All the local shorebird areas were covered this week and there were good numbers and variety. Both yellowlegs are abundant at the Amherstview sewage lagoons and in the Wilton Creek at Morven. Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers are present but not in great numbers. Less common shorebirds included 2 Pectoral, a Short-billed Dowitcher and 2 Stilt at the lagoons, 2 Solitary Sandpipers in the Wilton Creek and our first Black-bellied Plover of the fall on Amherst Island last Sunday. A Merlin cleared out part of the Wilton Creek on Wednesday as it perched on a wire overlooking the stream.
There is an excellent concentration of Blue-winged Teal in the Wilton Creek and up to 9 species of duck in the lagoons including a Ruddy. There were 12 Caspian Terns at the lagoons and 125 on Snake Island last Friday. The report of 100 Common Terns on Snake Island was remarkable because no one has recorded these all summer. The latest Great Egret sighting was on Amherst last Sunday and Black-crowned Night-Herons were present there and in the city. Passerine migration is picking up; Nashville, Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Common Yellowthroat, Am. Redstart and Wilson's Warblers were all seen in the city this week along with a Yellow-throated Vireo. Cedar Waxwing numbers are outstanding, especially in areas with abundant Dogwood and Honeysuckle berries. 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
