This is the August 26th report from the Prince Edward Point Bird
Observatory, submitted by Station Manager David Okines.
Things have really picked up at the Observatory since
last week. COMMON LOONS were seen moving on the 23rd and 25th, 4 GREAT BLUE
HERONS were seen in the harbour on the 25th. 4 BLACK-CROWNED HERONS that
flew into the harbour at dusk on the 25th were only the 4th fall record.
CANADA GEESE have been increasing and numbered 177 in the harbour on the
25th. Up to 220 MALLARDS are being seen daily and 2-4 BLUE-WINGED TEALS can
usually be seen amongst them.
An OSPREY went over on the 25th and BALD EAGLES are being seen regularly, 11
BROAD-WINGED HAWKS flew over on the 26th and a female MERLIN is being seen
daily. 6 LESSER YELLOWLEGS flew down the harbour on the 23rd, SPOTTED
SANDPIPERS are being seen daily and 3 LEAST SANDPIPERS were found on the
26th. 8 BONAPARTE'S GULLS were seen offshore on the 24th and a COMMON TERN
flew over on the 21st calling noisily. BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO'S are still
present and a recently fledged young bird was trapped on the 24th along with
its mum.
Late August is also the time for COMMON NIGHTHAWKS to move and 11 were seen
on the 24th and 63 passed over in three flocks on the 25th. 2 OLIVE-SIDED
FLYCATCHERS were seen on the 24th and the first EASTERN WOOD PEWEE was noted
on the 21st. A small influx of flycatchers on the 26th included 15
YELLOW-BELLIED and 6 LEAST. The first PHILADELPHIA VIREO of the fall was
trapped on the 24th and at least 20 RED-EYED VIREOS were seen on the 26th. A
few BLUE JAYS, numbering at least 25 were seen on the 25th and start the
fall migration of that species.
On the 24th a movement of swallows included 100 TREE SWALLOWS, 25 PURPLE
MARTINS, 40 NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS, 80 BANKS SWALLOWS, 40 CLIFF
SWALLOWS and at least 300 BARN SWALLOWS, a CHIMNEY SWIFT that blundered into
a net was banded and is new to the all time fall banding list. CEDAR WAXWING
numbers are increasing and 120 were seen on the 25th.
Firsts for the fall were BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS, BLACKPOLL WARBLERS
and OVENBIRDS on the 24th. BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS first started
really moving on the 24th when 15 were noted with at least 10 seen the
following day. An arrival on the 26th saw the first thrushes of the fall
with 5 VEERY and 4 SWAINSON'S being trapped. Also seen were 18 species of
warbler, including 7 TENNESSEE, 11 NASHVILLE, 15 CHESTNUT-SIDED, 60
MAGNOLIAS, 15 BLACK-THROATED BLUES, 20 BLACKPOLLS, 15 BLACK-AND-WHITES, 40
AMERICAN REDSTARTS, 12 WILSON'S and 7 CANADA'S.
After a quiet, wet and windy start to the week BOBOLINKS moved in earnest on
the 24th and 25th when 96 and 131 were trapped, estimates for those two days
were 200 and 250 seen. 10 BALTIMORE ORIOLES were seen on the 21st and PURPLE
FINCHES have been seen twice this week.
Bird of the week was a GLOSSY IBIS that was seen on the 23rd for about 5
minutes among the loafing MALLARDS on a shingle spit at the entrance to the
harbour, it was preening itself and it did not stay long, disappearing when
the MALLARDS were flushed by something.
For a summary of birds seen elsewhere in the Quinte area, look under BIRDING
from the Main Menu of the NatureStuff website at www.naturestuff.net .
Updates made daily.
Terry Sprague
Prince Edward County
tspra...@kos.net
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