Martin Mallet and I had a flock of 5 Whimbrel at the very tip of the gravel bar at the east end KFN property on Amherst yesterday around lunchtime. Shorebird numbers were low overall at Amherst yesterday, apparently similar to Presquile. Also out at the gravel bar was 1 Black-bellied Plover, 3+ Pectoral Sandpipers, and numerous Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers, which could also be found in the marsh cell. There were more shorebirds along the south beach than usual due to lower water levels, including a few Sanderling. Other birds of note included Osprey, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Black-crowned Night-Heron, American Bittern and numerous American Pipits (most of them along the beach).
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. 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/ ." Good birding! Chris Kimber PhD Candidate Dept. of Biology Queen's University Kingston, ON [email protected] _______________________________________________ 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/
