activity is starting as well, with up to 25 - 30 YELLOW WARBLERS moving in a day along with the occasional MAGNOLIA WARBLER. The first NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH of the fall was seen on the 14th. A moulting SWAINSON'S THRUSH was found on the 14th and GRAY CATBIRDS are plentiful as well. Little is being seen offshore yet apart from a few CASPIAN TERNS along with the ever present DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, at least 600 of the latter on Swetman Island yesterday. CEDAR WAXWINGS can be seen fly-catching from the trees while overhead three BROAD-WINGED HAWKS were seen on Tuesday and two more and a COOPER'S HAWK were seen on the 13th. PURPLE MARTINS have put on a good show with up to 10 in a group being seen. BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS are actively feeding around the bushes and one was trapped on the 12th. In other wildlife news this week, it is quite pointless to be saying much more about GIANT SWALLOWTAILS as at least 20+ reports came in of these relative newcomers to the Prince Edward County scene last week, from not only the County itself, but from as far north as Highway 7. A resident along George's Road east of Northport, got an unexpected addition to her yard list during the week when 5 OTTERS showed up in the backyard and remained for several minutes, playing around on a small dock within a short distance of the back door. One had brought a fish with him and didn't leave until he had finished consuming it. And a resident near Lake on the Mountain blamed the delivery boy when her Globe and Mail became increasingly difficult to find, eventually not turning up at all. The mystery was solved when she found the paper in the back meadow with two large bites taken out of it, presumably by a coyote who was howling for the business section under her window that night. An that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Don Campbell, Wayne McNulty, Paul Kenny, Fred Chandler, David Bree, Pamela Stagg, Marilyn Holland-Foster, Rosemary Kent, Gloria Durell, Heather Heron, John & Margaret Moore, Janet Mooney, Earl Tripp, Cheryl Anderson, and Kathleen Rankine for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, August 21st, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the Wednesday night deadline. Feature photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website is a BARN SWALLOW by Adam Penson. Photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report include a GIANT SWALLOWTAIL by Borys Holwacz of Ameiasburgh, and a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER by Bob McFee of Stirling. 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
