WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK OF Thursday, April 16, 2009
It has been said that the early bird gets the worm, but this one really jumped the gun! A male INDIGO BUNTING turned up at a feeder early this morning east of Lake on the Mountain. The previous earliest ever arrival date was April 23rd, set in 2003 south of Picton. Other new arrivals this past week have been EASTERN TOWHEE on Gorsline Road and YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER on Fry Road, both on April 11th. Two sapsuckers also showed up near the west end of Victoria Road a few days later. A GREEN HERON along the Millennium Trail north of Wellington was added on April 13th. The first BONAPARTE'S GULL at the Prince Edward Point Harbour and a FIELD SPARROW lured in by pishing at the Point Traverse Woods, both on the 14th, were also new this week. The second BARN SWALLOW of the season was seen at 2800 County Road 1 on the 14th, and at least 4 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS at Prince Edward Point, also on the 14th. With temperatures still a bit on the cool side all week, arrivals have been slow in building up their numbers. However, PURPLE MARTINS which arrived during a driving snow fall at Consecon on the 7th have increased to seven now, another VESPER SPARROW was at Prince Edward Point on the 14th, and BELTED KINGFISHERS, BROWN CREEPERS, WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, NORTHERN HARRIERS, OSPREYS, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS and EASTERN PHOEBES have all increased in numbers. Three YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS showed up at Rutherford Stevens Lookout near Black River on the 15th, but probably represent individuals that had overwintered in the area rather than early migrants, judging from the plumage. A CASPIAN TERN was at Horse Point in the Massassauga area this week, as well as at Muscote Bay (perhaps the same one) and a SHORT-EARED OWL surprised one motorist travelling along Elmbrook Road on the 10th. A CAROLINA WREN was found this morning along Black Road near Demorestville. At feeders, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS were reported still visiting a few feeders across the region, and PINE SISKINS continue to frequent feeders in two and threes and sometimes fours, in Waupoos, Thurlow, Lake on the Mountain, Bloomfield, and at two locations in Belleville. PURPLE FINCHES are at feeders along County Road 1, Victoria Road and at Picton. Nesting, or showing indications thereof, include a pair of AMERICAN KESTRELS occupying a cavity in the side of a barn south of Picton, and OSPREYS at Carrying Place and Zwick's Park in Belleville. In the Tweed area, one couple watched as a RED-TAILED HAWK landed on the ground near some feeders in pursuit of a meadow vole, only to be mobbed by seven WILD TURKEY hens who raced over and formed a half fan around the hawk with wings spread widely. In apparent startled surprise, the hawk returned the gesture with its own wings, then lifted off and returned to a nearby tree. In the Madoc/Marmora area this week, was it a potential nesting site or just two PILEATED WOODPECKERS responding to the natural hum of hydro lines as the two enthusiastically excavated a hole in the pole? And if you are having problems with geese on the front lawn comments one contributor, enlist the services of a MUTE SWAN. One at Consecon Lake patrols a shoreline there regularly that it has claimed as its own territory and vehemently drives off any geese that approach the area. Waterfowl highs at the Kaiser Crossroad flooded cornfields were CANADA GOOSE (1,500), GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (1), MALLARDS (30), AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS (10), BUFFLEHEADS (9), NORTHERN PINTAIL (300), AMERICAN WIGEON (134), AMERICAN COOT (3), REDHEADS (4), GADWALL (4), GREEN-WINGED TEAL (54), BLUE-WINGED TEAL (2), WOOD DUCK (5), and RING-NECKED DUCK (44). Other species present at Kaiser have been WILSON'S SNIPE, TURKEY VULTURES, GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, TREE SWALLOWS (50), NORTHERN HARRIERS, RED-TAILED HAWK. The MALLARD/AMERICAN BLACK DUCK hybrid is also still present. At Muscote Bay, LESSER SCAUP there numbered between 300 and 400 during the week, RING-NECKED DUCKS (50), and lesser numbers of BUFFLEHEADS and COMMON MERGANSERS. There was a WOOD DUCK at Lake on the Mountain this week, and a SNOW GOOSE was seen with about 200 CANADA GEESE as they flew over the Massassauga area. And the best duck of the week had to be a BARROW'S GOLDENEYE on Muscote Bay this morning by a researcher who was doing point counts in the area. The Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory opened for the spring season on April 11th. COMMON LOONS have started migrating and up to 7 have been seen daily as they fly over. DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS are starting to be seen and up to 25 have been recorded going over. WOOD DUCKS are paired up and in the swamp, while offshore up to a 1000 LONG-TAILED DUCKS are present, up to 60 BUFFLEHEADS are being seen outside the harbour and a few WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS are moving as well. Eight SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS went over on the 16th and 1-2 a day are being seen daily. A RUFFED GROUSE has been drumming for short periods of time most days and a few WILD TURKEYS can be heard "gobbling" away. BONAPARTE'S GULLS are passing by and 50 were seen on the 16th, single CASPIAN TERNS were seen on the 11th and 12th. In the woods, MOURNING DOVES already have eggs and a few YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS are being seen. NORTHERN FLICKERS numbered 40 on the 15th. Two to four EASTERN PHOEBES are in the area. Up to 8 TREE SWALLOWS are present and are fighting over the nest boxes and the first BARN SWALLOW was found on the 10th. Two resident BLUE JAYS are being seen daily and 6 migrants went over on the 16th. A COMMON RAVEN was seen on the 13th while small numbers of BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES were moving on the 11th and 13th. A WINTER WREN was seen on the 16th and BROWN CREEPERS are starting to arrive and peaked at 24 on the 15th. That other small spring migrant the GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET is starting to appear and numbered 20 on the 15th. Small numbers of AMERICAN ROBINS and CEDAR WAXWINGS are being seen and EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were seen on the 14th (2) and 16th (1). Single HERMIT THRUSHES were banded on the 14th and 15th. Occasional AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS are being seen or heard and SONG SPARROWS are singing away merrily. An early SWAMP SPARROW was trapped on the 14th and DARK-EYED JUNCOS arrived in force on the 15th when 100 were seen. A RUSTY BLACKBIRD flew over on the 12th and two went over on the 16th. A few PINE SISKINS are coming to the feeders as are a few PURPLE FINCHES. Bird of the week was a female SNOWY OWL at the start of the National Wildlife Area and a bird seen 1 km from there may have been a second one as it looked very pale as it flushed from a roadside fence. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area, Our thanks to David Okines of the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, Borys Holowacz, Kathy Felkar and Mike Burge, Joanne Dewey, Pamela Stagg, Janet Foster, Russ Williams, John Charlton, R. Burrell, Nancy Fox, Steven Draper, Wayne McNulty, Virginia Cresswell-Jones, Henry Pasilla, John & Margaret Moore, Lyle Anderson, Frank Artes & Carolyn Barnes, Garry Kirsch, Mike & Joyce Jaques, Heather Heron, Laura Pierce, Nancy Smits, Henri Garand, Anne Potter, Cathy Anderson, Fiona King, John Blaney, Jon Pleizier, and Brock Burr for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, April 23rd, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the Wednesday night deadline. Featured photos this week are all by Adam Penson of Toronto. These are incredible shots and include two TREE SWALLOWS quarrelling (main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website), and a male and female EASTERN BLUEBIRD in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report. 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/
