This is the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory Report for the week of April 13-19, courtesy of David Okines, bander in charge:
COMMON LOONS can be seen going over daily now but usually only in ones or twos. A summer plumaged HORNED GREBE has been seen close to the shore for the last few days, while offshore the number of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS is slowly increasing. WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS numbered 600 on the 16th with LONG-TAILED DUCKS numbering 800 on the 14th, BUFFLEHEADS continue in good numbers with up to 60 feeding around the harbour entrance. A young female NORTHERN GOSHAWK flew out to one of the islands on the 19th. MERLINS were present on the 15th and 18th. BONAPARTE’S GULLS peaked at 3000 on the 18th and the first 2 CASPIAN TERNS arrived on the 18th as well. A BELTED KINGFISHER was seen on the 14th and 17th. The RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was seen again on the 17th while YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS numbered at least 40 on the 14th during a large arrival of birds that day. NORTHERN FLICKERS were around in good numbers all week with peaks of 50 on the 14th and 60 on the 16th, the second flicker intergrade of the spring was banded on the 14th and PILEATED WOODPECKERS were seen on the 14th and 15th. EASTERN PHOEBES numbered 18 on the 14th. A BLUE-HEADED VIREO was seen briefly on the 16th. The first NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW was seen on the 18th and CLIFF SWALLOWS increased to 15 on the 19th. BROWN CREEPERS have been arriving all week with an estimated total of 120 around on the 14th, the first HOUSE WREN of the spring was singing away merrily on the 19th and WINTER WRENS numbered 10 on the 14th.GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS made a big push this week with at least 800 being seen on the 14th with 290 of them being banded, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS increased during the week with peak counts of 100 being noted on the 14th and 16th. The first BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER of the spring was seen on the 18th with two being present the next day. A female EASTERN BLUEBIRD was seen by the banding station for a few minutes on the 17th. Among the large arrival on the 14th were the first HERMIT THRUSHES of the spring, 40 of them. A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD has been seen occasionally in the Duck’s Dive Charters area. The 17th saw the first BROWN THRASHER in the area and three have been singing daily since then. Up to 40 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS have been present all week mixed in with the over 300 CEDAR WAXWINGS. An early MAGNOLIA WARBLER was seen on the 17th and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS are increasing with up to 30 being seen in a day, a few PINE WARBLERS are the only other warblers being seen so far. CHIPPING SPARROWS arrived on the 14th as did at least two VESPER SPARROWS and 3 SAVANNAH SPARROWS. The first FIELD SPARROWS were singing on the 17th. FOX SPARROWS numbered 12 on the 14th and the first SWAMP SPARROW and WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS also arrived that day. DARK-EYED JUNCOS moved during the week with peak counts of 95 on the 14th and 120 on the 16th. The first EASTERN MEADOWLARK of the spring was seen on the 13th. The HARLEQUIN DUCKS reappeared on the 17th and have been seen each day since. In other birding news around Prince Edward County, a ROSS’S GOOSE was present Wednesday and Thursday at the Kaiser Crossroad wetlands. The SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER which first appeared on April 14th along Potter Road, east of Demorestville, was last seen at 7:00 p.m. April 17th. Our thanks to home owner Marlene Bulpit who graciously opened her property to the public so birders could see the bird. Despite extremely dry conditions this spring, a good selection of waterfowl has persisted at the Kaiser Crossroad wetland with 9 to 11 species of waterfowl present daily. Some of the highs have included 225 NORTHERN PINTAILS, 120 RING-NECKED DUCKS, and 34 NORTHERN SHOVELERS. Present this week have been DUNLIN and GREATER YELLOWLEGS. Daily bird sightings can be seen on the Quinte Area Bird Report at www.naturestuff.net . News from the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory can be seen on their website at www.peptbo.ca . Terry Sprague tspra...@kos.net www.naturestuff.net _______________________________________________ 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/
