Two annual events of possible interest to birders are taking place at
Presqu'ile Provincial Park in the next few weeks. The first is a winter
soup hike this Saturday afternoon. The price is $2 or $5 per family and
includes admission to the Park. The second is the waterfowl viewing
weekend on March 17-18. With most of Presqu'ile Bay already free of
ice, birders seriously interested in finding masses of ducks, albeit of
limited variety, might find it worthwhile to visit sooner than those
dates. It will take some serious freeze-up to concentrate the ducks
closer to shore than they are now.
A TRUMPETER SWAN was at the calf pasture earlier this week, offering
ideal viewing opportunities. This morning the first GADWALL in two weeks
was mingling with the thousands of GREATER SCAUP in Presqu'ile Bay, but
other dabbling ducks have been scarce. With most of the ducks far out
in the bay, it has been a challenge to spot the RING-NECKED DUCK that is
present. Optimistic birders at this time of year carefully scan the
flocks for a possible TUFTED DUCK, which has appeared twice before at
Presqu'ile, though not in the past fifteen years. The BARROW'S
GOLDENEYE at the lighthouse continues to appear every day, but on a more
erratic schedule. In previous years, it has departed in March, but with
phenological conditions occurring earlier this year it may leave sooner.
An immature BALD EAGLE was seen twice this week. Two NORTHERN HARRIERS
were seen on Sunday. Two different COOPER'S HAWKS are being seen from
time to time. A PEREGRINE FALCON killed and ate a duck on the ice of
Presqu'ile Bay on Tuesday and was there again today. Two WILD TURKEYS
were at the calf pasture this morning, raising the question of whether
they have been present but undetected for several months or whether they
have returned after spending a few months elsewhere. Only one SNOWY OWL
is known to have been seen this week, far out on the ice of Presqu'ile
Bay. Probably the ones on the beach and the offshore islands are still
present.
The same wintering birds that have been seen regularly remain:
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, CAROLINA WREN, and SAVANNAH SPARROW at 83
Bayshore Road, and NORTHERN SHRIKE at the calf pasture. A COMMON RAVEN
was seen last Friday and another or the same one was at the calf pasture
this morning. A BROWN CREEPER was seen last weekend and the first CEDAR
WAXWING since early December was seen today. A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
was at 83 Bayshore Road on February 10 and 11. Ten PINE SISKINS were
seen on February 13. HOUSE SPARROWS are never common at Presqu'ile but
a female appeared at a feeder on February 12.
To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton.
Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid
that is available at the Park gate. Visitors to Gull Island not using a
boat should be prepared to wade through ice-choked water of unknown
depth, in which there is often a swift current and a substrate that is
somewhat uneven and slippery. Moreover, there is a great deal of ice on
the surrounding shore. Birders are encouraged to record their
observations on the bird sightings board provided near the campground
office by The Friends of Presqu'ile Park and to fill out a rare bird
report for species not listed there.
Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be
directed to: [email protected].
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Fred Helleiner
186 Bayshore Road,
Brighton, Ontario, Canada, K0K 1H0
VOICE: (613) 475 5309
If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park.
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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/
