Hi Ontbirds,
About a dozen masochistic birders joined me for a walk around Gull
Island this morning in fairly appalling conditions (wind driven slush)
to see if any Purple Sandpipers had managed to hang in through a week
of intense cold, and in fact, we did see one Purple, as well as some
other pretty good birds.
Highlights:
3 Harlequin Ducks - a pair together and a single male several hundred
meters away off the west tip of Gull Is. in a loose group of Long-
tailed Ducks.
1 Purple Sandpiper - east end of Gull Is.
1 Dunlin - feeding with the Purple on the eastern tip of Gull Is.
1 Hoary Redpoll - this was unexpected; a single Hoary feeding alone in
weeds at the eastern tip of Gull Island, then flying east toward Owen
Pt.; earlier 2 Common Redpolls were also seen.
1 Black Scoter - female off the lighthouse (no sign of the Barrow's
Goldeneye here but conditions were not the best).
26 American Pipit - western end of Gull Is. - large number for so late.
2 Iceland Gull - off the north shore of Gull Is.; one in water and one
on offshore gravel bar - both 2nd winter.
1 Barred Owl - north of Chatterton Pt. sitting out in the rain.
35 Bonaparte's Gull - flying around Gull Is.
20 Snow Bunting - Gull Is. and Owen Pt.
Cheers,
Doug McRae
Presqu'ile is located south of Brighton, on the north shore of Lake
Ontario. From Hwy 401 take the Brighton exit and go south into town,
from there follow the provincial park signs to Presqu'ile. Park
brochures available at the gate, have maps showing the location of
Gull Island and other points of interest.
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