Hello birders: Presqu'ile lived up to its billing as a late May hotspot today with excellent shorebird and songbird movement.
The highlight was 2 male Prairie Warblers singing and feeding low and at close range approximately 50 metres north of the Beach 2 parking lot along the (mainly flooded) bike path. This location is best accessed from the Beach 1 parking lot as the Beach 2 access road is currently closed. Be sure to bring rubber boots! 2 Whimbrel rested for most of the day near the shore at Beach 3. They were last seen at Beach 1. Sporadic Whimbrels were seen earlier in the morning. 3 Red Knots fed with Dunlin and Black-bellied Plovers at Beach 3 before moving towards Gull Island. One of the 3 knots has an orange (Argentina) flag on its right leg with what appeared to be 3 digits. We believe the first 2 to be T9. If anyone relocates this bird and can obtain the third digit, Mark Peck at the ROM should be notified as he leads the study of the at-risk *rufa *subspecies of Red Knot. Similar to other locations along Lake Ontario today, hundreds of Dunlin moved through Presqu'ile. Ruddy Turnstones and Black-bellied Plovers were also in good numbers. Presqu'ile is best accessed south from Highway 401 exit 509 (Brighton/Campbellford) after which the Park is well signed. Good birding! Ian Shanahan Toronto _______________________________________________ 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 Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
