Spring is gradually on its way. This time of year there is an interesting mix of winter birds and early arrivals from the south. There is now considerably more open water; the south shore of Amherst Island has good numbers of Greater Scaup and Common Goldeneye, the ferry channels are wider, as are the openings downriver, with more goldeneye and both Red-breasted and Common Mergansers. The overwintering Trumpeter Swans are still present; 11 at Chaffey's Lock on Sunday, 3 at Bedford Mills, and 6 near Charleston Lake P.P. yesterday. The least abundant waterfowl were a N. Pintail at Dupont last Friday and a single Gadwall at the Kingston ferry dock on Tuesday.
The status of local owls is in a state of flux. There were 8 Snowy and 8 N. Saw-whet Owls on Amherst last Saturday and a Boreal on Sunday; by Wednesday the Owl Woods was empty but for the usual feeder birds. E. Screech Owls have started singing a duet in City Park and on Tuesday there were at least 4 Snowy Owls on Wolfe Island. Surprisingly no one has reported hooting Great Horned Owls. It has been a great week for hawks. Accipiters continue to plague feeders; Sharp-shinned at Elginburg and on Howe Island, a Cooper's at Bedford Mills and an immature N. Goshawk is making repeat visits to a Camden East backyard. Bald Eagles were seen at Ivy Lea and Wolfe Island. A Merlin was on Earl Street in the city last Saturday and the Peregrine continues to roost at Queen's. The bird of the week no doubt, was the white phase Gyrfalcon, sighted on the ice from the Wolfe Island ferry on Tuesday. The bird has been moving around, but not a lot, and has been spotted from the ferry for the last three days. Am. Robins continue to be more abundant. There is a small flock in the Owl Woods on Amherst, 1 was seen in the city on Saturday, there were 10 at Parrott's Bay on Sunday, and 5 at Bedford Mills today. Only two flocks of waxwings were noted; 25 Bohemian at Bedford Mills last Saturday and 35 Cedar at Parrott's Bay on Sunday. A lone E. Bluebird arrived at Elginburg on Saturday. Other early migrants included a Common Grackle on Amherst on Saturday and a Turkey Vulture near Ivy Lea on Wednesday. With the mild weather late last week Red-winged Blackbirds put in several appearances. There were 2 at Camden East and a flock of 35 on Amherst on Saturday, 1 at Elginburg and several on Wolfe Island on Sunday, and 2 more on Howe Island on Monday. The two dozen or so Rusty Blackbirds continue to visit the Howe Island feeder. The ferry channels continue to attract good numbers of gulls; there was an Iceland at Amherst on Sunday. It looks like our overwintering birds are going to make it. These include the Red-breasted Nuthatch at Bedford Mills, the Song Sparrow on Howe Island, the White-crowned Sparrow at Elginburg, and the Varied Thrush south of Napanee. Finch numbers seem to be changing somewhat. Pine Siskins and Common Redpolls are still abundant at some feeders whereas numbers are down at others. Purple finches are increasing; I at Parrott's bay and 2 at Bedford Mills on the weekend and 3 today at Camden East. White-winged Crossbills are still about; 5 on Amherst on Saturday and 3 on Wolfe on Sunday. On a final note, the landowners of the private part of the Owl Woods would like to thank all those who donated to support the Island Museum. They collected $327 this year which brings the total to over $2000 over the past few years. Cheers, Peter Good Kingston Field Naturalists 613 378-6605 _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
