[Ontbirds]Quinte Area Bird Report for week ending May 15, 2008

[Terry Sprague]

WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK ENDING
Thursday, May 15, 2008


The Prince Edward County Birding Festival started on the 10th and 29 species of warblers have been seen so far, making for a lot of happy birders. The woods at Point Traverse and at the Observatory have had a few good days and a few quiet ones but there has always been something to see. A very nearsighted RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD was seen hovering in front of the red breast patch of a ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK in the Point Traverse Woods this week, and in the same woods, a BALTIMORE ORIOLE early in the week was giving an almost perfect rendition of a Carolina Wren song! While most of the attention was focussed on Prince Edward Point this week, a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was seen by one party behind the Maple Rest Heritage House at Sandbanks Provincial Park on Monday, and three BLACK TERNS showed up nearby the same day.

Daily birding tours at Prince Edward Point have enjoyed great attendance with nearly capacity crowds every day. The birding walks in the Point Traverse Woods conclude Sunday morning, and banding demonstrations at the Observatory will also wrap up this coming weekend.. BRANT started moving on the 11th when 400 went past and they were followed by 18 the next day and 40 on the 14th. Many people have watched the SURF SCOTERS off Point Traverse on most days this week and on the 10th all three species of SCOTER were recorded there. LONG-TAILED DUCKS have decreased to about 100 offshore now and WHITE- WINGED SCOTERS number about 35. The female COMMON GOLDENEYE has been seen in the harbour but is often elusive. The first SPOTTED SANDPIPER was seen on the 11th and apart from the resident KILLDEER, WILSON'S SNIPE and WOODCOCK, it was the only shorebird seen all week. BONAPARTE'S GULLS can be seen occasionally offshore and the odd CASPIAN TERN pays a visit as well.

RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS are becoming more regularly seen as they visit the feeders. Flycatchers have started to arrive and an ALDER FLYCATCHER was seen on the 14th and 15th, an EASTERN WOOD PEWEE was see at Point Traverse on the 14th and up to 5 LEAST FLYCATCHERS are around in the woods, and GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHERS arrived on the 11th with 5 present on the 14th. WARBLING VIREOS are becoming commoner and some are even singing as they set up their territories around the harbour. The first RED-EYED VIREO was found on the 14th. BLUE JAYS continue to move through with up to 150 a day being seen. The COMMON RAVEN made his weekly appearance on the 14th. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS have dropped right off now and only one or two a day are being seen. At least three pairs of BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS are breeding now. Thrushes are starting to arrive and 6 VEERY were seen on the 14th, with the first SWAINSON'S THRUSH being banded on the 14th with several more present the following day along with more VEERYS. WOOD THRUSHES numbered 10 on the 14th. 

By now you've probably guessed that we have had an arrival on the 14th and the numbers of our local birds increased that day, GRAY CATBIRDS numbered 18, while the local YELLOW WARBLERS were swamped by incoming immigrants with 120 recorded for the day. We banded 328 birds of an incredible 47 species that day. There were 27 species of warblers recorded, and highlights included 5 BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS, 3 BREWSTER'S WARBLERS, 2 GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLERS, 25 TENNESSEE WARBLERS, 2 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, 25 CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS, 15 MAGNOLIA WARBLERS, 45 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, 25 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS, 20 BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS, 4 HOODED WARBLERS, 15 AMERICAN REDSTARTS and the first BAY-BREASTED, CERULEAN, BLACKPOLL and CANADA WARBLERS of the spring. SCARLET TANAGERS arrived on the 9th and the red and black flashes of them can be seen daily in the woods. Two CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS were singing on the 11th but have not been seen since. WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS have decreased and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS are still plentiful. The last DARK-EYED JUNCO was seen on the 9th. ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS are increasing with 20 seen on the 12th and 13th and 40 were recorded on the 14th. INDIGO BUNTINGS are adding a touch of blue to the woods, BALTIMORE ORIOLES are adding orange, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS are adding orange and black, while the SCARLET TANAGERS are adding red and all are providing lots of colour in the woods these days.

If you haven't sponsored anyone yet for the PEPTBO Baillie Birdathon its not too late to do so, Terry Sprague does his on the 16th and David Okines, the station manager, does his on the 25th. Wish us luck.

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte Area. Special thanks to David Okines of the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory for submitting his material early early while I psych up my feet and polish my binoculars for the Baillie Birdathon as I accompany Birding greats Michael Runtz and PEPtBO president Brian Joyce for what will truly be a straight 24-hour experience. We get under way at midnight. If I survive, this report will be updated on Thursday, May 22nd, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the Wednesday night deadline. Belleville resident Dave Bell contributes all of our photos this week, including a ghostly photo of a TURKEY VULTURE in the setting sun on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website. His photos of a BALTIMORE ORIOLE and a YELLOW WARBLER, taken on Saturday, appear in the online version of the Quinte Area Bird Report. 

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