Unusually mild weather notwithstanding, bird life at Presqu'ile
Provincial Park has taken on a wintry aspect. Most species that are
present now are ones that can also be found in mid-winter.
The two TRUMPETER SWANS that were in Popham Bay for almost three months
were last sighted on November 3. Several dozen GADWALLS have gathered
around the north shore of Gull Island. Well over 1,000 REDHEADS are
rafting in Presqu'ile and Popham Bays. Female BLACK SCOTERS are being
seen regularly in Popham Bay, with a count of twelve on Sunday. HORNED
GREBES are now being seen only in single digits. Up to November 8, a
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and a few DUNLINS were being seen, but none could
be found today. Four WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS on November 6 were on the
late side. An adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was on Chatterson Point on
Tuesday, and an immature was on the Salt Point lighthouse on Saturday.
A few COMMON LOONS have been swimming near the lighthouse. Two
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were still lingering on Tuesday.
On Sunday a COOPER'S HAWK was seen catching a shorebird in flight. Two
days later, one observer found single immature NORTHERN GOSHAWKS in two
widely separated parts of the Park and assumed them to be different
birds. A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was on High Bluff Island on Sunday. The
only owl reported this week was a SNOWY OWL on Sebastopol Island this
morning, two days later than the first arrival last year. A BELTED
KINGFISHER at Salt Point on Saturday was the first in recent weeks. Ten
years ago on November 12, both AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER and
BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER were found in "the fingers", a part of the Park
that is under-birded and that warrants a search for these species.
PILEATED WOODPECKERS were seen on two different days this week. A
MERLIN and a few COMMON RAVENS were not unexpected sightings. On Sunday,
eleven HORNED LARKS and two LAPLAND LONGSPURS were on Gull Island, and a
HERMIT THRUSH was near Owen Point. A WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW at 83
Bayshore Road may turn out to be an over-wintering bird.
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 ankle-deep,
not taking into account any wave action,.in which 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, Owen Point,
Gull Island,
High Bluff Island, 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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