This is the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory Report for the week of May 11-17, courtesy of David Okines, bander in charge:
A RED-THROATED LOON spent the afternoon offshore on the 18th and 2-4 COMMON LOONS have been seen daily. DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS have increased to over a thousand on the offshore islands. One to three GREAT BLUE HERONS have been seen almost daily and GREEN HERONS were seen on the 22nd and 24th, while a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON was calling in the harbour on the 19th. BRANT (175) flew past on the 18th and a few flocks of CANADA GEESE have been heading north. Offshore, duck numbers have been up and down depending on the day, with 1500 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS being noted on the 23rd while LONG-TAILED DUCKS peaked at 1000 on the 19th, and RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS peaking at 1000 on the 20th. Seven species of shorebirds were seen this week including on the 18th, 3 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS and an UPLAND SANDPIPER fly by. A few LEAST SANDPIPERS have been seen almost daily and a peak of 30 were noted on the 18th. A few BONAPARTE’S GULLS have been seen offshore and CASPIAN TERNS are being seen daily. On the 21st, 13 COMMON TERNS flew past in one flock with 2 being seen the next day. Single RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were seen on three dates with the 22nd having 2 birds present. The expected species of flycatchers have been seen all week but only in low numbers apart from 10 LEAST and 10 GREAT CRESTED on the 21st. A YELLOW-THROATED VIREO was seen on the 21st and RED-EYED VIREOS peaked at 20 on the 20th. A HORNED LARK was seen on the 23rd is this spring’s only record so far. An EASTERN BLUEBIRD was seen on the 24th and GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSHES were first seen on the 18th with SWAINSON’S THRUSHES being seen in small numbers all week. A late HERMIT THRUSH was banded on the 19th. GRAY CATBIRDS, numbering 20-40, have been seen each day and the first young of the year EUROPEAN STARLINGS were seen on the 23rd. Although it is now late in the season, 24 species of warbler were seen during the week. BREWSTER’S WARBLERS were seen on the 18th and 21st and up to 20 Tennessees have been seen daily. Although nearly finished, NASHVILLE WARBLERS continue to be seen and on the 20th, 10 NORTHERN PARULAS were seen. MAGNOLIA WARBLERS continue to move and peaked this week at 85 on the 21st A late CAPE MAY was banded on the 19th. Around 20-30 BLACKPOLLS are being recorded daily in the Cedar Woods and BLACK-AND-WHITES are still to be found in Traverse woods. Up to 18 AMERICAN REDSTARTS a day are being found but OVENBIRD numbers are dropping. A CONNECTICUT was singing near Traverse woods on the 22nd and MOURNING WARBLERS are still being banded early most mornings. Single HOODED WARBLERS were seen on the 18th and 21st with two singing males present on the 24th. One to eight CANADA WARBLERS a day are being seen. Twelve LINCOLN’S SPARROWS were noted on the 19th but numbers have since declined. WHITE-THROATED and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS were seen during the week but are now rarely seen. A late DARK-EYED JUNCO was seen at the end of the harbour on the 22nd. The pair of ORCHARD ORIOLES are still being reported from the far side of the harbour and are undoubtedly now breeding over there. Good birds seen during the week was a male SUMMER TANAGER in the tree behind the observatory on the 19th and a WILLET flew over the Observatory on the 23rd and landed briefly in the harbour on the 23rd. The WILLET is the first spring record and only the fourth seen ever in the national wildlife area, with the last one being seen way back in 1984. BEYOND PRINCE EDWARD POINT: An adult BALD EAGLE was present along the Millennium Trail at Consecon Lake on May 19th. Other species of note during the week included BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO at Lake on the Mountain, UPLAND SANDPIPER at Snider Road in Ameliasburgh, TRUMPETER SWAN at Beaver Meadow Wildlife Management Area, and COMMON LOONS nesting at Big Island. A PEREGRINE FALCON was seen at 7:00 p.m. along the Dunes Boardwalk Trail at Sandbanks Provincial Park last evening. Daily bird sightings can be seen on the Quinte Area Bird Report at www.naturestuff.net . News from the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory can be seen on their website at www.peptbo.ca . 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/
