Until today the recent weather has kept most birders away from
Presqu'ile Provincial Park, with the result that sightings have been
more sparse than usual. Nevertheless a few good birds have been seen.
Three species of swans were in Presqu'ile Bay this morning, including a
lone but vocal TRUMPETER SWAN and twenty TUNDRA SWANS. Up to five of
the latter have been in the marsh area all week. The male EURASIAN
WIGEON that has delighted many birders recently was last seen on
November 30. This morning a skim of ice covered part of the area where
it has been feeding, which perhaps has led it to leave, along with the
majority of the AMERICAN WIGEONS. A female wigeon that has been feeding
in close proximity to the male EURASIAN WIGEON and that was the target
of some head bopping on the part of the male, suggestive of courtship,
had plumage characteristics consistent with those of a female of the
rarer species. Other ducks of interest seen recently include a NORTHERN
PINTAIL with MALLARDS at beach 1, the second female KING EIDER in recent
weeks on November 25 off 186 Bayshore Road, a SURF SCOTER in Popham Bay
this morning, two female BLACK SCOTERS off Salt Point on November 25 and
another in Popham Bay on the next day, and a female RUDDY DUCK off Salt
Point on November 25, the first of that species this year at Presqu'ile,
where it is never common. In regard to the BARROW'S GOLDENEYE that has
become an annual fixture at the lighthouse, and which has not been seen
this week, the pattern last year was that a male appeared on November 22
and 23 and then not again until December 8, after which it remained
until mid-March. It is worth watching for this month. Two RED-THROATED
LOONS were in Popham Bay this morning. COMMON LOONS and HORNED GREBES
continue to be seen in small numbers, including one of the latter this
morning. A few DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS are also lingering, mostly
between the calf pasture and Salt Point.
The only noteworthy hawks in the past week were a COOPER'S HAWKK and a
dark morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK that flew over the calf pasture on November
25. There are still over 100 AMERICAN COOTS in the marsh. Shorebirds
have become increasingly scarce: three BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS on November
26 and at least one on the next day. A SANDERLING and three PURPLE
SANDPIPERS were on Gull Island on December 1 and November 27,
respectively. A search by several birders today revealed no PURPLE
SANDPIPERS, but the season for them is not yet over. They often appear
on the Christmas Bird Count. SNOWY OWLS are being seen regularly on all
three of the offshore islands and on a duck blind off 38 Bayshore Road.
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS have become a regular year-round bird at
Presqu'ile and this week has been no exception. A late NORTHERN FLICKER
on November 26 might over-winter if it discovers one or more of the
feeders nearby. NORTHERN SHRIKES have been along Bayshore Road twice
this week. Two COMMON RAVENS were in the Park on November 28. A
CAROLINA WREN continues to visit feeders at 83 Bayshore Road and will
likely remain in the area all winter. The first SONG SPARROW in several
weeks was in the marsh this morning. At least one COMMON GRACKLE
remained in the Bayshore Road area up to November 26. A PURPLE FINCH
has visited two of the Bayshore Road feeders this week, and a
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL flew over one of them.
To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton.
Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid
that is available at the Park gate. Visitors to Gull Island not using a
boat should be prepared to wade through shin-deep water in which there
is often a swift current and a substrate that is somewhat uneven and
slippery. It should also be noted that, because duck hunting is given
priority on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, Gull Island,
High Bluff Island, Owen Point, and part of the calf pasture are not
available for bird-watching on those days. Birders are encouraged to
record their observations on the bird sightings board provided near the
campground office by The Friends of Presqu'ile Park and to fill out a
rare bird report for species not listed there.
Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be
directed to: fhellei...@trentu.ca.
To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton.
Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid
that is available at the Park gate. Visitors to Gull Island not using a
boat should be prepared to wade through shin-deep water in which there
is often a swift current and a substrate that is somewhat uneven and
slippery. It should also be noted that, because duck hunting is given
priority on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, Gull Island,
High Bluff Island, Owen Point, and part of the calf pasture are not
available for bird-watching on those days. Birders are encouraged to
record their observations on the bird sightings board provided near the
campground office by The Friends of Presqu'ile Park and to fill out a
rare bird report for species not listed there.
Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be
directed to: fhellei...@trentu.ca.
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Fred Helleiner
186 Bayshore Road,
Brighton, Ontario, Canada, K0K 1H0
VOICE: (613) 475 5309
If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park.
_______________________________________________
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/
