There are still many waterfowl about. Among the significant concentrations were 24 Tundra Swans and 1100 Ring-necked Ducks in Hay Bay and 40 Canvasbacks on Wolfe Island on April 2nd.The only expected species not yet making an appearance are Ruddy Duck and Blue-winged Teal. The first Common Loon was seen on the way to Wolfe last Sunday and a second was off Amherst Island April 4th.
Winter finches, with the exception of a few Pine Siskins, seem to have flown the coop. Feeder watchers will have to content themselves with Goldfiches, many now in breeding plumage, and those hordes of raucous iridescent Common Grackles. The raptor picture is still interesting; 4 Rough-legged Hawks on Wolfe April 2nd and 2 more on Amherst April 4th. Three Snowy Owls remained on Wolfe last Sunday and 2 were on Amherst on Tuesday. The Owl Woods, also on Tuesday, produced 1 Long-eared and 1 Saw-whet Owl. Despite the lack of favourable south winds, the migration of things other than waterfowl is upon us.There were widespread reports of Great Blue Heron, Wilson's Snipe, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Am. Kestrel, Bonaparte's Gull, Tree Swallow, E. Phoebe, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Fox Sparrow, and Rusty Blackbird. Other migrants, some early, some unexpected, included singletons of Pine Warbler north of Millhaven on March 31, Am. Bittern on Wolfe April 2nd, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in the city April 3rd, Am. Pipit, Winter Wren, and Brown Thrasher on Amherst April 4th, and a Sandhill Crane flying north of Elginburg yesterday. Two Loggerhead Shrikes returned to the area north of Newburgh, and 2 Chipping Sparrows were seen near Millhaven on March 31.There were 2 Greater Yellowlegs and 5 Lapland Longspurs on Wolfe Island last Sunday and 3 Rough-winged Swallows mixed in with a large flock of Tree Swallows at Millhaven on Wednesday. Cheers, Peter Good Kingston Field Naturalists 613 378-6605
