Daylight saving time and a few migrants are almost the only signs of spring what with three feet of snow still on the ground and snowbanks that go to the moon. Cardinals, Mourning Doves, and House Finches are singing. Canada Geese and Mallards are moving inland looking for open water. Flocks of Robins have arrived; 48 in Churchill Park a week ago, 11 in Amherstview last Saturday, and another group of 10 in the city yesterday. Small numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds are visiting feeders in Camden East, Elginburg and in the city. There were 3 Swamp Sparrows at Little Cat on Sunday and 2 Common Grackles on College Street on Tuesday. The odd Goldfinch is starting to moult into breeding plumage.
There are some leads off the south shore of Amherst Island that have filled up with ducks; 100's of Common Goldeneye and Greater Scaup, 25 Bufflehead, 30 Long-tailed Ducks, and singletons of White-winged Scoter, Redhead, and Ring-necked Duck. Wolfe Island still has at least 1 Snowy Owl, a Short-eared Owl and lots of Rough-legged Hawks, Snow Buntings and Horned Larks. Many of this week's raptors were seen within the city; a Barred Owl in Reddendale, A Merlin on College Street, and both a Red-tailed and a Cooper's Hawk on the Queen's campus. There was also a Cooper's at Camden East, a Sharp-shinned at Bedford Mills, and a Bald Eagle and 6 Rough-legged Hawks on Amherst. Finch numbers are somewhat static; large numbers of Common Redpolls (189 last Monday at Bedford Mills) along with the odd Hoary are still visiting feeders. The only local Evening Grosbeaks visit the Bedford mills feeder irregularly; 2 on March 7th and 5 on the 11th. Pine Grosbeaks are still coming to the Camden East feeder and a flock of 18 was reported from Amherstview last Saturday. Cheers, Peter Good Kingston Field Naturalists 613 378-6605 _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
