This afternoon there was an adult CALIFORNIA GULL at Adam Beck
Generating Station on the Niagara River. It spent most of its time
perched on the rocks near the water on the left hand side of the U.S
side -- a scope is recommended. A first-winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED
GULL and a first-winter THAYER'S GULL were also observed in the same
location (the latter on the rocks, the former in the air over the
river).
One first-winter LITTLE GULL was noted from the Queenston boat ramp.
At least 8 (possibly more) WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS were noted at
Grimsby Sewage Lagoons.
*****
To reach Grimsby, exit off the QEW onto Fifty Road. Follow the signs
to Fifty Point CA, continue south to a small brick building on the
left. Follow the path behind the building toward the lake to the
lagoons.
To reach Queenston, exit off the QEW onto 405, then take the Stanley
Ave detour and follow the signs through the roundabout towards
Queenston. The boat ramp turn is off Front St.
To reach Adam Beck, return to the roundabout and get on Niagara
Parkway towards the city of Niagara Falls. The Adam Beck parking area
in on the left just past the Floral Clock.
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From: "Terry Sprague" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Ontbirds" <ontbirds@hwcn.org>
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 19:09:08 -0500
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Subject: [Ontbirds]
Quinte Area Bird Report for week ending Sunday, October 31, 2004
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Clear DayWEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA
for the week of Monday, October 25 to Sunday, October 31, 2004
A rather busy stream of birds highlighted the past week of activity in
Prince Edward County, the spotlight being on the BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER
which first appeared at Sandbanks Provincial Park on October 23rd, and was
seen by several observers the following two days, and again on October 27th.
At the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, owling has picked up a bit
again and volunteers there banded 151 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS during the last
week plus two BARRED OWLS. Numbers of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS offshore
have dropped to just a handful now but the scaup and scoters are still
showing well. LONG-TAILED DUCKS are starting to increase and up to 150 have
been seen in a day. Another duck seen in good numbers has been
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER with up to 50 seen daily. Seventeen ROUGH-LEGGED
HAWKS were seen during the week with 9 on the 28th including 6 in the air
together. Three GOLDEN EAGLES have been seen this week, all of them hatch
year birds. An AMERICAN WOODCOCK was seen on the 27th. HAIRY WOODPECKERS are
showing up more regularly with up to 5 in a day being seen. Also being seen
nearly daily is a NORTHERN SHRIKE, but at least two birds are involved.
With the winds dying down at the beginning of the week we had a large
movement of birds on the 26th, (Tuesday) when 385 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS
were trapped with an estimated total of 800 present. Also present that day
were 120 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, 32 BROWN CREEPERS, 12 WINTER WRENS and 12
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, the first AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS arrived that day as
well and FOX SPARROWS increased to 12, The following day most of the
previous days birds had gone but FOX SPARROWS had increased again to 15. A
few PINE SISKINS are starting to appear at the niger feeder but have only
reached a maximum of 8. And finally, a rare bird for the Point on the 28th
was a COMMON RAVEN that was seen and heard calling and circling over the
area.
Migration Monitoring for the fall ended today (Sunday) and we had a very
successful fall with a record number of over 7000 birds banded. Owling will
continue for a few more days weather permitting, but the passerine nets will
be taken down tomorrow.
GOLDEN EAGLES in Prince Edward County this past week have exceeded sightings
of the more commonly expected bald eagle. In addition to the three seen at
Prince Edward Point during the week, other reports included two at Sandbanks
Provincial Park on October 27th, a juvenile at Point Petre on October 28th,
and an individual on County Road 1, two kilometres east of Consecon, on
October 29th. There was also one seen at Point Petre on October 18th that
was accidentally omitted from last week's report.
As well as the sighting of a COMMON RAVEN at Prince Edward Point on the
28th, an individual was also seen and heard on Sprague Road at Big Island on
October 25th. Omitted from last week's report until a detailed description
was received, was a late male ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK at Sheba's Island on
October 24th. Another late report to come in was a BLACK VULTURE at
Sandbanks Provincial Park, seen by the park's staff naturalist on October
22nd.
PURPLE FINCHES continue to move through the area. A half dozen or so can be
found most mornings on Sprague Road, Big Island, and are also regular bird
feeder clients at 23 Sprague Road. PURPLE FINCHES have also been seen at
Prince Edward Point, West Lake and Huff's Island. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS
have been seen at feeders in Adolphustown and east of Lake on the Mountain.
A Thomasburg feeder has FOX SPARROWS, and a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW has been
visiting a feeder near Madoc, where 4 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS and an EASTERN
PHOEBE have also been in the area. And a PILEATED WOODPECKER dropped into
one backyard on Chuckery Hill Road at Lake-on-the-Mountain. In Picton, a
RUFFED GROUSE turned up on one front lawn eating berries of a mountain ash.
Movements of raptors have been noted at a couple of locations. On October
27th, birders at Point Traverse noted RED-TAILED HAWKS, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS,
COOPER'S HAWKS, SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, MERLIN, NORTHERN HARRIER and TURKEY
VULTURES. Other observers the following day at Point Petre counted 40
RED-TAILED HAWKS, 3 RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, 6 TURKEY VULTURES and the GOLDEN
EAGLE mentioned elsewhere in this report. A late OSPREY was at Point Petre
on October 24th. At Sandbanks Provincial Park, a NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen
flying into a cloud of blackbirds and emerging with a struggling victim in
its talons.
The two displaying SANDHILL CRANES south of Picton were last reported being
seen in an agricultural field near the junction of County Roads 10 and 11 on
October 25th, as the two birds continue to elude birders by expanding their
feeding area to at least a 2 km stretch of highway. Shorebirds reported
during the week were BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, DUNLIN and SANDERLINGS on
October 28th, along the Lake Ontario Beach at Sandbanks' West Lake Sector.
Other noteworthy sightings during the week were RUSTY BLACKBIRD and BARRED
OWL at Point Petre on October 27th. A BARRED OWL was also seen at
Vanderwater Conservation Area, one day earlier.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area.
Our thanks to David Okines (Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory) Bruce
DiLabio, Margaret Bain, David & Yvette Bree, John & Margaret Moore, Jack
Lashley, Bruce & Allyson Parker (Ontbirds), Albert Boisvert, Lee Shipp,
Pamela Martin, Rae & Steve O'Brien, Paul Mackenzie, Fred Helleiner, Lloyd
Paul, Judith Gray, Bill Hogg and Joe Victor for their contributions to this
week's report. This report is also posted in the BIRDING section of the
NatureStuff website. This report will be updated by 8:00 p.m. on Sunday,
November 7th. Bird sightings must be in by 6:00 p.m. on Sunday evening to be
included in the next report. Good fall birding.
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
