WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK ENDING Thursday, February 19, 2009
Increasing numbers of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS at feeders this week, and sightings of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS and the plethora this winter of AMERICAN ROBINS may get us thinking optimistically about spring's approach, but the aforementioned species may be nothing more than movements of those that have been present all winter. However, warmer weather during the week has freed up some of the traditionally productive waterfowl areas, providing birders with a few limited opportunities to get psyched up for the waterfowl migration ahead. After being uncharacteristically frozen solid for much of January and February, winter is finally starting to lose its grip on Wellington Harbour with open water appearing during the week, soon to be followed in the days to come with waterfowl. Waterfowl viewing these days seems to be confined mainly to Prince Edward Bay where COMMON GOLDENYES and thousands of GREATER SCAUP were present during the week. The waters of the Moira River in Belleville change as temperatures dictate, but during the week there were maximums of 200 MALLARDS, 5 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 3 CANADA GEESE and a single LESSER SCAUP at the footbridge between Coleman and Front Streets. Three COMMON GOLDENEYES continue to be seen in the Glenora Ferry channel. Other sightings, however, confirm that winter is still very much here. A SNOWY OWL at Prince Edward Point on the 14th was a welcome Valentine's Day gift for one couple, while in the Madoc area along Preston Road, the season's first reported AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER showed up. North of Marmora, off Beaver Creek Road, a PILEATED WOODPECKER was hammering away at a suet bar in one backyard, and PILEATED WOODPECKERS also turned up at a feeder in Trenton, and in backyards at Lake on the Mountain. Along the Stinson Block, there was a PILEATED, a male HAIRY and a male DOWNY WOODPECKER all working away noisily on a single tree. A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER continues to visit a feeder on George's Road while one house away on the same road a NORTHERN FLICKER is surviving on berries from a vine on the house. The scattered WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS that had been coming to several feeders across the region have seemingly departed although two are still at a feeder at Allisonville. A NORTHERN HARRIER visited a feeder this week west of Wellington and there were the usual scattered sightings of backyard COOPER'S and SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS along with RED-TAILED HAWKS, and an AMERICAN KESTREL that continues to be seen in the Allisonville area. While backyard owners are urged to naturalize their properties with native shrubs and trees to encourage wildlife, backyards not established yet still have considerable potential as evidenced by one west end Big Island property that had upwards of 50 SNOW BUNTINGS until this week, replaced by two HORNED LARKS this week. Up to 50 or more COMMON REDPOLLS are feeding there as well, and numbers remain high at many feeders across the county. One Bloomfield feeder has 75 COMMON REDPOLLS and 40 PINE SISKINS, and a Lake on the Mountain feeder still averages about 50 COMMON REDPOLLS on a regular basis. Overall, the population of winter PINE SISKINS appears to be dropping, although 45 are still coming to a Belleville feeder. Over 100 finches consisting of AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, PINE SISKINS, COMMON REDPOLLS and PURPLE FINCHES are regulars at an Allisonville feeder. There is a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH at a Murney Street feeder in Belleville. Other sightings to come in during the week involved an adult BALD EAGLE along Adolphus Reach and 2 COMMON RAVENS in the Stinson Block area west of Consecon. And to whet the appetite for spring, EASTERN BLUEBIRDS (3) at Consecon and 6 along Lighthall Road on the 15th. In the non-bird category, a family of 7 RACCOONS consuming dog kibble at a Crookston Road feeder, a GARTER SNAKE and a WOOLLY BEAR CATERPILLAR, albeit both quite dead, in the Lakeside Drive area of Consecon, and a FISHER at Prince Edward Point. Spring, it's a commin', although we can assume that winter will continue until it is finished. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Chesia and Tom Livingston, Pamela Stagg, Mike Burge & Kathy Felkar, Heather Heron, Peter van der Gulik, Wolfgang Braun, Sandra Dowds, Derek Dafoe, Marilyn Holland-Foster, Donald McClure, Brian Durell, Frank Artes & Carolyn Barnes, Shirley Preston, Henri Garand, Ted Cullin, Janet Foster and Kathleen Rankine for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, February 26th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the Wednesday night deadline. Photo on the Main Birding Page of the Quinte Area Bird Report of a PILEATED WOODPECKER coming to a Marmora area feeder is by Pam Dafoe. Photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report of a RED-TAILED HAWK in flight and the AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER at Madoc are by Susan Shipman and Peter van der Gulik respectively. Terry Sprague Prince Edward County tspra...@kos.net 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 information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
