Today was the last day of the Prince Edward County Birding Festival and
while the summer tanager was nowhere to be seen today, there were plenty of
other birds to keep everyone happy today. Twenty-three species of warblers
were tallied in the Point Traverse Woods and at the banding station, not
quite reaching Friday's combined incredible high of 27 warbler species.
Present today on the 8:00 a.m. guided walk were NORTHERN PARULA,
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER, TENNESSEE WARBLERS, CAPE MAY and BAY-BREASTED
WARBLERS, BLACK-THROATED GREEN and BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS and AMERICAN
REDSTARTS highlighting the most numerous species. A single BLACKPOLL WARBLER
and another CERULEAN WARBLER turned up as well. INDIGO BUNTING, WOOD THRUSH,
BLUE-HEADED VIREO and numerous WARBLING and RED-EYED VIREOS were also
tallied. COMMON LOON and a scattering of LONG-TAILED DUCKS were present, but
the HARLEQUIN DUCKS were last seen on Friday after a grand finale of no
fewer than 9 individuals.
Our thanks to everyone from Toronto, Ottawa, Barrie, Haliburton,
Peterborough, Hamilton, Tweed and Quebec, just to name a few of the place
names that cropped up in conversation who supported the event this spring by
their attendance. Nearly 80 birders joined us on the morning walks and
hundreds of others were present who birded on their own. Although the
Festival is over, the birding continues as long as there are birds present
to find. The well worn trails are still available to the public and the
benches will remain in the Point Traverse Woods until the first of June.
Bird banding continues at the Observatory until the end of this month. It
was a slow start to the season, but it ended in a cacophony of bird song
this past weekend, certainly the best birding that I have experienced in my
50 years of active birding.
To reach Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, take Main Street from
the east end of downtown Picton, down the "Town Hill", and turn immediately
right onto Union Street (directly across from Tip of the Bay Motel). Follow
Union Street out of Picton (becomes County Road 8) for 2.5 km, and at the
junction in the highway, follow County Road 17. Take County Road 17 for 6.5
km and look for the Black River Cheese sign, and turn left onto County Road
16 and follow for 1 km to the Stop sign at County Road 13. Follow County
Road 13 past Black River Cheese for 23.6 km to the Prince Edward Point
National Wildlife Area (County Road 13 eventually becomes Long Point Road).
Follow Long Point Road until you begin passing the Point Traverse Woods and
trails on the left and the Observatory a half kilometre farther along.
Terry Sprague
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/
