Migrating warblers, flycatchers and vireos are still abundant; a
Yellow-throated Vireo was at Bedford Mills last Saturday and an Eastern
Kingbird at Gananoque yesterday. Eastern Wood-Pewees were widespread all week.
There was a significant overflight of thrushes in the wee hours of Sept. 14th;
close to 4000 Swaison's and almost a thousand Gray-cheeked Thrushes were
tallied.
The full moon had a Barred Owl calling at Bedford Mills and an E. Screech Owl
at Camden East.
Shorebirds continue to be the most widely reported group with the bar on
Amherst Island being the most productive spot. Last Saturday there were 4 Red
Knots, 6 Sanderling and a Pectoral Sandpiper. By Sunday the number of knots and
Sanderling had increased and were joined by an Am. Golden and 2 Black-bellied
Plovers and a Baird's Sandpiper. Yesterday the mix had changed yet again and
there were 2 Am. Golden and 9 Black-bellied Plovers, 42 Sanderling, 7
White-rumped Sandpipers and a single Red Knot. The Amherstview lagoons still
have the Long-billed Dowitcher (it has been there since Aug. 12th) and it is
joined on occasion by one or two Short-billed. A pair of Ruddy Turnstones at
Charleston Lake last Saturday was a bit out of the ordinary.
Other noteworthy sightings included a flock of 17 E. Meadowlarks near Gananoque
and 7 Common Loons on Charleston Lake last Saturday, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet at
Bedford Mills on Saturday and three more on Amherst Island on Wednesday. There
were 34 Bonaparte's Gulls and a Pied-billed Grebe at the lagoons and 3 Common
Terns on Amherst on Wednesday. A Dark-eyed Junco at Elginburg on Wednesday was
certainly a sign of things to come.
The best bird of the week was a Franklin's Gull on the bar at the east end of
Amherst Island last Saturday. It was well seen and photographed but did not
linger.
Cheers,
Peter Good
Kingston Field Naturalists
613 378-6605
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ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial
birding organization.
Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca
For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
