[Ontbirds]Quinte Area Bird Report for week ending March 13, 2008

[Terry Sprague]

WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK ENDING
Thursday, March 13, 2008

A rather interesting week with a nice blend of some new arrivals, a few old standbys and some rather bizarre behaviour. EUROPEAN STARLINGS were certainly in the news as many operators of bird feeders are starting to see increased numbers of these birds in their backyards as early migrants join those that wintered in the area. Flocks of 50 and more were routinely reported this week. In the Milford area, one resident there was surprised to see one starling snatch a stunned BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE that had flown against a window, then fly off with it, presumably to consume it. 

Saturday's snowfall resulted in lots of increased activity at local feeders. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS by now have likely regretted their early arrival in the county, but this hardy species is showing no indication of that as many dozens take advantage of offerings in local backyards. Another early arrival, the HORNED LARK, is also extending its search for food as deep snow all but covers most food sources. One west Big Island resident was both pleased and surprised to see 5 last week at his feeders beside the house,  which have since decided that this is where it's at, feeding alternately on niger seed and cracked corn every day. Elsewhere in the county, HORNED LARKS are doing well, apparent by over 300 seen by one birder during the course of his travels yesterday. A flock of 80 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS arrived on Ridge Road this week and eagerly consumed a crop of highbush cranberries, a food source usually reserved for desperate times, and this was obviously it. At the same address there was an EASTERN BLUEBIRD where individuals have appeared off an on all winter. At Cape Vesey, a resident pair of COMMON RAVENS routinely visit a backyard compost pile.

A sign that winter has a way to go yet was reflected in a flock of over 100 SNOW BUNTINGS seen yesterday along County Road 5 near Bethel Road. And lots of smaller groups reported across the region. CEDAR WAXWINGS (32) turned up along County Road 3 in the Albury area. One designated feeding area, some distance from a house at South Bay, for obvious reasons, is regularly visited by a group of 49 WILD TURKEYS who come daily, and after filling their bellies,  leave in single file. COMMON REDPOLLS have decreased in numbers at most feeders, although 50 were at a feeder along County Road 12 at Sandbanks today, and 20 are still coming to a feeder along Glenora Road where a PINE SISKIN also showed up yesterday. Along County Road 1 at Consecon Lake, a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW is visiting a feeder there and a NORTHERN FLICKER was seen Tuesday along County Road 12 at West Lake. 

Four BALD EAGLES were spotted during the week over Adolphus Reach, east of Lake on the Mountain, and a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, uncommon in these parts during winter, was seen yesterday along a portion of County Road 5, known locally as Yerexville in the area of County Road 34. Near Tweed, a female NORTHERN GOSHAWK spent over a half hour pursuing 4 uncooperative red squirrels, before finally capturing one unwary individual who had appeared from the nearby woods to see what all the excitement was about. There was the usual complement of SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS and COOPER'S HAWKS at feeeders, and one feeder south of Stirling had a NORTHERN SHRIKE. On Ridge Road, a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK there caught and consumed a EUROPEAN STARLING, perhaps a little too far away for it to be the same starling that consumed the chickadee!

Waterfowl watching continues to be difficult due to ice conditions at favourite viewing areas, and has been furthered hampered at Wellington Harbour by construction work on a new wharf - the same wharf that normally holds spotting scopes! However, other areas have fared better. Three TRUMPETER SWANS unexpectedly turned up at Consecon Lake today, but were too far away to read the tag numbers. A pair of HOODED MERGANSERS was also present. Barcovan is also experiencing noise, with dredging work on its channel but doesn't appear to be affecting the waterfowl present there. Today, there were mostly MUTE SWANS and CANADA GEESE, interspersed with GREATER SCAUP, RING-NECKED DUCKS, REDHEADS, 1 WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE, AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, MALLARDS, a male NORTHERN PINTAIL and both COMMON and HOODED MERGANSERS. Yesterday, there was a GREEN-WINGED TEAL present. What were probably two MUTE SWANS passed over the Queensboro Road area north of Madoc this week as two had been reported in the area all last summer. Waterfowl are scattered at Prince Edward Point with COMMON GOLDENEYE, BUFFLEHEAD and WHITE-WINGED SCOTER present yesterday. Three HOODED MERGANSER were seen in the Outlet River at Sandbanks and 20 CANADA GEESE were counted sitting on a large ice island near Kaiser Crossroad. In Prince Edward Bay at Cape Vesey, GREATER SCAUP and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS have been noted. Two MUTE SWANS checked out the frozen wetlands on Friday at Adolphustown Park. Until the water softens up a bit more, life ain't easy for waterfowl these days. 

An interesting sighting from the Glendon Green boat launch in East Lake at the Outlet River yesterday involved two TRUMPETER SWANS #s 052 and #952 with one taking off way out over East Lake, and then returning to land, all the time calling back and forth with the one left on the river. When it landed again a MUTE SWAN immediately charged after it across the water. The TRUMPETER SWAN completely ignored the charge and the MUTE SWAN just slowed, stopped, and then swam away. "I would have at least flinched!" said the observer. 

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte Area. Our thanks to Pamela Stagg, Janet Mooney, Joanne Dewey, Cheryl Anderson, Ken & Shirley Joyce, Henri Garand, Donn Legate, Bill Leet, Carol Ward, Frank Artes & Carolyn Barnes, Silvia Botnick, Jess Chambers, Marilyn Holland-Foster, Bill Hogg, John Charlton, John & Janet Foster and David Bree for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, March 20th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the 6:00 p.m. Thursday deadline. Featured photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report include a COOPER'S HAWK by Donna Fano and an AMERICAN CROW by Dave Bell, both of Belleville. Photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website of a spring arrival of AMERICAN ROBINS in South Glenns Falls, NY is by Sandra Morgan.

Terry Sprague
Prince Edward County
tsprague at kos.net
www.naturestuff.net