Report from the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory for the week of May
20-26 courtesy of manager David Okines.
The DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS offshore have now increased to at least 1000.
Both GREEN HERON and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON were observed on the 20th.
The local CANADA GEESE have had a good season and at least 36 young can be
found around the harbour. On the 22nd there were 634 BRANT that flew north,
offshore the number of SURF SCOTERS to be seen off from Point Traverse has
decreased and very few are now to be found there. WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and
LONG-TAILED DUCKS have also decreased to about 50 of each. A BLACK SCOTER
was seen off Point Traverse on the 20th.
An OSPREY was seen in the harbour area on the 20th, three BROAD-WINGED HAWKS
were seen on the 22nd and another flew over on the 26th, an AMERICAN KESTREL
was flying over on the 20th. A SOLITARY SANDPIPER was on the spit in the
harbour on the 20th and the WILSON'S SNIPE is calling daily. Two ROCK
PIGEONS flew over on census on the 25th and a WHIP-POOR-WILL was heard on
the 20th. RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD numbers have picked up a bit and 6-7 are
being seen daily. The RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was heard again on the 20th and
21st while the RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER continues to put in the occasional
appearance.
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS were seen on the 20th and 22nd, flycatchers in
general are starting to trickle through and the first YELLOW-BELLIED
FLYCATCHERS of the spring were seen on the 23rd. Twenty LEAST FLYCATCHERS
were counted on the 22nd. Three EASTERN KINGBIRDS that were trapped in the
same net on the 26th broke the record for the most banded in a spring.
Vireos continue their good run and the 22nd had 15 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, 45
PHILADELPHIA VIREOS and 120 RED-EYED VIREOS PRESENT in the woods. BLUE JAYS
continue to pass through in small numbers and up to 150 a day are going
over. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES numbered 10 on the 20th and RUBY-CROWNED
KINGLETS have almost finished for the spring. Thrush numbers are slowly
picking up with a few GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSHES being seen daily, the 22nd had
12 VEERY, 10 WOOD THRUSH and 30 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES being noted. Up to 45
GRAY CATBIRDS a day are being recorded and a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD appeared
on a post on the front lawn for a few minutes before heading off towards the
harbour. CEDAR WAXWINGS are increasing and 45 to 90 a day are being
recorded.
Twenty-four species of warblers were recorded during the week. A
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER was banded on the 20th and TENNESSEE WARBLERS numbered
20 on the 20th and 22nd. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were seen on the 20th and
23rd, NASHVILLE WARBLERS have now dropped to only a handful a day and
NORTHERN PARULAS have probably finished for the spring. The 22nd was good
day for warblers and the following high counts were noted, YELLOW WARBLER
80, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER 70, MAGNOLIA WARBLER 160, BLACK-THROATED GREEN
WARBLER 70, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER 25, BAY-BREASTED WARBLER 20, BLACKPOLL
WARBLER 20 and AMERICAN REDSTART 30. Up to 8 CANADA WARBLERS have been seen
in a day and WILSON'S WARBLERS are starting to increase as well.
A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was seen on the 22nd and LINCOLN'S SPARROWS numbered
35 on the 22nd. WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS have all but disappeared and only
1-2 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS are left. ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS have dropped to
only 1-2 a day, but INDIGO BUNTINGS are still being seen and 10 were present
on the 22nd. There appears to be a pair of ORCHARD ORIOLES hanging about and
an adult male that was originally banded last year was retrapped on the
26th. Bird of the week was a WORM-EATING WARBLER seen well by Terry Sprague's
birding group at the west end of Point Traverse woods on the 22nd.
Elsewhere in the Quinte area, a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON was observed in a
wet area along Taylor Kidd Blvd., between Coronation Blvd and Odessa Road at
Amherstview on the 25th. Closer to home, the Kaiser Crossroad flooded
cornfields are indeed living up to their name. Today, 30 DUNLINS, 5 LEAST
SANDPIPERS and 10 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS (one wearing a band and a faded
yellow/dingy white leg flag) were seen. An AMERICAN BITTERN and a GREATER
YELLOWLEGS were heard calling there today. Among the birds seen on Main Duck
Island (19 km off Prince Edward Point) yesterday were AMERICAN BITTERN,
AMERICAN WOODCOCK, 6 species of warblers, GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER, BROWN
THRASHER and numerous FIELD SPARROWS, and some of the largest, longest,
fattest and blackest NORTHERN WATER SNAKES I have seen in my life! About 8
km out in the lake, a determined RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD was seen heading
toward Prince Edward Point!
For more more sightings, be sure to check out the Quinte Area Bird Report on
the Main Birding page at www.naturestuff.net. And for more news from the
Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, be sure to visit their website at
www.peptbo.ca .
Terry Sprague
Prince Edward County
[email protected]
_______________________________________________
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial
birding organization.
Send bird reports to [email protected]
For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
