This has been another good week for birding at Presqu'ile Provincial
Park, with interesting sightings of individuals in a variety of bird
families.
Common Loons are appearing regularly, but as yet there has been no sign
of Red-throated Loons, which have returned by the end of September in
recent years. With the help of a good spotting scope, large numbers of
Horned Grebes can be seen far out in Popham Bay, including a count of 82
birds on September 29.
Great Egrets are still being seen almost every day, right up to
September 30, usually around the shores of Popham Bay. A Snow Goose
that was seen there on September 29 has not been reported since. All of
the duck species seen this week had been previously reported, but
numbers of several species, including Northern Shoveler and Greater
Scaup, are higher than before.
A Peregrine Falcon was seen twice along the beach on September 30,
causing well-founded alarm among the gulls.
The sound of a Ruffed Grouse drumming in the woods beside Paxton Drive
on September 30 was unexpected at this time of year. American Coots
have returned to Presqu'ile Bay, being first noticed on September 27.
They are usually visible from 30 Bayshore Road. Through an oversight,
an observation of a Sandhill Crane flying over the lighthouse on
September 17 was not mentioned in last week's report.
Shorebirds continue to provide some interesting observations, mostly
around the shores of Popham Bay. Four American Golden-Plovers stopped
at Beach 3 on September 30, along with Black-bellied and Semipalmated
Plovers. Together with the two Killdeer seen on September 24, four
species of plovers were among the 18 species of shorebirds in the Park
since last week's report (when only 16 species were reported). The most
unusual ones were both species of yellowlegs, two fairly late Spotted
Sandpipers at the lighthouse on September 27, a Ruddy Turnstone as
recently as September 26, two Red Knots on September 24 and one as
recently as September 28, White-rumped, Baird's, and Pectoral
Sandpipers, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper that lingered on Gull Island at
least until September 24, and the first Long-billed Dowitcher of the
year, which was first noticed on September 28 and was re-sighted several
times on September 30.
There was a report of a Little Gull off Owen Point on September 26.
Five Common Terns were seen on September 24 and three Forster's Terns on
September 30.
A Great Horned Owl was calling in "the fingers" at dusk on September
30. Cedar trees should be examined carefully during the next month for
cryptic Saw-whet Owls, especially if chickadees or other birds are
making an unusual fuss.
Eastern Wood-Pewees have been at the lighthouse for the past two days,
as well as Blue-headed, Warbling, and Red-eyed Vireos. A Philadelphia
Vireo was there on September 26. Although not within Presqu'ile Park,
the Brighton sewage lagoon and the created wetland on the opposite side
of County Road 64 have produced three species of swallows in the past
two days: a very late Bank Swallow on September 30, a Cliff Swallow on
September 29, and Barn Swallows on both days.
A large influx of Swainson's Thrushes appeared at the lighthouse on
September 26, and on the next day the first Hermit Thrush of the season
was seen along Paxton Drive. Brown Thrashers were at the calf pasture
on September 25 and 26. A good sprinkling of various species of
warblers continues to move around among the still leafy trees, including
an Orange-crowned Warbler at Owen Point on September 28, an amazing 24
Palm Warblers on September 24, and two Blackpoll Warblers as recently as
September 25. Except for a few individuals, the expected hordes of
Yellow-rumped Warblers, which are usually here by the last week of
September, have yet to materialize. A Scarlet Tanager was seen on
September 24.
The most noticeable change in the passerine avifauna during the past
week has been the arrival of large numbers of sparrows, mostly
White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows but also including a Field
Sparrow on September 30, Fox Sparrows on September 24 (in full song) and
29, and Dark-eyed Juncoes from September 27 onward. The calf pasture
has had groups of up to seven Eastern Meadowlarks on several days of the
past weekend. A Pine Siskin flew over Gull Island on September 30.
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. Visitors to Gull Island not using a
boat should be prepared to wade through thigh-deep water in which there
is often a swift current and a substrate that is somewhat uneven. It
should also be noted that, because duck hunting is given priority on
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, Gull Island, Owen Point,
and part of the calf pasture are not available for bird watching on
those days.
Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be
directed to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
--
Fred Helleiner
186 Bayshore Road,
R.R. #4,
Brighton, Ontario, Canada, K0K 1H0
VOICE: (613) 475 5309
If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park.
