[Ontbirds] Presqu'ile Birding Report for Week Ending December 27, 2007.

[Fred Helleiner]

Birding at Presqu'ile Provincial Park has taken a back seat in the past 
week to holiday celebrations and to weather conditions on Sunday that 
would discourage even the most fanatical birders from going out.  
However, the mild temperatures have allowed Presqu'ile Bay to open up as 
far west as the government dock, and that has provided good waterfowl 
viewing conditions.  With luck, similar conditions will prevail on New 
Year's Day for the re-scheduled Christmas Bird Count.

The hundreds of Mute Swans in Presqu'ile Bay should be searched 
carefully with a spotting scope, as there are a few Tundra Swans and a 
Trumpeter Swan that have been seen among them in recent days.  A female 
Canvasback that was near Salt Point on December 22 has not been 
re-located, but the flock of Redheads in that area has grown to about 80 
birds.  A female Harlequin Duck was at the lighthouse on December 22, 
and may still be in the area.  White-winged Scoters are seen daily 
between there and the government dock.  A male Barrow's Goldeneye that 
showed up late this afternoon (December 27) near the lighthouse may be 
the same individual that was there almost three weeks ago.

An adult and an immature Bald Eagle were seen on December 21, and the 
immature has been seen twice since then.  A Cooper's Hawk flew out over 
Presqu'ile Bay from the lighthouse on December 21 and another large 
accipiter was briefly spotted at the lighthouse on the next day.  Two 
Ruffed Grouse seen in the past couple of days need to be on their 
guard.  On Christmas Day a Barred Owl sitting over the road beside 
Denson cottage posed for a photograph.

An American Coot has been a regular sighting between the government dock 
and Salt Point and will likely remain at least until the next time the 
bay freezes over.  The only Iceland Gull sighting this week was on 
December 24.

A Northern Shrike was at the calf pasture on December 26.  Carolina 
Wrens continue to frequent the feeders at 83 and 186 Bayshore Road.  A 
flock of 26 American Robins near the end of Bayshore Road twice this 
week was the largest in the Park since early November.  Three European 
Starlings that appeared on December 26 on a newly snow-free lawn near 
the lighthouse were the first this winter except for the flock on the 
islands at the west end of the Park.  Could they be responding already 
to a gradually lengthening photoperiod?  Neither Cedar Waxwings nor 
Bohemian Waxwings have been seen at Presqu'ile this winter, though the 
former were just outside the Park this week and either species could be 
expected in the Park wherever there is a berry crop.  The only place 
that appears to be harbouring White-throated Sparrows is at 83 Bayshore 
Road.  A loose group of Common Grackles has been opportunistically 
sampling various feeders along that road.  About eight Pine Grosbeaks 
were seen on December 26.  About 80 Common Redpolls are moving around 
the east end of the peninsula.  On three occasions when they were 
visiting the feeders at 186 Bayshore Road a Hoary Redpoll was identified 
among them.

To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton.  
Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid 
that is available at the Park gate. Gull Island is no longer an island, 
the connection to the mainland having been established several months 
ago.  The surrounding shoreline can be very slippery.

Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be 
directed to: FHELLEINER at TRENTU.CA.


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Fred Helleiner

186 Bayshore Road,
Brighton, Ontario, Canada, K0K 1H0
VOICE: (613) 475 5309
If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park.