WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK ENDING Thursday, January 08, 2009
The arrival of several boreal finch species in Prince Edward County and across the Quinte region this past week has resulted in bird feeder operators looking ahead to the next couple of months with renewed optimism. A nice flock of some 40 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS attracted the attention of one excited observer on Sunday as she passed by Pinecrest Elementary School in Bloomfield. The birds were feeding on the pines in the schoolyard, the trees so heavy with cones they looked like bunches of bananas covered with birds. The birds were making a quiet chirping sound, and the accompanying noise of spent seeds falling to the ground resembled light sleet falling, said the observer. Another large flock was seen in Wellington this morning. White spruces and tamaracks on Belleville's Maitland Avenue attracted 10 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS there, and a dozen were not far away as the crossbill flies, on Harmony Road. Ten are at a George's Road feeder in Prince Edward County. To complement the arrival of the crossbills, were 100 COMMON REDPOLLS east of Stirling, 40 on Maitland Avenue, 9 at a feeder on Fry Road, 6 at Waupoos, two at Lake-on-the-Mountain and one on Tripp Road. PINE SISKINS during the week showed up at feeders on Victoria Road in Ameliasburgh (10) , Glenora Road (15), Cape Vesey (4), 6 at Powerline Road near Carrying Place, Lake-on-the-Mountain (6), 12 at Sandbanks, a single at 23 Sprague Road and at South Bay, and topping the list, an amazing flock of 30 at a feeder in Allisonville. Also making an appearance during the week were PINE GROSBEAKS - 2 on Highway 62 across from the Foxboro Marsh, and 3 on Sprague Road. Several BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were among a flock of CEDAR WAXWINGS east of Ivanhoe yesterday, and more than 150 CEDAR WAXWINGS are roaming the area at Cape Vesey. With the area now in winter's grip, things are looking up at most feeders across the region. Over 50 AMERICAN TREES SPARROWS blanketed the ground beneath feeders yesterday at 23 Sprague Road, a flock of AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES at a Crookston Road feeder near Tweed burgeoned to 100 this week, and 40 of the latter were counted at a feeder along Highway 62 across from Jericho Road, and high numbers as well at Glenora Road and Allisonville. Not surprising, given the cost of Niger seed now. Frequent refilling of feeders at Allisonville is required due to high numbers of other species too including 20 MOURNING DOVES, 25 DARK-EYED JUNCOS, 24 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, and 2 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, a species particularly common in the Quinte area this winter both at feeders and in the field. As many as three are regulars at a South Bay feeder. In contrast to all this, 2 EASTERN MEADOWLARKS in the Sunningdale Drive area of Belleville north, and GREAT BLUE HERONS at Cape Vesey, Presqu'ile and the Bell Creek area of Belleville. EASTERN BLUEBIRDS at Mitchells Crossroad, Point Petre and Fry Road. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD at Allisonville, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD at Big Island and wintering AMERICAN ROBINS absolutely everywhere with a flock of 200 still present in a wooded area in the Sawguin Marsh beside Huff's Island Road. A SONG SPARROW at a Maitland Drive feeder in Belleville. And at a Sandbanks feeder near Salmon Point Road, there is a CAROLINA WREN. In woodpeckers, a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER along Victoria Road at MacIntyre, and PILEATED WOODPECKERS at several locations this week, including one at South Bay that was seen hammering away at a hydro pole, then switching over to a more palatable diet of elderberries nearby. And the usual plethora of SHARP-SHINNED and COOPER'S HAWKS reaping the benefits of busier than usual bird feeders this week. More typical of the winter season was a SNOWY OWL on County Road 12 at Sandbanks, likely the same individual that has been out that way for several weeks. NORTHERN SHRIKES showed up on Gorsline Road (fairly dependable) and another along Victoria Road at MacIntyre. In waterfowl, a female WOOD DUCK was seen on the 7th and in Frankford, there was a leucistic MALLARD behind the library to complement the one seen on the Desjardin Canal in Hamilton mid-week. At the Wellers Bay Channel at Barcovan this week, present were 40 AMERICAN GOLDENEYE, a dozen MALLARDS and lots of MUTE SWANS. BUFFLEHEAD and LONG-TAILED (100 each) are present at Athol Bay and Salmon Point. Of course, if you can't find the SNOWY OWL at Sandbanks, the place to go for owls this week is Amherst Island where both LONG-EARED and SHORT-EARED are present along with SNOWY, NORTHERN SAW-WHET and at least 3 BOREAL OWLS. However, in your excitement to see these birds, be mindful of the footprint you leave behind, and I don't just mean in the snow. These birds are quite approachable and If you tread softly and keep your voice down, you can capture these moments digitally with minimal disturbance. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Kathy Felkar & Mike Burge, Rosemary Smith, Dave & Judy Bell, Sydney Smith, Heather Heron, Doris Lane, Frank Artes & Carolyn Barnes, Pamela Stagg, Fiona King, Laura Pierce, Marilyn Holland-Foster, Derek Dafoe, Fred Chandler, Serge de Sousa, Brian & Gloria Durell, Gerry Watson, Joan Laurie, Borys Halowacz, Dan Pipher, Ted Cullin, John Blaney, Nick Gromoff, Kathryn Ferguson, Janet Foster and Silvia Botnick for their contributions to this report. This report will be updated on Thursday, January 15th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the Wednesday night deadline. Feature photo this week on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website is a MUTE SWAN head study at Barcovan by Derek Dafoe. Photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report this week include a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL on Amherst Island by Susan Shipman of Wellington, and a PINE SISKIN at a Victoria Road feeder by Borys Halowacz. 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
