In Presqu'ile Provincial Park, as everywhere else in Ontario, this is a
slow time of year for birding, since most of the birds that are present
are the same ones that have been around for weeks. Even though nothing
much changes, there is enough variety in the bird life at Presqu'ile to
justify going out for a day's, or even an hour's, birding.
The amount of open water around the peninsula varies by the hour
depending on the wind direction, but there is enough of it, even in
Presqu'ile Bay, to support almost 400 Mute Swans and a good selection of
diving ducks. Scanning the flocks carefully can usually turn up
something of interest, whether it be a few Redheads or a White-winged
Scoter or a Red-breasted Merganser, all of which have been seen there
this week among half a dozen other species.
A Bald Eagle flew across the bay on January 20. A single Ring-billed
Gull was seen there on January 17, but large numbers of that species
should soon be appearing on Gull Island if they are not already there.
A Snowy Owl can usually be found sitting on the ice of Presqu'ile Bay,
though a wandering fox caused it to take flight on one recent morning.
A Great Horned Owl was calling in "the fingers" shortly after dusk on
January 20. Only two sightings of a Northern Shrike were reported in
the past week, both of them at the feeders at 186 Bayshore Road. Again
this week, the largest concentration of American Robins was in the
pannes area. Two Common Grackles are still wintering along Bayshore
Road. Every day there are flocks of Common Redpolls, Pine Siskins, and
American Goldfinches at most of the feeders on Bayshore Road. and at
least one Hoary Redpoll was with them for three or four days.
To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton.
Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid
that is available at the Park gate. The ice between Owen Point and Gull
Island, if indeed there is any, may be unsafe depending on recent wind
and temperature conditions. Beware of hidden ice patches.
Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be
directed to: fhellei...@trentu.ca.
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Fred Helleiner
186 Bayshore Road,
Brighton, Ontario, Canada, K0K 1H0
VOICE: (613) 475 5309
If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park.
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ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial
birding organization.
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