As the waterfowl migration at Presqu'ile Provincial Park winds down,
attention has shifted to land birds, that keep on arriving on suitable
winds, which have been few in recent days.
A CANVASBACK still present on April 14 was on the late side, but
reasonable numbers of WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS remain. RUFFED GROUSE are
more evident than earlier in the year. As many as a dozen HORNED GREBES
were counted on one day. Single AMERICAN COOTS were present on April 15
and 19. An early DUNLIN and about 100 BONAPARTE'S GULLS appeared on the
beach on April 18. RED-THROATED LOONS are a Presqu'ile specialty in
late April, and a maximum of five were off the beach on April 14. A
GREAT EGRET put on a surprise showing at the lighthouse on April 14,
evidently having just dropped in at this unusual location from a flight
across the lake. Other GREAT EGRETS, as many as five, can now be seen
with a scope on their nests on High Bluff Island. The first
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON of the year was also detected there yesterday.
A surprising LONG-EARED OWL was playing hard to get in a thicket off
Paxton Drive on April 16. PILEATED WOODPECKERS and MERLINS are being
seen regularly, as is the injured COMMON RAVEN that has been patrolling
Bayshore Road for over two months. Up till Tuesday of this week, PURPLE
MARTINS have been checking out the nest boxes at the end of Bayshore
Road, but a change of ownership has resulted in the removal of several
of the boxes that have been occupied for a number of years, and the
birds appear to have moved on. The first NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS
of the year appeared this week, but there has been no sign yet of the
BANK SWALLOWS returning to their colony at the day use area. Two MARSH
WRENS were singing on April 15. An EASTERN BLUEBIRD was seen on April
18, and a HERMIT THRUSH on April 19. One of this week's highlights was
a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD that obliged many viewers for one day. BROWN
THRASHERS are now singing in traditional locations. More PURPLE FINCHES
are being seen these days. PINE WARBLERS continue to be seen and
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS have been seen every day since April 15, but
others of the expected late April warbler arrivals have yet to appear.
At least three FOX SPARROWS showed up in the past week. Several
blackbird species take over most of the bird feeders every year in March
and April, but frustrated birders expecting to find other birds
displaced by the blackbirds should be aware that on at least one
occasion a few years ago, a YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was among them.
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: fhellei...@trentu.ca.
--
Fred Helleiner
186 Bayshore Road
Brighton, Ontario
K0K 1H0
613-475-5309
If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park
_______________________________________________
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the
provincial birding organization.
Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca
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