Hardly a day has gone by in the past week without at least one newly
arrived species of bird appearing at Presqu'ile Provincial Park,
including a few that are earlier than expected. Birders have been
finding migrants with no trouble at all, though many have moved out of
the Park with the cooler weather of the past two days.
A TRUMPETER SWAN was off the lighthouse on April 8. With the exception
of LONG-TAILED DUCKS and BUFFLEHEADS, numbers of ducks are now sharply
reduced from earlier in the month, but there is still a decent variety
to be found. RUFFED GROUSE have been found on at least three days, with
as many as four on a single day. Their drumming helps to locate them.
Two HORNED GREBES were off the lighthouse on Tuesday, and more should be
showing up soon in Popham Bay as well as in the open waters of Lake
Ontario. An evening walk on the marsh boardwalk yielded the first
VIRGINIA RAIL of the season on April 9. Not reported until too late for
last week's report was a SANDHILL CRANE that was seen and heard over the
marsh on April 5. Both WILSON'S SNIPE and AMERICAN WOODCOCK have been
observed performing their aerial displays. A fly-past of a dozen or
more BONAPARTE'S GULLS occurred at the lighthouse on April 7. On April
8 an adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was on a gravel bar off Owen Point
and another that was nearly fully adult was on Gull Island. The former
was still present on April 9, when eight GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS were
counted. A few CASPIAN TERNS have also returned, as have RED-THROATED
LOONS in Popham Bay, one on April 9 and two on April 11. The first
AMERICAN BITTERN of the year was in the marsh on April 9, and the first
GREAT EGRET flew past High Bluff Island.
OSPREYS have begun building their nest on the Salt Point lighthouse. A
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen on High Bluff Island and a BARRED OWL was
preening itself in Newcastle Woods. RED-BELLIED and PILEATED
WOODPECKERS have both been found. MERLINS, as many as four on one day,
have been seen, as well as COMMON RAVENS. Among the new arrivals are the
following: PURPLE MARTINS, BARN SWALLOWS, MARSH WREN, a record early
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER near the lighthouse on April 11, RUBY-CROWNED
KINGLETS, BROWN THRASHER, PURPLE FINCH, PINE WARBLERS in at least three
different parts of the Park, EASTERN TOWHEES, CHIPPING SPARROWS, FIELD
SPARROWS, SAVANNAH SPARROW, FOX SPARROWS, RUSTY BLACKBIRDS. Another
species that occasionally turns up in mid-April and should be looked for
is TUFTED TITMOUSE.
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. Access to the offshore islands is
restricted
at this time of year to prevent disturbance to the colonial nesting
birds there.
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].
--
Fred Helleiner
186 Bayshore Road
Brighton, Ontario
K0K 1H0
613-475-5309
If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park
_______________________________________________
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