[Ontbirds]Kingston area birds to Feb. 29, 2008

[Peter and Jane Good]

At -25C it is very hard indeed to think of spring although it is the time of
year when things should start to happen. I can't imagine that there is any
open water so those few foolhardy waterfowl that are still around will be
confined to the Dupont lagoon or the ferry channels to Amherst and Wolfe.
There were 2 Mute Swans in the lagoon last weekend and 5 Tundra Swans were
seen on Wolfe last Sunday.

As well as the usual Red-tailed and Rough-legged Hawks there were 5 Snowy
Owls and a Merlin on Wolfe on Sunday. Other raptors reported included 2 Bald
Eagles in Frontenac P.P. on the 22nd.

The Red-breasted Nuthatch continues to visit the Bedford Mills feeder along
with a Brown Creeper. There were 3 more Brown Creepers and a Winter Wren
found in Frontenac P.P. last Friday.

Large flocks of Common Redpolls continue to visit local feeders with up to 2
Hoaries at Bedford Mills all week and a singleton at Camden East yesterday.
Three Pine Grosbeaks were in Camden East on Tuesday and a lone Evening
Grosbeak was at Bedford Mills yesterday. Seventy-five House Finches at Bath
late last week were the largest concentration reported all winter and a Song
Sparrow at the Cataraqui Conservation Area last Saturday was the first for
the year in the Kingston area.

Cheers,
Peter Good
Kingston Field Naturalists
613 378-6605