WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA for Sunday, February 23, 2003 As of Friday, the VARIED THRUSH was still at 383 Prinyer's Cove Crescent where it first appeared in very early January. A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER also continues to patronize this feeder along with a NORTHERN FLICKER. There is a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW that is still visiting a feeder east of Lake-on-the-Mountain, and another EASTERN TOWHEE coming to a feeder on Victoria Road in Ameliasburgh, in addition to the one that had been reported at a feeder on Scoharie Road near Picton. EASTERN BLUEBIRDS continue to be reported around the Quinte area, some of which are coming to feeders. In addition to four being fed mealworms at a feeder at East Lake, there are another two on Wallbridge/Loyalist Road in Quinte West, west of Belleville. After an absence of several weeks, a CAROLINA WREN is once again visiting a feeder at Morrison's Point, while the individual at 23 Sprague Road has not been seen for almost a month. Those thinking they have counted their chickadees coming to their feeders accurately should heed one local bird bander's suggestion that feeder operators may have more than what they think. An Elmbrook area resident, after counting a high of 6 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES for Project FeederWatch, opened her nets a few days later and caught and banded an incredible 38.
One feeder operator on Vanderwater Road, east of Thomasburgh has 18 WILD TURKEYS coming to her feeder. Back in Prince Edward County, there are up to five WILD TURKEYS that can be seen quite regularly on County Road 14, just east of the community of Crofton. Another five were seen strutting along Main Street in Bloomfield on Friday. At least until the freezing rain storm hit last night, AMERICAN ROBINS were turning up everywhere along roadsides. Chuckery Hill Road had at least 200 on Friday, and up to 150 had been seen regularly along South Big Island Road and along the causeway leading from the island across the Big Island Marsh. Close to 100 were also seen east of Lake-on-the-Mountain during the week, with smaller numbers seen in Bloomfield and along Belleville's Bayshore Trail. Singles of YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were seen at Point Petre during the week, and also one at Mountain View Airport on Saturday. Also at Mountain View, a COOPER'S HAWK took out a NORTHERN CARDINAL at a feeder there. BALD EAGLES, at least three, perhaps four, are still making regular runs up and down Adolphus Reach between Glenora and Prinyer's Cove. Despite the cold weather, there are some areas where waterfowl may be seen. There is a RED-NECKED GREBE at Wellington Harbour, first seen Thursday, and again on Friday. At the East Lake end of the Outlet River, there was a nice assortment of waterfowl on Friday which included 50 MALLARD, 25 BLACK DUCK, 4 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 1 BUFFLEHEAD, 8 CANADA GEESE, and three MUTE SWANS. Other good sightings during the week included 40 CEDAR WAXWINGS and an EASTERN BLUEBIRD near Lake-on-the-Mountain, and a NORTHERN HARRIER at the corner of Moira Street and Palmer Road in Belleville. And while considerably out of the general reporting area, there were 8 BALD EAGLES, three of them adults, seen near Westport on Friday. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and area. Our thanks to Helen Graham, Joanne Dewey, Bob Cermak, Hugh Watts, Bert Filemyr, George Underhill, Yvette & David Bree, Alfred Cairns, Bill Hogg, John Blaney, Albert Boisvert, Lloyd Paul, Molly Mulloy, Thomas Rymes, Eileen Whitmore and Joe Victor for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated by 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 2nd. Bird sightings must be in by 6:00 p.m. on Sunday evening to be included in the next report. Good winter birding ! Terry Sprague Picton, Ontario [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.naturestuff.net "Terry Sprague" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
