Kingston Field Naturalists (KFN) maintains records in a 50km radius of MacDonald Park, Kingston. Birders already using eBird are encouraged to share their sightings with 'Kingston FN'. Alternatively, please email, phone or post records directly to me - contact details below. Note: some sightings may require review and remain unconfirmed unless stated otherwise.
Highlights: It has been a mixed week for weather, beginning extremely cold and dry and ending mild and wet. Birds seem to have enjoyed the change though and some, including American Robin, House Finch and Eurasian Starling, have begun to sing. The lake remains frozen but the usual areas on the Gananoque and St. Lawrence Rivers remain open, as do small areas at most locks and mills. Highlights include; a second RED-NECKED GREBE, widespread TRUMPETER SWANS, GOLDEN EAGLE, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, SNOWY OWLS, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, TUFTED TITMOUSE, EASTERN TOWHEE, FOX SPARROW and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. City of Kingston Invista has again paid off for visiting birders with a RED-NECKED GREBE, present since 18th. Over 60 RING-NECKED DUCKS showed up for just one day earlier in the week and a handful of AMERICAN COOT continue. One birder checked the lagoon late in the afternoon on 18th and counted hundreds of GREATER SCAUP and COMMON GOLDENEYE coming in to roost - birds not seen in these numbers during the day. At least one SNOWY OWL also continues, though another was unfortunately seen dead on a hydro line just west of the plant. A male WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was seen at the lagoons this afternoon (21st) and over a 15-minute period over 50 REDHEAD came in to roost. A few NORTHERN SHRIKE sightings have come in from across the city but the Invista birds seems to have departed. The city's resident PEREGRINE FALCONS continue to be seen downtown and appear to be more regular. As many as 15 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS have taken a liking to a private feeder in the Reddendale area this week and a BARRED OWL was a welcome surprise for one downtown resident on 20th. Both Kingston Mills and the Wolfe Island Ferry Dock have good numbers of COMMON GOLDENEYE, GREATER SCAUP and all 3 species of mergansers; the former site also holds a few REDHEAD. Wolfe Island SNOWY OWLS are presumably still present on the island but the only report received this week was of 6 HORNED LARKS and 30 WILD TURKEY seen last weekend. However, SNOWY OWLS have been seen on the ice between the island and Kingston, including one individual that was seen to kill a RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. Howe Island The resident TUFTED TITMOUSE and RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS continue to be seen on Havenwood Trail and the ferry continues to operate. Check <https://twitter.com/HICountyFerry> https://twitter.com/HICountyFerry for service updates. Amherst Island SNOWY OWLS have become harder to locate on the island, though at least 2 regular are on the ice on the way over. A NORTHERN HARRIER on 19th is the first for a while and a couple of ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS continue. Good numbers of RED-TAILED HAWK are spread across the island and NORTHERN FLICKER has been seen on a couple of occasions. As elsewhere, AMERICAN ROBINS seem to be on the move and are being seen in higher numbers - 92 were encountered on 19th. Roving flocks of SNOW BUNTINGS can be found in several areas and the odd HORNED LARK can likewise be found. Other Sightings West of the city, towards Odessa, an EASTERN TOWHEE was reported last weekend during the Great Backyard Bird Count and has apparently been present for a couple of weeks. At Violet Dump today a couple of GLAUCOUS GULLS were seen amongst the mainly HERRING GULLS. East of the city, the long-staying RED-HEADED WOODPECKER and pair of RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS continue at Gananoque Golf Club. The RED-NECKED GREBE on the Gananoque River at Marble Rock Road was present until 17th at least but no reports (positive or negative) have come in since. North of the city, an adult GOLDEN EAGLE was seen on Opinicon Road on 20th and good numbers of PURLPE FINCH have been seen near Glenburnie. Both the FOX SPARROW and irregular RED-SHOULDERED HAWK continue near Bedford Mills, though neither are readily viewable. A BELTED KINGFISHER was seen at Upper Brewer's Locks on 15th and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER and EASTERN BLUEBIRD were reported just across the border in Jefferson County, NY. Good numbers of TRUMPETER SWANS continue to be seen at several locations from Bedford Mills to Chaffey's Locks and Lower Brewer's Mills Locks. As always, thanks to all those who submitted sightings over the last week. Mark. Mark D. Read 47 Ellerbeck Street, Unit 1, Kingston, Ontario K7L 4H7 Canada Mobile: +1 613 2171246 Email: [email protected] Blog: "Confessions of a Global Birder" http://markdread.blogspot.com <http://markdread.blogspot.com/> Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/markdread/ _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup
