While not a million ducks (what a site that would be) Popham Bay off Presqu'ile Provincial Park had its first big raft of divers today. About 6000 birds in one big long raft was almost a kilometre offshore. Scope views showed most were scaup, I'm thinking Greater but I could not tell at that distance. Also about 500 Redheads. Around the edge of the raft were 3-4 Horned Grebe and a smaller darker Eared Grebe! Even more distant grebes may have been Red-necked.
Still a few shorebirds Pectoral - 4 Dunlin - 25 Black-bellied Plovers - 24 (all sleeping) Semipalmated Plovers - 9 White-rumped Sandpiper - 8 Semipalmated Sandpiper - 3 Also still a couple of Yellow-rumped Warblers in with the sparrows. To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, exit Hwy. 401 south at exit 509 and follow the signs through 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 on waterfowl hunting days (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. David Bree Natural Heritage Education (NHE) Leader Presqu'ile Provincial Park 328 Presqu'ile Parkway Brighton, ON K0K 1H0 Tel: (613) 475-4324 ext. 225 Fax: (613) 475-2209 _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
