WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK ENDING Thursday, June 26, 2008
Now that the young of the year of some species are out of their nests, we are beginning to hear different sounds out there, some of them new to many ears. During a hike along Prince Edward County's Millennium Trail last weekend, the young of numerous BALTIMORE ORIOLES could be heard in the Wellington area, and a few were eventually spotted calling from tangles of wild grape and Virginia creeper. In the Jericho Road area, an egg count was taken of a PURPLE MARTIN colony with an impressive 171 eggs in 39 nests, certainly a success that not every landlord can claim as the species continues to decline in many areas. A nest of YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS near Elmbrook is one of very few nesting records of this species in Prince Edward County, except for a reference to nesting in 1930, and more recently, confirmed nesting during the recent Breeding Bird Atlas effort. Last weekend, the pair was observed feeding young at the nesting site, the female arriving three times with food, and the male once. And at Sandbanks Provincial Park, optimism for the pair of RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS nesting there near the Dunes Beach Day Use Area parking lot escalated when one adult bird was seen removing a fecal sac out of the nest yesterday. At other locations, other species are singing happily away, and among them was a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD in the Coleman Street area of Belleville, its finder reporting that the bird had an amazing repertoire of backyard birds. Another NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was seen yesterday in Prince Edward County along Highway 49 near Mount Carmel Road. And according to one regular contributor to this weekly report who is holidaying in the States, the place to see mockingbirds is on the White House grounds and in Arlington Cemetery where several were seen and heard this week. After a decline in the area, due probably to a gradual disappearance of suitable habitat, it was a treat last weekend to hear at least four VESPER SPARROWS in as many locations along the Millennium Trail between Benway Road and Greer Road, west of Wellington. The wetland just northwest of Danforth Road along the same trail produced several BLACK TERNS, MARSH WRENS, SWAMP SPARROWS and two VIRGINIA RAILS, the latter remaining out in the open for several minutes. No LEAST BITTERNS were noted at this time, but one was seen during the week at Perch Cove at Hay Bay. Two GREAT EGRETS surprised one observer at Paliser Creek along Frankford Road, north of Belleville on the 21st, and GREAT EGRETS have also been seen at the Fox Pond along Telephone Road west of Trenton. MOURNING WARBLERS in the Scott's pine plantation area at Sandbanks Provincial Park's West Lake Sector, are likely nesting, and likewise with several PINE WARBLERS that have been heard in the area. We still await the first nesting since the early 1950s of BALD EAGLES, but the sighting of an adult bird in the Morrison's Point area, not far from where a nest platform was erected last December, provides encouragement. Other interesting sightings over the last several days include a SCARLET TANAGER in the Elmbrook area, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW at Sandbanks Provincial Park, more BLACK TERNS at Sandbanks Provincial Park near the mouth of the Outlet River, and 2 at Madoc in the Cooper Road and Queensboro Road area. A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was singing along the Oivi Nature Trail at the Menzel Centennial Provincial Park, north of Deseronto where no fewer than 4 VEERIES were also singing. Two GREEN HERONS kept pace with a party of hikers during an interpretive hike last night along Potter Creek at the Quinte Conservation Area in Quinte West, and 2 INDIGO BUNTINGS were seen during the week in Bloomfield. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Heather Heron, Kathy McPherson, Peter Mohr, Susan Vanden Dosch, Joanne Dewey, Donna Fano, Doris Lane, Serge de Sousa, Joanne Dewey, Doug & Evelyn Sloane, Kathleen Rankine, and John Charlton for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, July 03, but sightings can be e-mailed anytime before the Wednesday night deadline. Feature photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website is by Dave Bell of Belleville, of a HOUSE WREN peering out of a nest box. Photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report include a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD by Alan Cullum of Salem, and a GREAT EGRET by Susan Shipman of Wellington. Terry Sprague Prince Edward County [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.naturestuff.net _______________________________________________ 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
