In an abrupt change from earlier this month, the bird life at Presqu'ile
Provincial Park has changed day by day. Not surprisingly, given the
unusually warm weather, early migrants are appearing daily and ice
conditions are more like what one would expect in mid- to late March.
The elderly TRUMPETER SWAN known to many eastern Ontario birders as K29
(its wing tag designation) was present near the calf pasture on
Tuesday. Although there have not yet been any sightings of WOOD DUCKS,
many of the other early dabbling ducks have appeared in small numbers:
GADWALLS, AMERICAN WIGEONS, NORTHERN PINTAILS, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, all of
which are somewhat earlier than normal. There are thousands of diving
ducks in Presqu'ile Bay these days, mostly REDHEADS and GREATER SCAUP,
but with a sprinkling of other ducks in the /Aythya/ genus: CANVASBACKS,
RING-NECKED DUCKS, and LESSER SCAUP. This afternoon, opposite 123
Bayshore Road, one observer saw all three scoter species within the
field of his scope. The female SURF SCOTER was the first of the spring
at Presqu'ile, the WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS have been there all winter, and
the female BLACK SCOTER may be the same individual that was seen twice
in mid- to late January as well as yesterday. A few minutes later, the
same observer saw all three merganser species near the calf pasture.
The pair of HOODED MERGANSERS were pre-dated by two males in the same
area on Tuesday, and the COMMON and RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS have been
present in small numbers all winter.
The regular group of WILD TURKEYS again crossed the road, this time near
42 Bayshore Road. With a KILLDEER being seen this afternoon just
outside the Park, it is not too much of a stretch to expect that species
and/or an AMERICAN WOODCOCK to show up in the Park before the end of the
month, the record early dates for those two species being February 23
and 26, respectively. Both ICELAND GULL and GLAUCOUS GULL were off Gull
Island on Monday. Apart from the BALD EAGLES that have been seen almost
every day in the past week, there were no other raptors reported.
The previously reported injured COMMON RAVEN has taken to flying around
and is being seen regularly near the government dock. A GOLDEN-CROWNED
KINGLET, an uncommonly seen but known-to-be-present winter bird at
Presqu'ile was seen this morning. Two PINE SISKINS have made
infrequent brief visits to the feeders at 186 Bayshore Road, including
yesterday and today. Yesterday the first RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS of the
season descended on local feeders, with 14 at 83 Bayshore Road. Among
them this afternoon was a BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD.
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 may
encounter water a few centimetres deep on approach.
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
_______________________________________________
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