WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE
WEEK ENDING Thursday, May 24, 2007
A fabulous Birding Festival Week from May 12th ended on the 19th with a
KENTUCKY WARBLER skulking along in some tangles beneath a grove of white
cedars beside the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory building. The bird
was less than 10 metres from the trailer in which I was living that week, a
nice addition to the week's "yard list." The following day a YELLOW-BREASTED
CHAT was banded, bringing the total warbler species seen for the Birding
Festival week, to 31. Warblers continue to be reported with a MOURNING
WARBLER found Thursday just south of the banding station. Today, there were
over 10 BLACKPOLL WARBLERS around, including females, and a CANADA WARBLER
and a WILSON'S were also found. There was a HOODED WARBLER seen on the 21st,
one of several present at Prince Edward Point/Point Traverse since the 12th.
WARBLER numbers have actually been up and down all week. An ORANGE-CROWNED
was trapped on the 18th and another was seen at Point Traverse on the 23rd.
YELLOW WARBLERS peaked at 85 on the 23rd with that day also having 25
CHESTNUT-SIDED, 40 MAGNOLIA, 5 CAPE MAYS, 15 BLACK-THROATED BLUE'S, 30
BLACKBURNIAN'S, 35 BLACKPOLLS, 25 AMERICAN REDSTARTS and 45 COMMON
YELLOWTHROATS, along with a female PINE WARBLER found in Point Traverse.
Ten and 15 SCARLET TANAGERS were found on the 22nd/23rd respectively, and a
female SUMMER TANAGER was on the other side of the harbour in the willows on
the 23rd. WHITE-THROATED and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW numbers have dropped to
almost nothing as have ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS.
The DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS offshore have increased to about 1000 while
the numbers of LONG-TAILED DUCKS and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS have decreased to
about 20 of each. A flock of 95 ATLANTIC BRANT flew past on the 18th, while
on the morning of the 22nd large flocks of BRANT were seen flying north with
the largest flock comprising about 1000 individuals, and a total of 4700
went past in the two hours after sunrise, easily the best spring passage
ever for here. COMMON MERGANSERS are becoming scarce with just one or two a
day being seen in the harbour. Offshore, the RED-BREASTED MERGANSER totals
have dropped to a mere 10 - 20 a day. Two OSPREYS were seen on the 18th and
one was fishing in the harbour on the 24th. The SANDHILL CRANES were heard
again on the 18th and 22nd but are not being reliably seen or heard. The
KILLDEERS up the road have several young running around on the road trying
to avoid the cars, and a GREATER YELLOWLEGS was seen on the 18th. A few
other shorebirds are being seen with SOLITARY and SPOTTED SANDPIPERS being
seen daily around the waters edge and 2 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS were found
on the 18th and 22nd. On the 24th there were 3 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS on the
beach with two flocks of DUNLIN comprising 35 individuals with most in full
summer plumage seen flying past. BONAPARTE'S GULLS (20) were found on the
22nd and a FORSTER'S TERN was seen also seen that day.
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS have arrived in force and 2 - 4 are seen or heard
calling around the area every day, and a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO was heard
today. A COMMON NIGHTHAWK was photographed on the other side of the harbour
roosting on a branch and 2 WHIP-POOR-WILLS were calling on the evening of
the 23rd, and 6 - 10 others were calling along the road from Babylon road to
the Point as well that night. Sixteen CHIMNEY SWIFTS flew around the
buildings on the evening of the 20th and the BELTED KINGFISHER has returned
and is seen almost daily. The RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER has been vocal all week
and a second year RED-HEADED WOODPECKER flew over on the 24th.
First for the year for flycatchers were YELLOW-BELLIED on the 22nd and
TRAILL'S FLYCATCHER banded on the 18th and both WILLOW and ALDER calling in
the Point Traverse Woods on the 23rd. With a change in the direction of the
wind to a more southerly direction on the 23rd/24th there came another
resurgence of spring migrants with at least 20 LEAST FLYCATCHERS, 10 EASTERN
KINGBIRDS and 5 TRAILL'S being seen. Vireos also arrived at that time with
up to 8 WARBLING, 6 PHILADELPHIA and 45 RED-EYEDS being seen. Our ever
secretive COMMON RAVEN was heard again on the 22nd. Twenty PURPLE MARTINS
were seen on the 18th and may be a day record for here. The colonies of
CLIFF SWALLOWS are still building away merrily when there is mud to be found
for their nests, and 12 pairs are now nesting around the Observatory
building. An EASTERN BLUEBIRD was seen on the 21st while other thrushes have
increased with peaks of 20 VEERY, 35 SWAINSON'S and 8 GRAY-CHEEKS on the
23rd. GRAY CATBIRDS also increased that day with 60 counted and a NORTHERN
MOCKINGBIRD graced the lawn on the evening of the 22nd. BROWN THRASHERS
increased to 18 on the 23rd. That other rare bird at Prince Edward Point, a
female HOUSE SPARROW, was seen on the 22nd and 24th.
An unconfirmed report with no details, of a RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD at Prince
Edward Point on May 21st came to my attention this week, while a phone
message from a Montreal birder of a GOLDEN EAGLE at the Point was also of
interest. Kingston birders found YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERS at the Point on
the 21st, and yesterday, those same observers found 2 MERLIN, 3 PHILADELPHIA
VIREOS, a GRAY-CHEEKED and a HERMIT THRUSH and an ORCHARD ORIOLE. Compared
to most years, ORCHARD ORIOLE numbers at Prince Edward Point have been
poor, but have been turning up elsewhere in the county, including a 2nd year
male at 23 Sprague Road on the 20th, and not one, but two, of course, at the
ever popular feeder on Glenora Road, where other highlights there include up
to 10 BALTIMORE ORIOLES and 10 ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS. Few who operate
summer feeders have not had INDIGO BUNTINGS as guests, indicating a strong
migration of this species this spring in the region. WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS
are still at feeders in Wellington, Northport and in Belleville.
Here and there around the reporting area, there 2 CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS
singing on Petticoat Point Road, fondly known by locals as the Hellholes of
the county where high clearance four by fours are a bonus for negotiating
the questionable roads where in some areas the ditches are at a higher level
than the road surface! Three BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS arrived at Sandbanks
Provincial Park on the 22nd, and a lingering YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was
found in the Big Swamp at 2800 County Road 1 the following day.
Unfortunately, the HARRIS'S SPARROW that had been coming to this same
address since mid-February preferred to disappear during the Birdathon,
although many Birdathoners tried for it. A COMMON RAVEN is still being seen
occasionally in the Cape Vesey area. Across the county border, a RED-HEADED
WOODPECKER was seen east of Warkworth on the 13th, and a NORTHERN
MOCKINGBIRD was spotted at Amherstview by a Kingston birder on the 23rd.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area.
Our thanks to David Okines of the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, Dave
Lord, Silvia Botnick, John Waddingham, Bruce Ripley (Kingston), Joanne
Dewey, Marilyn Holland-Foster, Wayne McNulty, Dave Bell, Doris Lane, John &
Janet Foster, , Doris Lane, Doug & Evelyn Sloane, David Bree, Henry Pasila,
Nancy Fox, Fred Chandler and Donn Legate for their contributions to this
week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, May 31st, but
sightings can be e-mailed to me anytime before the 6:00 p.m. Thursday
deadline. Be sure to check out the online version of the Quinte Area Bird
Report where photos this week of a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPERS are by the writer of this report.
Terry Sprague
Prince Edward County
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.naturestuff.net
