WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK ENDING Thursday, June 25, 2009
Hot and humid weather is supposed to reduce bird song these days to a low ebb; however, the message failed to be delivered to those residing in a large tract of conservation land east of Thomasburg, known as the Cassidy Block or Deroche Lake. With temperatures hovering at the 30 degree mark on Tuesday, OVENBIRDS and RED-EYED VIREOS produced such a din, it was difficult to hear much else at times. WOOD THRUSH and VEERY were also present in the section of property along Colonization Road, and other species recorded the same day included BROAD-WINGED HAWK, SCARLET TANAGER, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, FIELD SPARROW, LEAST and GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHERS, EASTERN TOWHEES with young, AMERICAN REDSTART, and several CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS. Certainly a dependable spot to bird at this time of the year, but make certain you know where you are going, as it is a huge property and very remote. At Crookston Road, in the Tweed area, another TREE SWALLOW nest box there has been ravaged once again by a black bear with apparent "learned behaviour." The owners are hoping the bear will eventually go elsewhere for its hors d'oeuvres. Somewhat more fortunate have been other nest boxes that have fledged 109 TREE SWALLOWS on the property, along with 11 from the first broods of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS. In Prince Edward County, bird feeders continue to attract a colourful assortment of ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS, INDIGO BUNTINGS and BALTIMORE ORIOLES. The featured photo on the Main Bird Page of the NatureStuff website this week features one such feeder with a BALTIMORE ORIOLE on a nectar feeder while a male INDIGO BUNTING patiently awaits its turn. INDIGO BUNTINGS during the week were also present at Stillwater Forest west of Black River Cheese Factory and along Sprague Road early this morning. On North Big Island Road, a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO called loudly from a tree at the entrance to Baycrest Marina at 6:15 a.m. The SANDHILL CRANE has once again returned from its hiatus and was heard bugling in a field west of 23 Sprague Road this morning. Three BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS, a species seldom seen in Prince Edward County, appeared at the marsh along the sand spit at Wellington on Saturday, and more RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS have turned up in the County, this time on County Road 4, north of Picton. A PILEATED WOODPECKER was on Bethesda Road last week, and RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS are still feeding young at 2800 County Road 1. BLACK TERNS (2-3) were spotted offshore at Outlet Beach on the 23rd and 24th, and two others were skimming the surface of a wetland along the Millennium Trail off Danforth Road last Sunday where COMMON MOORHENS, MARSH WRENS, SWAMP SPARROWS and PIED-BILLED GREBE were also recorded, and probably the loudest chorus of GREEN FROGS I have heard in many years at this popular wetland which borders both sides of the Millennium Trail, less than a kilometre northwest off Danforth. Two PURPLE MARTIN landlords along Highway 62 at Jericho Road report that their annual check of the nest boxes revealed 192 eggs laid in 43 active nests. Certainly a positive figure for a species that in some areas, seems to be on a decline. The nesting OSPREY mentioned in last week's report trailing a jess attached to its leg, is still in the area, and was last seen along Loyalist Parkway (Glenora Road) near the Lake on the Mountain turnoff, about 10 kilometres as the osprey flies from where it is nesting on the north shore of Hay Bay. At Snake Island, in the Bay of Quinte, northwest of Massassauga Point OSPREYS have been seen there too near this tiny island that hosts close to 50 pairs of nesting DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS. These days, it's simply a case of picking a spot and seeing what turns up. A cyclist on the Millennium Trail this morning racked up a respectable list east and west of Wesley Acres Road near Bloomfield, including BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS, NORTHERN CARDINAL, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and EASTERN KINGBIRD. So, there's lots of stuff out there; it's just a matter of being a keen observer and very sound oriented. In the other stuff department, a WHITE ADMIRAL and GIANT SWALLOWTAIL were seen near Bloomfield today, and several have reported LUNA MOTHS this season. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Pamela Stagg, Kathy Willis, Kathleen Rankine, Charles Crowe, Joanne Dewey, Frank Artes & Carolyn Barnes, Janet Foster, Serge de Sousa, Nancy Fox, Karen Stenhouse and Heather Heron for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, July 2nd, but observations can be e-mailed any time before the Wednesday night deadline. Featured photo this week on the Main Birding Page of the Naturetuff website is by Bob Willis of Picton of an INDIGO BUNTING and a BALTIMORE ORIOLE together at the same feeder. Photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report of a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON and a WARBLING VIREO are by Adam Penson of Toronto. 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/
