After being held back by unfavourable winds for a week or more, the
first major surge of spring migrant birds, both land birds and water
birds, reached Presqu'ile Provincial Park on the weekend. Most of those
birds are still present and should provide interesting birding for
visitors to the second weekend of the Waterfowl Festival, taking place
on March 18 and 19. The following summary illustrates the incredible
birding potential of Presqu'ile.
Among the other water birds in Presqu'ile Bay, one or two Pied-billed
Grebes have been present since March 11, two days earlier than the
earliest date mentioned in /Birds of Presqu'ile Provincial Park/
(1993). There was an unconfirmed report of a Double-crested Cormorant
on the exceptionally early date of March 11. A few Great Blue Herons
have been sighted since March 10, another early date. The first migrant
flocks of Canada Geese were passing overhead on the morning of March
11. After a period of a week with no observations of Tundra Swans,
small numbers have been seen again on each of the last three days. All
of the "dabbling" duck species that have ever been found at Presqu'ile
have been seen here during the past week, and it seems likely that most
of them will still be present for the Waterfowl Festival. The first
Wood Ducks of the year were at the calf pasture on March 11. The rarest
of them all, a Eurasian Wigeon, was spotted on March 10, but has not
been re-located. Two species that are usually among the latest to
return are Blue-winged Teal and Northern Shoveler, both of which were
represented by two individuals on the record early dates of March 10 and
12, respectively. Another of the latter species was seen again on March
16. Northern Pintails and Green-winged Teal have appeared not only in
Presqu'ile Bay and the adjacent marsh edges, but also at Owen Point.
Most of the diving ducks in Presqu'ile Bay are Canvasbacks, Redheads,
Ring-necked Ducks, Greater Scaup, and Hooded Mergansers. Two Lesser
Scaup were in the cove at the foot of Langton Avenue on March 16, and
White-winged Scoters are showing up in small numbers in various
locations. The most reliable location for the scoters has been around a
green marker buoy opposite 123 Bayshore Road, where they are seen daily.
A Sharp-shinned Hawk was on Paxton Drive on March 12. The first of
several American Coots showed up on March 11, the first Killdeer on
March 11, and the first American Woodcock on March 10. Probably the
next early migrant to reach Presqu'ile will be a Belted Kingfisher. A
Northern Flicker was at the bird sightings board on March 14. There was
a Northern Shrike at the calf pasture through most of December and
January, but no further sightings were reported until March 16,
suggesting that that individual was a different bird. There was an
unconfirmed report of a Common Raven earlier in the week. A bird seen
at the calf pasture on March 13 was almost certainly an Eastern
Bluebird. Large numbers of American Robins, some of them singing, were
among the arrivals on the weekend. Appearing almost a month ahead of
the expected date, an Eastern Towhee was under the feeder at the bird
sightings board on March 14. The only known earlier dates for the Park
were individuals that over-wintered in 1990-1991 and 2001-2002. Two
Snow Buntings were at Owen Point on March 15. The first arrival date
for Eastern Meadowlark was March 12, and for Brown-headed Cowbird was
March 10. An Evening Grosbeak was at the lighthouse on March 10, and a
House Sparrow nearby on March 12.
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. Access to the offshore islands is
restricted at this time of year to prevent disturbance to the colonial
nesting birds there.
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.
