[Ontbirds]Amherst Island: Barred & L.E. Owls, waterfowl

[Bruce Di Labio]

Hi Ontbirders
    Spent the morning birding Amherst Island with my son Ben. There was lots 
of activity along the south shore with impressive numbers of waterfowl 
including 4500+ Greater Scaup, 2600 Common Goldeneye and 1400 Long-tailed 
Ducks. We also observed small numbers of Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, 
Redhead, Red-breasted Merganser, and Lesser Scaup. In the "Owls Woods" we 
located 2 Barred and 1 Long-eared Owl. The big surprise was an Amercian 
Woodcock in a small patch of open grass which Ben almost stepped on! It flew 
a few feet and landed on another small patch of grass under a spruce tree. 
Hawk sightings included, 12 Rough-legged and 3 Red-tailed Hawk, with most 
either at the east end (KFN property) or just south of Stella. On our drive 
down yesterday, we had a Northern Saw-whet Owl road kill, along Hwy. 401 
near exit 672 and on Tuesday (return from Presqu'ile) I had 2 Barred Owl 
road kills, 1 near exit 579 and another near exit 593. The road into the Owl 
Woods is still covered with snow and we walked in from the south shore road. 
If we have any mild weather I'd recommend water proof foot wear for walking 
around the woods.

                                            good birding, Bruce & Ben

  Directions: Amherst Island: Located 18 km. west of Kingston.  Exit off
Hwy.401 at exit 593 (County Rd. 4, Camden East) and drive south to the very 
end
(Millhaven).
 Turn right on Hwy. 33 and drive 100 metres until you see the sign for the
Amherst Island ferry. The ferry (20 minute trip) leaves the mainland on the
half hour and leaves the island on the hour. Cost is now $8.00 Canadian
round trip. There are no gas stations on the island. There are restrooms on
the ferry, and at the island ferry dock.  The East End K.F.N. property
is at the easternmost part of the island on the east side of the Lower
Forty Foot Road.

Please read below.

Because of liability issues, visitors to the Kingston Field Naturalists'
property at the east end of Amherst Island MUST be accompanied by a KFN
member. For KFN contact information or how to become a member, please visit
http://kingstonfieldnaturalists.org/ ."


Bruce Di Labio
400 Donald B. Munro Drive
P.O.Box 538
Carp,Ontario,K0A 1L0
(613)839-4395 Home (613)715-2571 Cell

Di Labio Birding Website
Courses and Field Trips
http://www3.sympatico.ca/bruce.dilabio/