REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD POINT, courtesy of bander in charge David Okines
A GREEN HERON can still be found in the harbour area most days, TURKEY VULTURE numbers are picking up and up to 80 are being seen daily with some roosting in the woods above the nets. A few small flocks of CANADA GEESE have been seen going over with 180 on the 26th being the peak. Up to 8 MUTE SWANS have been seen near the offshore islands and a WOOD DUCK was seen in the harbour on the 25th, as was a GREEN-WINGED TEAL. MALLARDS numbered 120 on the 25th, but have decreased since then. WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS are increasing and 15 were counted on the 29th. BALD EAGLES have been seen on four days this week with up to 2 in a day being seen. Twenty NORTHERN HARRIERS were counted going over on the 25th, as was a NORTHERN GOSHAWK. SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS increased to 225 on the 26th and 9 COOPER'S HAWKS were seen that day as well. A NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen on the 25th and a BROAD-WINGED HAWK was banded on the 26th, a few RED-TAILED HAWKS have started moving and 12 were seen on the 25th with 10 seen the next day. Up to four MERLINS have been present all week and 2 PEREGRINE FALCONS were noted on the 28th. On the 25th 3 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, a GREATER YELLOWLEGS and 45 SANDERLING were observed. The first NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL of the fall was banded on the 27th and two more were banded the following night. Please visit our website to see more details of the owling and the net opening times (www.peptbo.ca). BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS were seen on the 24th and 29th. A RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD was seen briefly on the 25th, single YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS were seen on several days and a resurgence in the movement of NORTHERN FLICKERS took place with up to 15 in a day being seen. An EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE was seen by the Kingston Field Naturalists on the 25th and the last of the YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERS are trickling through, EASTERN PHOEBES on the other hand are starting to move now and have been seen around the observatory most of the week. BLUE-HEADED VIREOS numbered 12 on the 24th with 6-7 being seen most other days. PHILADELPHIA VIREOS continue to trickle along and RED-EYED VIREOS peaked at 15 on the 24th. BLUE JAY migration has started in earnest and three days this week had 1000 or more with 1500 on the 28th being the largest count. A TUFTED TITMOUSE was seen near the end of the harbour on the 25th but could not be refound later. BROWN CREEPERS are increasing but not in big numbers yet, both species of kinglets are now moving with up to 20 a day of each being seen. A late VEERY was trapped on the 27th and a WOOD THRUSH was seen on the 25th otherwise thrush movement has been slow. Twenty species of warblers were seen during the week but some of them might not be seen again till next spring like the late BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER on the 24th or the late YELLOW WARBLER on the 24th or the late BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER on the 26th. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER on the 24th was new for the fall and a second one was seen the next day. At least 10 NORTHERN PARULAS were present over the 23rd-25th, the 24th also saw 12 NASHVILLE WARBLERS, 40 MAGNOLIA WARBLERS, 30 BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS, 8 BAY-BREASTED WARBLERS and 20 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS. On the 29th, at least 75 BLACKPOLL WARBLERS were present. Most other warblers during the week have been present in low numbers. Up to 25 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS have been seen each day and the first two WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS of the fall were observed on the 25th. The first DARK-EYED JUNCO was banded on the 23rd and up to 10 were around by the end of the week. The 26th saw a flock of 25 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS go over and the first PURPLE FINCH for September was found on the 25th. AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES continue to move through and numbers peaked at 350 on the 24th with up to a 100 being seen most days. 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/
