Migration is well underway but there have been no extraordinary sightings in the Kingston area this week. Three Bald Eagles, 2 Immatures, and 1 adult put in an appearance on Aug. 20th, one on Wolfe Island, the other two north of Elginburg. Six Northern Harriers were also seen on Wolfe that same day.
Shorebirds are still abundant; 3 Black-bellied Plover and a Pectoral Sandpiper were found on Wolfe Island last Sunday and several(?) Stilt Sandpipers were seen on Amherst Island Aug. 23rd. One observer reported 333 shorebirds at the Amherstview lagoons on Sunday including 40 Short-billed Dowitchers, 160 Lesser Yellowlegs, and 3 Stilt Sandpipers. There were also 260 Bonaparte's Gulls. By midweek the mix had changed considerably; still lots of yellowlegs and dowitchers but with a few Baird's Sandpipers thrown in. Warbler migration is gaining momentum with mixed flocks reported from a variety of locations. Amherst Island had Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Black and White, Yellow-rumped and Redstart on Wednesday and the same day a group of warblers at Lemoine Point contained a Wilson's and an Orange-crowned. This seems to be the week for Common Nighthawks. There have been several reports on ONTBIRDS from around the province of large numbers of these birds. We can add Kingston to the list with two sightings; 50 near Elginburg on Aug. 22nd and another 38 that same evening over the Woodbine Road. Cheers, Peter Good 613 378-6605
