November is the month when birders come to Presqu'ile Provincial Park in
search of one of Presqu'ile's specialties, PURPLE SANDPIPER, which
appears almost every year. No one has yet found one this year, but an
even more unlikely shorebird did show up this week, relieving the tedium
of typical late autumn birding.
Three species of swans were reported in Presqu'ile Park this week: the
ubiquitous MUTE SWANS, five TRUMPETER SWANS off Gull Island on Sunday,
and eight TUNDRA SWANS flying toward Presqu'ile Bay yesterday. Ducks,
especially diving ducks, have been plentiful all week. An ever-changing
variety of dabbling ducks can be seen from the camp office viewing
deck. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of REDHEADS and GREATER SCAUP are in
Popham Bay and the outer part of Presqu'ile Bay, where they shift from
one side to the other depending on where the hunting is taking place.
As recently as Sunday, four SURF SCOTERS were loosely associating with
the latter group, and two were still near the lighthouse yesterday. A
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER has also been nearby, as recently as this
afternoon. BLACK SCOTERS should also be present but have not yet been
spotted. Seven HOODED MERGANSERS were among the dabbling ducks in the
marsh this morning, and an AMERICAN COOT was there on Friday. A
RED-NECKED GREBE was seen on Sunday. Two SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS and
numerous SANDERLINGS and DUNLINS have been around lately. On Tuesday,
nine GREATER YELLOWLEGS were hunkered down from gale force winds in the
woodpile marsh, where they posed for a photograph. Shortly afterwards,
three flew over nearby, perhaps part of the same group, which had
vanished not long before. The biggest surprise of the week was a RED
PHALAROPE that also posed for photographs at a windy Owen Point on
Tuesday. The most recent previous record for that species at Presqu'ile
was almost exactly two years ago.
A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK circled the feeders at 186 Bayshore Road this
afternoon. A keen-eyed observer spotted a BARRED OWL along Paxton
Drive, but that did not make it a SPOTTED OWL. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS
continue to be seen. A flock of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, perhaps as many as
20, was in the day use area on Tuesday. The most recent YELLOW-RUMPED
WARBLER sighting was last Friday. Large numbers of blackbirds are
roosting in the marsh, among which some 6,000 COMMON GRACKLES were
identified as they left the marsh in the morning.
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. Visitors to Gull Island not using a
boat should be prepared to wade through water that is
knee-deep when it is absolutely calm; this does not take into account
any wave action. There
is often a swift current and a substrate that is somewhat uneven and
slippery. It should also be noted that, because duck hunting is given
priority on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, Gull Island,
High Bluff Island, Owen Point, and part of the calf pasture are not
available for bird-watching on those days. 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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