Greetings Ontbirders,
This morning I visited Presqu'ile to check on the shorebird situation
and was amazed to find four roadkilled Dunlin at 0630h on the
causeway bridge leading into Presqu'ile. There is no exposed mud or
other habitat for the birds in the adjacent marsh, and I can only
assume that they were roosting on the road. They were still warm and
had not become stiff yet so I think they had only been dead for an
hour or two. All birds were extremely fat. In 35 years of studying
shorebirds at Presqu'ile I have never seen this before - very odd.
Shorebirds were basically similar to yesterday with most birds
roosting (not feeding) on Gull Island, a few dozen on the gravel bar
off Owen Pt., and others scattered along the natural and raked beach
shoreline where ever algae had piled up. There were also about 20
birds feeding in a tiny remnenat pond at the very north end of the
beach that MNR has not yet drained or filled in as part of their
"beach beautification" program.
Shorebirds included: 1 Semi Plover, 6 Killdeer (local breeders), 6
Spotted Sandpiper (local breeders), 1 Ruddy Turnstone, 1 Red Knot, 44
Semi Sandpiper, 10 Least Sandpiper, 2 W-r Sandpiper, 200 Dunlin, 3 Sb
Dowitcher (1 hendersoni, 2 griseus).
Offshore in Popham Bay there were 18 Rb Mergansers, 1 Com Loon and 1
Lt Duck. At various points around the park I heard/saw 5 singing
Mourning Warblers and at least 25 Blackpolls. Along Paxton Drive
there was a male Orchard Oriole and a Rb Woodpecker.
Cheers,
Doug
Doug McRae Nature Services
P.O. Box 3010
Brighton, Ontario
Canada K0K 1H0
613-475-5014
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Directions: Presqu'ile is located south of Brighton, on the north
shore of Lake Ontario. Take the Brighton exit from Hwy. 401 and go
south into town then follow the signs to the park. Owen Pt. is the
southern end of the Presqu'ile beach.
