Hi Everyone Today, December 21st spent a few hours birding Presqu'ile. On Gull island I observed a flock of 8 Purple Sandpiper and there were 3 Snowy owls on High Bluff Island. One of the Snowy Owls made an attempt at a group of ducks but came up short. It was amazing to watch how agile these owls are while hunting. Other birds of prey included Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk and a male Northern Harrier. At Calf Pasture an immature Bald Eagle was noted and a Northern Shrike. At Amherst Island yesterday, December 20th, I recorded 5 Snowy Owl at the east end of the island and 12 Short-eared Owls at along Front Road between Stella and the east end of Amherst Island. Other highlights included 1 Purple Sandpiper on the gravel bar, 1 Marsh Wren in the cattails west of gravel bar, 1 Savannah Sparrow near the ponds and a late Killdeer along South Shore Road. Good Birding, Bruce
Directions: Courtesy Fred Helleiner: 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. Directions: Amherst Island: Located 18 km. west of Kingston. Exit off Hwy. 401 at exit 593 (County Rd. 4, Camden East) and drive south to the very end (Millhaven). Turn right on Hwy. 33 and drive 100 metres until you see the sign for the Amherst Island ferry. The ferry (20 minute trip) leaves the mainland on the half hour and leaves the island on the hour. Cost is $9.00 Canadian round trip. There are no gas stations on the island. There are restrooms on the ferry, and at the island ferry dock. The East End K.F.N. property is at the easternmost part of the island on the east side of the Lower Forty Foot Road. Because of liability issues, visitors to the Kingston Field Naturalists' property at the east end of Amherst Island MUST be accompanied by a KFN member. For KFN contact information or how to become a member, please visit http://kingstonfieldnaturalists.org/ ." Di Labio Birding Website Courses and Field Trips http://www.dilabiobirding.ca http://www.brucedilabio.blogspot.com Bruce Di Labio 400 Donald B. Munro Drive P.O. Box 538 Carp, Ontario K0A 1L0 Office 613-839-4395 Cell 613-715-2571 _______________________________________________ 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/
