[Ontbirds]Kingston area birds to Nov. 22, 2007

[Peter and Jane Good]

Several hundred Tundra Swans were in Button Bay on Wolfe Island last
weekend; their main area of concentration, but there were also 9 on Amherst
Island on Tuesday and 5 in Elevator Bay prompting more than a few
non-birders commuting into the city to ask, " What are those big white
birds?". Still at Elevator Bay, the Eurasian Wigeon was present yesterday.
The white Snow Goose at Bath has apparently moved upstream and is now found
closer to Adolphustown.

Five Black-bellied Plovers and 3 Dunlin on Amherst on Tuesday are probably
the tail end of the shorebird migration.

A raptor survey on Wolfe tallied, among others, 28 N. Harriers, 2 Merlin, a
Bald Eagle and a Turkey Vulture last Saturday. Another Bald Eagle was at
Bedford Mills on Sunday. Accipiters seem to have started their winter feeder
patrol with a Sharp-shinned on the Bur Brook Rd. on Tuesday and a Cooper's
Hawk at Princess and Portsmouth on Wednesday. 

Lingering migrants at feeders included a Fox Sparrow and a Grackle near
Elginburg last weekend, a male Red-winged Blackbird at Bedford Mills today
and another Grackle near Camden East that has been present since the16th. 

The population of winter birds locally is in a state of flux. The flurry of
Evening Grosbeaks and Pine Siskins seems to be over; the last 4 grosbeaks
reported were at Camden East last Friday and only 3 siskins were mentioned
all week. However Common Redpolls and Pine Grosbeaks have shown up all over
the place. Redpolls were in Amherstview, Elginburg and on Wolfe Island last
weekend and 5 visited a feeder in Camden East today. The high count for the
week was 47 at Bedford Mills on Wednesday. Pine Grosbeaks were equally
widespread but in smaller numbers; 6 in Calvin Park on Friday, 2 at Camden
East on Saturday, 6 at Bedford Mills on Monday, 2 on Amherst on Tuesday, and
a flock of several(?) near Verona yesterday. Twelve Bohemian Waxwings were
at Elginburg on Sunday and 30 Snow Buntings flitted over Amherst Island on
Tuesday.

There were two unusual sightings this week; common birds but very late. A
Black-and-white Warbler was found just east of the city and a Broad-winged
Hawk was on the Queen's campus. Both were seen last Saturday.

Cheers,

Peter Good

Kingston Field Naturalists

613 378-6605