Shorebird numbers of up to 6000 birds (95%) Dunlin peaked today on Presqu'ile beach at about 11am. Between 11:30am and 12:15pm flocks of 50 to 200 began leaving the beach and heading NW over the Northumberland hills. At the present time about 400-500 birds remain scattered along the beach, mostly the south end. These birds seem content to feed and show no particular restlessness and will probably stay for the rest of the day. As per the previous posting most birds are Dunlin, with Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plovers, Ruddy Turnstones and Short-billed Dowitchers mixed in.
With shorebird numbers falling below 500 on the beach we have lifted the beach access restrictions and people can once more walk on the beach, though as always we ask people to respect feeding and resting birds and not to approach them too closely. Presqu'ile Park can be reached by exiting Hwy 401 at exit 509 (Hwy 30) and heading south through the town of Brighton to the park (about 15minutes). The directions are well sign-posted from the 401. Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid that is available at the Park gate. Access to the offshore islands is restricted at this time of year to prevent disturbance to the colonial nesting birds there. David David Bree Natural Heritage Education (NHE) Leader Presqu'ile Provincial Park 328 Presqu'ile Parkway Brighton, ON K0K 1H0 Tel: (613) 475-4324 ext. 225 Fax: (613) 475-2209 _______________________________________________ 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/
