We are in the depths of winter here with almost everthing frozen. The ferry
channels, the south shore of Amherst Island and the Dupont lagoon do offer some
waterfowl viewing as does the open water below the locks in the Rideau Canal
north of Kingston. The variety at Dupont is particularly good with everthing
from swans to coots and lots of diving and puddle ducks. There were 2 Mute and
4 Trumpeter Swans at Washburn last Sunday. Feeder populations are somewhat
static with redpolls and siskins the only winter finches reported.
The KFN had a field trip to Amherst last Sunday and besides finding the
expected owls in the Owl Woods we did have a few unusual birds. At the ferry
dock in Millhaven there was a White-winged Scoter and a N. Pintail in a flock
of several dozen Mallards and Blacks. A Red-necked Grebe was spotted off the
south shore and a forlorn Turkey Vulture was sitting on a fence post.
Away from Amherst there was a Boreal Owl on the Round Lake Road on Monday and
the Lemoine Point Barred Owl and the Cartwright Point Screech Owl both put in
appearances this week.
It has been a great week for Bald Eagles; 5 on Wolfe Island on Sunday, 4 at the
Kingston Airport on Tuesday and that same day another 5 feeding on a deer
carcass off Garden Island. Yesterday one flew by the Psychiatric Hospital. N.
Shrikes have also been widespread this week; in order of appearance: Bellrock,
Wilton Road, Amherst Island, Sillsville and Gananoque. The Peregrine Falcon
roosting at Queen's was seen again this week.
A trip to Point Peninsula in New York State (still within the Kingston 50km
circle) to see the Townsend's Solitaire that has been present since mid
December was successful and also produced a N. Goshawk and a Golden Eagle.
Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs are becoming more common; most of the
sightings were south of Napanee but there were 7 Horned Larks at RMC yesterday.
Other "good birds" this week included a Great Blue Heron at Elginburg last
Friday, an Iceland Gull at the Kingston ferry dock, a Belted Kingfisher at
Chaffey's Lock, a Carolina Wren on McKnight Road, an Am. Robin in Bayridge on
Monday then 10 more at Lemoine Point yesterday, a Rusty Blackbird and 3
Brown-headed Cowbirds at a feeder on the Florida Road on Saturday and the
Varied Thrush continues to visit the feeder near Moscow.
Cheers,
Peter Good
Kingston Field Naturalists
613 378-6605
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