Hi Everyone,
Spent the past two days birding Amherst Island. Weather conditions were
highly variable including snow, wind and extremely cold tempuratures. Despite
all of that, the birding was excellent. Yesterday, January 13th we observed 6
Northern Saw-whets, 3 Boreals,
9 Long-eared and 4 Short-eared Owls. Open field birding was difficult due to
the blowing snow but 5 Snowy Owls were observed late afternoon after conditions
had changed.
Today, January 14th, it was a clear, cold morning, -25C, but a great
morning in the "Owl Woods". A total of 5 Northern Saw-whets, 1 Boreal, 19
Long-eared and 8 Short-eared Owls were observed. Other species included, a few
small flocks of White-winged Crossbills, 1 Northern Shrike, 1 Hermit Thrush and
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker. A quick check of the island roads produced 14 Snowy
Owl, 27 Rough-legged and 21 Red-tailed Hawk, 3 Northern Harrier, 3 American
Kestrel, 1 Northern Shrike and 70 Snow Bunting. Access to the "Owl Woods" by
car, was only from the South Shore Rd.
Good birding,
Bruce
Directions:Amherst Island: Located 18 km. west of Kingston. Exit off Hwy. 401
at exit 593 (County Rd. 4, Camden East) and drive south to the very end
(Millhaven). Turn right on Hwy. 33 and drive 100 metres until you see the sign
for the Amherst Island ferry. The ferry (20 minute trip) leaves the mainland on
the half hour and leaves the island on the hour. Cost is $8.00 Canadian round
trip. There are no gas stations on the island. There are restrooms on the
ferry, and at the island ferry dock. The East End K.F.N. property is at the
easternmost part of the island on the east side of the Lower Forty Foot Road.
To reach the Owl Woods, turn left (east) at the four-way stop sign by the
general store and drive 3.4 km along Front Rd. to the (seasonal) Marshall
Forty-Foot Rd. Marshall Forty-Foot Rd. is across the road from house #2320.
Drive along Marshall Rd. to the mid-way point, where there is an "S" in the
road (1.2 km, look for the K.F.N. kiosk which had owl observing ethics). Park
in the gravel lane or off the road edge.
Because of liability issues, visitors to the Kingston Field Naturalists'
property at the east end of Amherst Island MUST be accompanied by a KFN
member. For KFN contact
information or how to become a member, please visit
http://kingstonfieldnaturalists.org/ ."
Di Labio Birding Website
Courses and Field Trips
http://www.dilabiobirding.ca
Bruce Di Labio
400 Donald B. Munro Drive
P.O. Box 538
Carp, Ontario
K0A 1L0
Office 613-839-4395 Mobile 613-715-2571
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