We have had a week of glorious summer-like weather and the birding has been excellent. The Kingston field Naturalists did their annual Fall Round-up last weekend and although a lot of the activity was in Prince Edward County (see Terry Sprague's report) there were some very good birds both in the city and on Amherst Island. There are large concentrations of waterfowl in the Cataraqui River and at Elevator Bay. Ruddy Duck and Eurasian Wigeon were the highlights at Elevator Bay and in addition to more than a dozen species of duck there were lots of Am. Coots and Pied-billed Grebes in the Cataraqui River.
The tail end of the shorebird migration had 5 Black-bellied Plovers on Amherst last weekend and a Hudsonian Godwit in the Little Cataraqui marsh from Saturday until at least Tuesday. Amherst reported five species of owl: Snowy, N. Saw-whet, Long- eared, Short-eared and Barred. One of the Barred Owls carried a snake as it flushed from tree to tree in the Jack Pine part of the Owl Woods. The number of hawks; Rough-legged, Red-tailed and N. Harrier, is indicative of a high vole population which bodes well for a good raptor winter. The winter finch movement continues with lots of small flocks of White-winged Crossbill and Pine Siskin about, along with a few reports of Common Redpoll and Pine Grosbeak. Gull numbers are not outstanding as yet but a Lesser Black-backed last Saturday and a Little Gull on Tuesday, both on Amherst, were noteworthy. 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
