With no exceptional rarities found at Presqu'ile Provincial Park this
week, the focus has been on unusually large numbers of a few species.
Hundreds of MUTE SWANS continue in Presqu'ile Bay, where there is open
water from between the calf pasture and the marsh, though that may
change with tonight's predicted low temperature unless the wind keeps
blowing the newly formed ice out towards the lake. A few TRUMPETER
SWANS, as many as four on December 30, can usually be found among them.
There was a report of a CANVASBACK on January 1. REDHEAD numbers were
building up gradually throughout the week, reaching a peak of about
1,200 yesterday. A male RING-NECKED DUCK was among them on January 1
and 4. With duck hunting scheduled to end on January 10, those two
species may become more predictable as to their feeding location. A
female KING EIDER that was seen on Monday at nearby Barcovan may turn up
at Presqu'ile. WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS continue to be seen almost every
day off the lighthouse.
Seven WILD TURKEYS were seen on December 30. When HERRING GULLS are
resting on the ice of Presqu'ile Bay, as they do when not flushed by an
eagle, with a scope one can sometimes find other gulls. Two ICELAND
GULLS and three GLAUCOUS GULLS have been detected there in the past
week. A few BALD EAGLES are often feeding there on the ice. NORTHERN
HARRIER and SHARP-SHINNED HAWK are the only other hawks seen in the past
week. A SNOWY OWL has been on Gull and Sebastopol Islands and another
on the ice of Presqu'ile Bay, and a BARRED OWL was seen in the woods.
There were two sightings of COMMON RAVEN on January 1. Nine HORNED
LARKS were on Gull Island on December 30. There seemed to be a movement
of AMERICAN ROBINS on Sunday, as they were being seen in flocks of a few
dozen in many locations both in the Park and beyond, some of them flying
westward. Relatively few remained in subsequent days. A PINE SISKIN
paid a brief visit to a feeder on Monday. SNOW BUNTINGS, numbering
about 275 (!), were at Owen Point and Gull Island on December 30.
WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS and BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS have been at 83
Bayshore Road, the latter on only one occasion.
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 (a couple of
metres of water
with a depth of a centimetre or two separated it from Owen Point
recently) may
encounter a slippery coating of ice on the rocks. Ice cleats are
recommended.
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: fhellei...@trentu.ca <mailto:fhellei...@trentu.ca>.
--
Fred Helleiner
186 Bayshore Road
Brighton, Ontario
K0K 1H0
613-475-5309
If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park
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