WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA for the week ending Thursday, November 27, 2008
With the first day of winter for those birders who keep such lists (Dec. 1st - Feb. 28) just three days and a bit more away, birders are anxiously hoping that the few remaining tardy migrants stay put until at least then. Two DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were still at Prince Edward Point on the 24th, and a HERMIT THRUSH turned up on the 22nd on Bryant Crossroad, south of Carrying Place. WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS and a NORTHERN FLICKER and 6 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS were also at Prince Edward Point on the 24th, and an estimated 100 TUNDRA SWANS in the South Bay and Smith's Bay area will continue to be predictable, provided temperatures remain as they are. A late BRANT was at Point Petre on the 23rd, as were 2 GREAT BLUE HERONS. The latter species was also present at Muscote Bay on the 20th, and at at Bay Park in Trenton on the 26th where there were also still 40 AMERICAN COOTS in the open water. HORNED GREBES numbered 8 at Sandy Cove near Massassauga Point on the 26th, and if you want to add EUROPEAN STARLING on your winter list, there is still a pretty good chance of doing so. An estimated 8,000 on the 21st slowed one motorist near County Road 3 and Taft Road at Carrying Place down to a crawl as they swarmed and circled low over the highway before finally banking and heading into an open field. They were seen the following day by a resident on Old Orchard Road in the Albury area five kilometres east of Carrying Place. A BELTED KINGFISHER was still present along George's Road yesterday. While Prince Edward County has seen only 12 centimetres or so of snow this week, it has resulted in many bird feeders in the county and beyond, seeing a flurry of activity. Three female and one male WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS turned up in one backyard on Harmony Road in Thurlow on the 23rd and numbers of DARK-EYED JUNCOS at most feeders still remain high. Ten COMMON REDPOLLS were at a Trenton feeder yesterday morning, and one feeder at Allisonville is experiencing numbers of birds more suggestive of January and February, rather than November. BLUE JAYS, BACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, MOURNING DOVES and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES all number 12 or more, and also taking advantage of the daily fare is a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and an AMERICAN CROW. Out in the rural areas, activity has been fairly brisk too. An immature GLAUCOUS GULL was off Big Island on the 20th, and a LITTLE GULL was in the centre of East Lake on the 24th, but only visible through a spotting scope. East Lake in the past has always been very dependable for LITTLE GULLS, at least until freeze-up, but pickings have been slim this year. In addition to the 100 TUNDRA SWANS in South Bay, the Prince Edward Point area is still holding up well in terms of waterfowl numbers and selection. On the 24th, there were still plenty of HORNED GREBES present, along with high numbers of LONG-TAILED DUCKS, RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, GREATER SCAUP and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS. On the 22nd, there were hundreds of RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, along with HOODED MERGANSERS, 1 CANVASBACK, MALLARDS, and a few BUFFLEHEADS. At Horse Point near Massassauga, COMMON GOLDENEYE, MALLARDS, BUFFLEHEADS CANADA GEESE and MUTE SWANS were present daily in the Bay of Quinte, and even hikers along Belleville's Bayshore Trail have had a few waterfowl to look at including COMMON GOLDENEYES and dozens of MALLARDS. Present there too on the 26th were 2 adult and 1 immature GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS. Four AMERICAN WIGEONS AND 12 MALLARDS were present on the 20th at Bay Park in Trenton. A COMMON LOON was on Consecon Lake on the 25th. MALLARDS (20) are in the Bay of Quinte at George's Road and three TUNDRA SWANS were seen clambering onto ice covered Muscote Bay. If cold weather returns, we will see other formerly dependable areas seal up as Tremur Lake near Trenton has already done. Things are looking up this year for anyone wanting to catch a glimpse of a SNOWY OWL in Prince Edward County, a species we either overlook, or simply does not appear as regularly as it does to the east and west of us. There was one at Point Petre on the 23rd, one at Prince Edward Point on the 22nd, and another at Sheba's Island, and just across the border there was one on the Adolphustown side of the Bay of Quinte east of Glenora Ferry. . Three NORTHERN SHRIKES were in the Prince Edward Point area on the 22nd and 24th, and a RUFFED GROUSE on Sunrise Drive. NORTHERN HARRIERS were seen near Horse Point and at Bloomfield, and three at Prince Edward Point on the 24th. RED-TAILED HAWKS continue to patrol areas along Highway 49 north of Picton, and others during the week were spotted at Allisonville, McFaul Road area, and north of the County at Belleville and Thurlow. And we end this week's report with two contrasting species at Bath on the 24th - an Iceland Gull and a flock of 6 KILLDEER ! And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Joanne Dewey, Nick Quickert, Angela Mantle, Bruce Ripley, Dave Shannon, Brian & Gloria Durell, Kevin Spafford, Fiona King, Donna Fano, Steve Bolton, John Charlton, Laura Pierce, Fred Chandler, Henri Garand, Rosemary Kent, Brock Burr, Charles Crowe, and Janet Mooney for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, December 4th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the Wednesday night deadline. Photo of two RING-BILLED GULLS on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website is by the author. Photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report of a RED-TAILED HAWK and a close-up of a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT are by Adam Penson and the author, respectively. 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
