REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD POINT, courtesy of David Okines
The Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory has now opened for the fall and migration has obviously started but apart from the 16th and 17th it's been its usual slow start. This first week has been a short week, with observations only starting on the Sunday.
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT numbers seem to be up this fall with up to 6000 being seen offshore. A GREAT BLUE HERON has occasionally been seen flying over the area and a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK was seen on the 16th. On the mudflats at the western end of the harbour have been LESSER and GREATER YELLOWLEGS and up to 5 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER and a LEAST SANDPIPER. A couple of SPOTTED SANDPIPERS round out the shorebirds seen in the area.
The local BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO has been calling most days. COMMON NIGHTHAWKS have started to move with four seen on the 16th and a peak count for the week of 45 were seen on the 17th. A few flycatchers are being seen or caught - notably TRAILL'S (Alder/Willow) , YELLOW-BELLIED and LEAST with several (up to a dozen) local EASTERN KINGBIRDS sitting around. A WARBLING VIREO was trapped on the 15th. BARN SWALLOWS are being seen in good numbers with up to 45 a day being seen. Two late broods of CLIFF SWALLOWS are still being fed in their nests, one at the Observatory and one on the lighthouse - normally they have gone by the time we open for the fall. Up to a dozen GRAY CATBIRDS are being seen daily and CEDAR WAXWINGS are being seen in good numbers with up to a 100 being recorded daily.
Thirteen species of warblers were seen this week although mostly in small numbers. The 16th had 12 species seen and the 17th had 10 species seen. Two early YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were present on the 17th, the 16th saw 20 YELLOW WARBLERS present along with 3 BLACKBURNIANS and 7 CHESTNUT-SIDED. On the 16th, 21 CANADA WARBLERS were banded, just one bird short of last year's whole record breaking fall banding total. Ten to twelve were seen in the following few days.
An INDIGO BUNTING that was trapped on the 17th was the first handled in the fall since 2007. Up to 100 BOBOLINKS a day are being recorded and an ORCHARD ORIOLE was banded on the 15th and is only the second ever fall banding record (the first was last year) and was probably raised locally. One to two PURPLE FINCHES are visiting the feeders.
To reach Prince Edward Point, follow County Road 13 from South Bay for 17 kilometres. The network of birding trails in the Point Traverse Woods have been mowed and groomed for the fall season. The Observatory is just a half kilometre past the Point Traverse corner.
Terry Sprague [email protected] www.naturestuff.net _______________________________________________ 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/
