After a short hiatus the Kingston Area Bird report is back. There were no major confirmed rarities to report from this past week.
City of Kingston A COOPER'S HAWK was seen eating a ROCK PIGEON along Front Road. An ICELAND GULL was at Kingston Mills. Also reported from this location was a possible VEGA GULL; local birders should be on the lookout for this rare subspecies of herring gull. The lagoons at Elevator Bay had MUTE SWAN, GADWALL, AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, RING-NECKED DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE, AMERICAN COOT and a MERLIN. The long-staying PINE WARBLER remained in Lake Ontario Park, where a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and an AMERICAN ROBIN were also present. The long-staying NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD at Bath and Gardiners Roads was also seen. Amherst Island A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was west of Stella along Front Road. Other notable birds on AI included TUNDRA and TRUMPETER SWANS, BALD EAGLE, RED-TAILED HAWK, SNOWY OWL, AMERICAN KESTREL, NORTHERN SHRIKE, both WAXWINGS and some LAPLAND LONGSPURS mixed in with the SNOW BUNTINGS. Waterbirds could be found along the south shore, in the ferry channel and in several patches of open water off the island's east end; they included AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, AMERICAN WIGEON, REDHEAD, GREATER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE and COMMON MERGANSER. Howe Island Notable birds from this less commonly birded island included TUNDRA SWAN, BALD EAGLE, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD and 1 RUSTY BLACKBIRD. Opinicon Road & Area A rather larger flock of 114 WILD TURKEYS was on Clear Lake Road near Crosby. BALD EAGLES were widespread in the area. An EASTERN SCREECH-OWL was at Queen's University Biological Station (QUBS). The feeders at QUBS attracted many COMMON REDPOLLS, AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, both NUTHATCHES and the other usual species. A CAROLINA WREN, up to 36 TRUMPETER SWANS and a RING-NECKED DUCK were at Chaffey's Lock. Wolfe Island The big island was nearly devoid of raptors and owls aside from a handful of AMERICAN KESTRELS, a SNOWY OWL and a BARRED OWL. A large flock of 700 SNOW BUNTINGS was also reported, as were 15 HORNED LARKS. Other Observations A COOPER'S HAWK was at Lower Brewers Mills and a BELTED KINGFISHER was at Upper Brewers Mills. A WINTER WREN was at Westport. A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was at a Westbrook feeder. A PURPLE FINCH (rare in the Kingston Region this winter) was in eastern Prince Edward County. Five HORNED LARKS were at the Violet Dump. Thanks to all those you submitted observations this week. Mark -- Mark Andrew Conboy Operations & Research Assistant and Outreach Coordinator Queen’s University Biological Station 280 Queen's University Road Elgin, Ontario, Canada K0G 1E0 phone: 613-359-5629 fax: 613-533-6617 email: mark.con...@queensu.ca or mcon...@lakeheadu.ca QUBS website: http://www.queensu.ca/qubs/index.html QUBS blog: http://opinicon.wordpress.com/ QUBS flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/qubsoutreach/ _______________________________________________ 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/
