Presqu’ile Bird Report 21-27 Feb 2020 By Doug McRae
HIGHLIGHTS: GADWALL, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, NORTHERN FLICKER, EASTERN BLUEBIRD A brief wave of warmer weather brought in some waterfowl and even some AMERICAN ROBINS and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS that appeared to be migrants, rather than the wintering birds. However spring was shut down again by snow and cold by the end of the period. GADWALL – a single male was seen on 23 Feb, and again the next day. MALLARD – the first report was one on 22 Feb, building to 20 by 24 Feb and two the next day but none since. CANVASBACK – High count of 57 on 25 Feb. REDHEAD – High count of 550 on 25 Feb. GREATER SCAUP – Numbers are building with a high of 2000 on 23 Feb. WHITE-WINGED SCOTER – small numbers seen near the Salt Pt. lighthouse through the week peaking at 16 on 22-23 Feb. COMMON GOLDENEYE – 300 seen off Calf Pasture on 23 Feb was a good count suggesting some migrants might have augmented the wintering birds. BALD EAGLE – several birds seen through the week with a high of three on 21 Feb. NORTHERN HARRIER – a male seen on Huff Rd. (just NW of the Park gate) on 24 Feb was most likely a returning migrant since none have been seen for several months. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK – one seen on Huff Rd. on 23 Feb was the first report since the CBC. SNOWY OWL – one was sitting on the Salt Pt. lighthouse on 21 Feb. MERLIN – Singles were seen on 22 and 23 Feb. NORTHERN FLICKER – the wintering bird on Huff Rd. just north of the tracks was seen again on 23 Feb. EASTERN BLUEBIRD – Two on 23 Feb and four on 24 Feb were seen at the tracks on Huff Rd. where they have been frequenting for several months. AMERICAN ROBIN – It is often hard to tell wintering from migrant robins but birds were seen in some locations this week where they had not been present earlier suggesting at least some might be migrants. SNOW BUNTING – a single bird was noted on 27 Feb. SONG SPARROW – the wintering bird at the Birdhouse Nature Store broke into a “drunken” version of song on 26 Feb. WHITE-THROATED SPARROW – three birds were reported from Bayshore Rd feeders this week. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD – A few birds have been wintering in the area but there was clearly an influx with the warm weather. First migrants was one on 23 Feb, three the next day and building to 27 by 27 Feb. HOUSE SPARROW – last and least was a HOUSE SPARROW at a Bayshore Rd feeder on 23 Feb – the first in the Park in months. Doug McRae P.O. Box 3010 Brighton, Ontario K0K 1H0 613-475-5014 H 613-243-4161 C _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - 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 Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
