WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FOR PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK ENDING Thursday, May 14, 2009
This morning, the rain was blowing horizontally, but the overall week, weather-wise, has been very favourable for the 13th annual Prince Edward County Birding Festival, which concludes on Sunday. Not surprisingly, the bulk of the activity has been at Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area where I have been leading as many as four or five guided bird hikes daily in the Point Traverse Woods. Some good finds in amongst the MIGRANTS including BLACKPOLL WARBLER on the 9th as well as last evening, YELLOW-THROATED VIREO on the 9th, BLUE-WINGED WARBLER on the 14th and an early GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH on the 11th. There was a WHITE-EYED VIREO seen near the Prince Edward Point Harbour on the 10th, and SCARLET TANAGERS were absolutely everywhere yesterday. Elsewhere across the region, the birding has also been exciting with a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD on Babylon Road on the 10th, and also on the 10th, an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER along Long Point Road. An ORCHARD ORIOLE was seen in Wellington on the 14th, 2 COMMON RAVENS at Sandbanks, 3 CHIMNEY SWIFTS at Zwick's Park on the 10th and an AMERICAN PIPIT at the Dunes Beach at Sandbanks on the 13th, not far from where a pair of RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS are once again nesting for the second year in succession. There was a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW singing in a field along Old Milford Road on May 12th, and CLAY-COLORED sparrows were reported from Whattam's Road near Gravelley Bay Road, and from the Bethel Road area. INDIGO BUNTINGS are at feeders along Fry Road and in Bloomfield, and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS are frequenting many feeders too across the County and up to 10 are coming to a feeder along Glenora Road, and 20 at 2800 County Road 1. BLACK TERNS were present this week at a wetland along the Millennium Trail off Danforth Road where at least 3 LEAST BITTERNS have also been present. Back at Prince Edward Point, Bird-Bander-In-Charge David Okines says AMERICAN BITTERNS are being seen most days with up to two birds present, and a GREAT BLUE HERON was seen on the 9th. The CANADA GEESE now have up to 28 young in tow and the first BRANTof the spring, 35 of them, flew north on the 13th. Two WOOD DUCKS on the 11th were the first seen this month and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS number 40-70 a day with little signs of passage. LONG-TAILED DUCKS number up to 700 but windy conditions have reduced the chances of seeing the larger numbers that are probably still offshore. Two late BUFFLEHEADS were seen on the 12th and up to 30 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS are offshore. An OSPREY flew over on the 12th and a second year BALD EAGLE did the same on the 8th. A late ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK flew over late in the afternoon of the 7th. MERLINS were recorded on three dates this week and the local KILLDEERS have at least two nests on the go. SPOTTED SANDPIPERS are the only other shorebirds seen here during the week. BONAPARTE'S GULLS can still be found in good numbers with at least 1000 present offshore. The first CHIMNEY SWIFT at Prince Edward Point was seen on the 13th and 8 flew over on the 14th, and RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS number 4-6 on most days. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS continue to be seen or heard at Point Traverse and near the lighthouse suggesting they might breed here again this year. NORTHERN FLICKERS have not been seen for 5 days but a PILEATED WOODPECKER was seen on the 9th and 13th. The first EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE was in Point Traverse on the 8th and LEAST FLYCATCHERS are increasing with a peak count of 28 on the 13th. One to 3 GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHERS are being seen and EASTERN KINGBIRDS at the Point now number 8-10 on most days. The first PHILADELPHIA VIREO was seen on the 13th. RED-EYED VIREOS are also back and 1 bird a day has been seen all week apart from the 13th when 6 were present. BLUE JAYS have finally started to pick up and 40-50 a day are going over. COMMON RAVENS were seen on the 12th and 13th. The first BANK SWALLOWS were seen on the 10th and nest construction by the CLIFF SWALLOWS on the Prince Edward Point lighthouse is now well under way. Three RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES were present mid week and a late GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET was trapped on the 9th. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS are decreasing and apart from 85 on the 8th only 10-15 a day are being found. A VEERY arrived on the 8th and a GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH was in Traverse on the 13th, the same day as the first two SWAINSON'S THRUSHES arrived at the Observatory. HERMIT THRUSHES have almost all gone but 6-8 WOOD THRUSHES are singing most days. GRAY CATBIRDS are increasing and up to 20 a day can be found in the bushes. A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was around the Observatory for a few hours on the 8th. CEDAR WAXWINGS are still present in very high numbers and 100-200 a day are being seen, most birds are paired up and courtship bonding. With mid May upon us, the variety of warblers increase and 27 species of warbler have been seen this week and they include - 3 BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS on the 9th and another on the 13th, Brewster's warblers were seen on the 8th and 9th, 2 GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLERS were seen on the 9th and 13th, the first TENNESSEE WARBLER was found on the 8th. Different single ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were seen on the 10th to the 13th. NASHVILLE and YELLOW WARBLERS are being seen in good numbers with totals of 80 and 150 respectively. CAPE MAY WARBLERS numbered 15 on the 10th and 20 BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS were present that day as well. YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS have moved through in good numbers this week with four days having over a hundred around including 550 on the 8th. BAY-BREASTED and BLACKPOLL WARBLERS appeared on the 9th and several CERULEAN WARBLERS have been seen including 3 on the 10th and another on the 13th, one bird was trapped and is only the second one ever banded here. AMERICAN REDSTARTS arrived on the 8th and numbered 7 on the 13th, OVENBIRDS numbered 16 on the 8th and occasional NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES are being seen. An early WILSON'S WARBLER was banded on the 11th and a CANADA WARBLER was seen on the 13th. SCARLET TANAGERS and BALTIMORE ORIOLES added more colour to the woods on the 13th when 30 and 48 respectively were recorded. Eight LINCOLN'S SPARROWS and 5 SWAMP SPARROWS were found on the 13th, WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS peaked at 120 on the 8th and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS continue to trickle through. A single DARK-EYED JUNCO continues to be seen every day. ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS (30) were seen on the 8th and INDIGO BUNTINGS are adding flashes of blue to the area. Seventeen BOBOLINKS were seen on the 11th while a pair of RUSTY BLACKBIRDS was seen in the swamp on the 9th. ORCHARD ORIOLES continue to be seen and up to two have been observed near the lighthouse. PINE SISKINS have slowed down to 2-4 being seen in a day but 15 were seen on the 13th. Unusual birds seen during the week were a female SUMMER TANAGER at Point Traverse on the 10th, a WHITE-EYED VIREO was singing near the banding hut on the 12th and a SEDGE WREN was seen near the lighthouse on the 13th. SHOREBIRDS are spotty, as is always the case in the County, but some interesting finds were made including SOLITARY SANDPIPER and LEAST SANDPIPER at the Dunes Beach at West Lake, and up to 12 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 30 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 25 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS and a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER at the Kaiser Crossroad flooded fields. A small flooded corner of a field along Loyalist Parkway between Wellington and Bloomfield is now being watched carefully after yielding a Wilson's Phalarope last year at this time. This week there were both GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS and LEAST SANDPIPERS present. Two DUNLINS were seen in yet another flooded field on the south side of Swamp College Road north of Wellington on the 10th. Near the Milford dump, a SOLITARY SANDPIPER and 3 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS were present on a small pond beside the road. A GREAT BLUE HERON was loafing all week at the Prince Edward Yacht Club. Two CACKLING GEESE can still be seen at Kaiser Crossroad where other visitors include CASPIAN TERNS, AMERICAN BITTERNS and even an OSPREY and a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT checking out any fish species that might be present in the flooded cornfields. Didn't author Claude McDonald say "Opportunity is a bird that never perches"? PINE SISKINS are still coming to feeders across the region and their intentions for the remainder of the breeding season are uncertain. Likely tied in somehow with an advertising campaign for niger seed as at least 40 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES are also devouring the seed at a County Road 1 feeder. About a dozen PURPLE FINCHES are at a Glenora Road feeder. LESSER SCAUP still number around 500 at Muscote Bay and LONG-TAILED DUCKS are still very talkative on Prince Edward Bay. Judging from reports, MUTE SWANS numbers are up significantly, a sad story indeed for native waterfowl in Prince Edward County waters as this species continues to dominate the scene in most area wetlands. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to David Okines of the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, Fred Helleiner, Dabid Bree, Silvia Botnick, Nancy Fox, Russ Williams, Fiona King, Doris Lane, Wayne McNulty, Laura Pierce, Steve Bolton, Janet Mooney, Cheryl Anderson, Don Docherty & Ann Hide, Ted Cullin, Pamela Stagg, John Blaney, Caroline Draper, Heather Heron, Donald McClure, Kathy Felkar,, Henry Pasila, Charles Crowe, and Henri Garand for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, May 21st, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the Wednesday night deadline. Featured photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website of a guided hike is by Henri Garand. Photos of a NORTHERN PARULA and one of the guided hikes at Point Traverse in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report are by David Bree. 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 information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
