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ONTBIRDS for Thursday, November 1, 2007

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Messages are displayed in the order they were received.
 Subject From Time 
 [Ontbirds]HSR: Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch (30 Oct 2007) 762 Raptors  reports(AT)hawkcount.or  1:11am 
 [Ontbirds]Ross's Goose in Woodstock.  Karl Egressy  4:29am 
 [Ontbirds]Reesor Pond Ross's Goose  STAN LONG  11:05am 
 [Ontbirds]Iroquois Shoreline Raptor Watch October 30 & 31/2007  Mike Williamson  1:28pm 
 [Ontbirds]Quinte Area Bird Report for week ending November 01, 2007  Terry Sprague  7:46pm 
 [Ontbirds]Kingston Area: Eurasian Wigeon  Bruce Di Labio  4:49pm 
 [Ontbirds]High Parks Hawk Hill - Golden Eagles and Bluebirds  Norman Murr  5:07pm 
 [Ontbirds]HSR: SMRR- Lake Erie Metropark (01 Nov 2007) 2546 Raptors  reports(AT)hawkcount.or  8:11pm 
 [Ontbirds] Presqu'ile Birding Report for Week Ending November 1, 2007.  Fred Helleiner   9:25pm 
To use email addresses replace '(AT)' with '@'.
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[ << | >> | ^^ ] Subject: [Ontbirds]HSR: Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch (30 Oct 2007) 762 Raptors From: reports(AT)hawkcount.org Date: 1 Nov 2007 1:11am Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 30, 2007 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 218 20143 20385 Osprey 0 24 209 Bald Eagle 3 122 367 Northern Harrier 7 767 1999 Sharp-shinned Hawk 12 6967 16413 Cooper's Hawk 2 308 497 Northern Goshawk 2 23 23 Red-shouldered Hawk 29 635 636 Broad-winged Hawk 0 7 41018 Red-tailed Hawk 479 3285 3336 Rough-legged Hawk 0 10 10 Golden Eagle 10 63 63 American Kestrel 0 724 4426 Merlin 0 66 258 Peregrine Falcon 0 118 148 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 3 Unknown Buteo 0 5 7 Unknown Falcon 0 0 2 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 4 6 Total: 762 33271 89806 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 9 hours Official Counter: Su Ross-Redmond Observers: Brian Hawthorne, Colin Horstead, Keith Sealy, Maris Apse, Mark Cunningham, Mary Carnahan, Ronnie Goodhand Weather: Just a bit of cloud today and warmer temp to 14 C. Winds were light to moderate from the SW. Raptor Observations: A total of 762 birds today...with the highlight being the 10 Golden Eagles. Non-raptor Observations: ======================================================================== Report submitted by Dave Brown (thebrowns(AT)ezlink.on.ca) Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch information may be found at: http://www.ezlink.on.ca/~thebrowns/HawkCliff/index.htm Site Description: Hawk Cliff Hawkwatch: Oldest Hawkwatch in Ontario - since 1931 - located just east of Port Stanley on the cliff overlooking Lake Erie Directions to site: >From east 401, take the Highbury south cut off at London, follow Highbury (Hwy 30) south to St. Thomas. Highbury changes into South Edgeware at a large curve in the road to the west. Follow South Edgeware west to the first set of traffic lights - Burwell Road, turn left (south) and stay on this road. It becomes Fairview Ave (Regional Road 22), which runs directly into Hawk Cliff Road. You will see a sign for Hawkes Cliff Farm, where they sell fresh vegetables and a gravel road just beyond sign. Just continue down gravel road to viewing area. >From west 401, take the Highway # 4 (Colonel Talbot Rd.) exit south, through Talbotville, road now is Sunset Rd. continue towards St. Thomas; you will come to a veer in the road, straight up to St. Thomas, veer to the right for Port Stanley, follow Highway 4, now Sunset to Port Stanley. As you approach Port Stanley you will come to a large curve in the road with a sign saying East St, to the left. Take East St., and follow it to the first road left, (opposite Port Stanley Water Tower) Dexter Line. Follow Dexter Line approximately 2 km. and turn right down gravel road at Hawkes Cliff Farm, and follow gravel road to viewing area _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS(AT)hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdshow.htm ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm
[ << | >> | ^^ ] Subject: [Ontbirds]Ross's Goose in Woodstock. From: "Karl Egressy" <kegressy(AT)sympatico.ca> Date: 1 Nov 2007 4:29am This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION---- Hi Birders, Ross's Goose was still present and easily seen at Pittock Lake, = Woodstock in the afternoon on Wednesday. Direction as per James Holdsworth. (Thanks a lot James.) Cheers: Karl Picture can be seen here: http://kegressy.com/index_Oct07.html Directions- from 401, take exit 230. Go north on Mill to Vansittart. = Take =20 Vansittart north, over the Thames about .5km, to Pittock Park Road. East = on =20 Pittock Park Road 1km, look for Park gates on your right. Follow roadway = to the lake. ----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION---- _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS(AT)hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdshow.htm ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm
[ << | >> | ^^ ] Subject: [Ontbirds]Reesor Pond Ross's Goose From: "STAN LONG" <stan.long(AT)sympatico.ca> Date: 1 Nov 2007 11:05am Here it is November and at Reesor Pond, the Ross's Goose, a relatively rare bird, has show up again today in the company of five Snow Geese, this bird seen 10 days in a row since the first reported sighting. It has been a life bird for many. Reesor Pond lies just north of Hwy 407 on Reesor Road in Markham. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS(AT)hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdshow.htm ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm
[ << | >> | ^^ ] Subject: [Ontbirds]Iroquois Shoreline Raptor Watch October 30 & 31/2007 From: "Mike Williamson" <mdw49(AT)sympatico.ca> Date: 1 Nov 2007 1:28pm ISRW HeberDown C.A. Whitby,Ontario,Canada November 1/2007 Totals 2Day Month Year TurkeyVulture 3 2506 2947 Osprey 0 0 14 Bald Eagle 0 1 36 N.Harrier 0 22 59 Sharp-Shinned 3 344 969 Cooper`s 0 27 95 N.Goshawk 0 3 5 Red-Shoulder 1 79 113 Broad-Winged 0 11 5570 Red-Tailed 62 834 945 Rough-Legged 1 5 5 Golden Eagle 3 15 15 Am.Kestrel 7 28 73 Merlin 0 2 10 Peregrine Falcon 0 3 11 Unknown 0 8 45 Totals 80 3896 10922 Total Hours 7 49 114 Avg.per hour 95.8 Oct. 30/07 49 this includes 2 Juv. Golden Eagle Oct. 31/07 31 " " 1 " " " Observers;Betsy Smith,Eleanor Beagan,Jim Larkin. I`m must grateful for their week day help!! Report submitted by Mike Williamson coordinator for ISRW _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS(AT)hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdshow.htm ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm
[ << | >> | ^^ ] Subject: [Ontbirds]Quinte Area Bird Report for week ending November 01, 2007 From: "Terry Sprague" <tsprague(AT)kos.net> Date: 1 Nov 2007 7:46pm WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK ENDING Thursday, November 01, 2007 PINE SISKINS continue to tantalize Quinte area residents with ambiguity as two or three at some feeders are the norm in keeping with predictions for this species, while other feeders in at least four locations have them hanging off the feeders. A Glenora Road feeder this week had a flock of 20, while flocks of similar size also turned up last week at other locations. A scarcity of birch seeds in the north is supposed to gently usher redpolls out of the boreal regions, and hopefully encourage them to make their way to the Quinte area. And October 28th, a dozen did just that as they fed on birch seeds behind the Town Hall in Bloomfield. EVENING GROSBEAKS are turning up everywhere, but not in the numbers that stand out so vividly in the memories of older birders who relate stories of many hundreds gorging on sunflower seeds. Twenty-five turned up in Brighton during the week, a number were seen in Bloomfield crunching down Manitoba maple seeds, and a flock showed up for a few minutes on Crookston Road near Madoc. Not requiring any particular reason to visit bird feeders in this area is the AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, and increasing numbers of these are beginning to show up at feeders across the region as winter gradually approaches even nearer. PURPLE FINCHES are still staging appearances at several feeders in the Quinte area and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES have been appearing as well. Even more suggestive of winter's approach was an albeit small flock - only three - SNOW BUNTINGS that showed up yesterday along the beach at Sandbanks. A lone SNOW BUNTING was along the road to Prince Edward Point today. Babylon Road today had AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS, a NORTHERN SHRIKE and the first PINE GROSBEAK of the season. Another bird often encountered along beaches, but this time in a ploughed field along Benway Road on the 28th was a flock of 50 AMERICAN PIPITS. More typical of shorelines and taking advantage of record low water levels was a GREATER YELLOWLEGS that called even before full light early one morning at the east end of the Big Island Marsh. Two RUDDY SHELDUCKS, likely escapees from a private collection somewhere, have been hanging out with the MALLARDS along Belleville's Bayshore Trail since last week, and were still there today. Another SNOW GOOSE was seen during the week, this time off Green Point, south of Deseronto. Despite heavy hunting pressure, thousands of ducks, mostly MALLARDS and AMERICAN WIGEON remain in Muscote Bay at the west end of the Big Island Marsh. There were six MUTE SWANS there today, as well as a single DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT. At Tremur Lake, just north of Carrying Place, the HOODED MERGANSER population has increased to over 90, and scaup there now number about 50. Now that the banding season and regular migration monitoring at Prince Edward Point is over for another year until next spring rolls around, observers will have to drive down there themselves to keep up to date on the current waterfowl population. Those visiting there for the first time need to be reminded to fill up their car with gas in Picton and pick up some snacks as you are a long way from a Tim Horton's ! However, today, one observer did make it down there and noted thousands of GREATER SCAUP off Prince Edward Point, along with a few WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and one female BLACK SCOTER. Ignoring some of the signs of colder weather in the offing have been several species including a GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET during the week at Wellington, a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW still around near the junction of Jericho Road and Highway 62, and two reports of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS - four at Chuckery Hill, 25 or so along Welbanks Road, three today along Babylon Road, and three really optimistic individuals checking out a nesting box along Ridge Road. A late FIELD SPARROW was seen along Welbanks Road, and a BARN SWALLOW, is still coursing to and fro over the Brighton Sewage Lagoons where it has been for several weeks. There were hundreds of AMERICAN ROBINS today in the Prince Edward Point area. WILD TURKEYS during the week were seen (6) along Harmony Road in Thurlow Township, and 9 were seen in a field southeast of the Quinte Skyway Bridge at Highway 49. The COMMON RAVEN has returned to Sprague Road after an absence of more than two weeks, and with no dearth of this species in the county now, we wonder if we even need to report them, as they continue their expansion into Prince Edward County. Patronage at local bird feeders is starting to pick up with all the regulars present, some in rather startling numbers such as 40 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES at a feeder along Glenora Road. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS are also clients at that feeder, and others during the week appeared at feeders near Jericho Road, Consecon, Wellington, Milford and Royal Road. A PILEATED WOODPECKER showed up at one home in Thurlow during the week. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS are coming regularly to feeders at Big Island and Pleasant Bay. Of course, with the arrival of songbirds at bird feeders, also comes the arrival of hawks who like to do a little birding of their own. A COOPER'S HAWK on Green Point Road consumed a MOURNING DOVE under a kitchen window at that location, a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK did likewise at a feeder along Maitland Avenue in Belleville, and another SHARP-SHINNED HAWK checked out a feeder this week on County Road 7. A rather amusing story, perhaps more so to me than to the person who reported it, involved the appearance of a LONG-TAILED WEASEL that somehow made its way into a local home. According to the observer, he first saw the creature on the stairs and thought it was a large mouse. But when he followed, it didn't scurry out of sight like a mouse. It hid behind chairs and tables and cabinets, peered around them, then raced across the carpet to another spot, as if playing hide and seek with him. He could hear its footsteps on the carpeting. The weasel had a lithe body about eight or nine inches, with brown back and tail, and white underside. At times he could see it clearly because it paused five or six feet away. When it ran upstairs again, he opened the porch door, but it refused to be herded outside. Instead, it seemed to come looking for the home owner when he adopted its own behaviour and hid round the hall corner. Stopping beside the sofa, it looked up as if puzzled, then scampered down to the basement. That was the last he saw of it. Some droppings, whether excreted in fear, surprise or routine, were all it left behind. One was about two inches long and slightly coiled, and might have made a curious souvenir. His wife was quite upset when she returned home and was told about the intruder. Further inspection of the basement and repeated assurances were not enough to calm her. They were forced to sleep with the bedroom door closed and sealed at the bottom with a barrier of books. As a child she had nightmares about her feet being chopped off while she slept, so it didn't help when he joked that weasels were carnivores especially fond of gnawing toes. On that note, that's the Quinte Area Bird Report for this week. Our thanks to Janet Foster, Evelyn Sloane, Donn Legate, Henri Garand, Fred Helleiner, Pamela Stagg, John Blaney, Myrna Wood, Joanne Dewey, Serge de Sousa, Silvia Botnick, Wayne McNulty, Fiona King, Ken & Shirley Joyce, Jack Campbell, John Charlton and Yvette Bree for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, November 8th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the 6:00 p.m. Thursday deadline. Featured photos this week in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report as well as on the Main Birding Page of a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH are all by Dave Bell of Belleville. Good birding. Terry Sprague Prince Edward County tsprague(AT)kos.net www.naturestuff.net _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS(AT)hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdshow.htm ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm
[ << | >> | ^^ ] Subject: [Ontbirds]Kingston Area: Eurasian Wigeon From: "Bruce Di Labio" <bruce.dilabio(AT)sympatico.ca> Date: 1 Nov 2007 4:49pm Hi Everyone The adult male Eurasian Wigeon was still present this afternoon off the DuPont Plant in Cataraqui Bay. It was in a flock of American Wigeon and American Coots. Earlier on Amherst Island we located 1 Northern Saw-whet Owl, 9 Long-eared Owl, 1 American Woodcock, 2 Common Redpoll and 1 Pine Grosbeak in the Owl Woods. At the east end of the island (KFN property) there was 1 Brant and 1 Semipalmated Plover at the gravel point and 1 Blackpoll Warbler in the large Willows. Directions: DuPont Plant: From Hwy. 401 take exit 615 (Sir John A. MacDonald) and proceed south to King St. West and turn right (west). Proceed west past Portsmouth Ave. to Cataraqui (Elevator) Bay where King St. becomes Front Rd. and where the Dupont (Invista) Plant property begins. The Dupont Pond is located by turning left (south) at the traffic lights and left again onto the road through the fence. 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/ ." Please Note: The Owl Wood's is closed for public safety due to deer hunting from Nov 24 - Dec 9. 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/ _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS(AT)hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdshow.htm ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm
[ << | >> | ^^ ] Subject: [Ontbirds]High Parks Hawk Hill - Golden Eagles and Bluebirds From: "Norman Murr" <normurr(AT)sympatico.ca> Date: 1 Nov 2007 5:07pm Good evening Today even though the weather gurus called for a West / Southwest wing I went to Hawk Hill in High Park and the winds of course were not as advertised but an ideal North / Northwest. Among other birds spotted were 3 adult Golden Eagles from atop the hill and from his parking lot vantage point Don Peuramaki added a fourth Golden Eagle. We also observed 8 Common Loons high overhead, 12 Eastern Bluebirds, 11 Purple Finches, some landed beside the hill plus some of the usual birds like both Nuthatches and migrating A. Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles and A. Goldfinches. A nice day of observations with the promise ( a promise only so far ) of favourable winds again this Saturday and again would may see Golden Eagles and Eastern Bluebirds and besides there is always some good company on the hill and especially on the weekends. Directions:- HAWK HILL IN HIGH PARK High Park is located in the west end of Toronto and is bounded on the south by The Queensway, the north by Bloor Street and on the east by Parkside Drive. To reach High Park you can take the TTC Subway to the High Park Station or the Queen Street Streetcar #501 to either the Parkside Drive or the Colborne Lodge Drive streetcar stops or you may drive in from High Park Avenue at the north end of the park. Hawk Hill is east of or right beside the Algonquin Restaurant (about halfway into the park) which is south of the soccer field. If you can not find the hill for the trees then you can enquire at the restaurant as to the location as almost everyone is aware of the goings on up there now. There is always someone on the hill from Sep. 1st to around Nov. 30th. Best days are days with a good NW or N wind and if a cold front comes along with those winds after a rainy day then you should see lots of Raptors (No Guarantees). Norm Murr Richmond Hill, ON "Sils mordent, mords les" _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS(AT)hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdshow.htm ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm
[ << | >> | ^^ ] Subject: [Ontbirds]HSR: SMRR- Lake Erie Metropark (01 Nov 2007) 2546 Raptors From: reports(AT)hawkcount.org Date: 1 Nov 2007 8:11pm SMRR- Lake Erie Metropark Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 01, 2007 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 1326 1326 60732 Osprey 0 0 191 Bald Eagle 3 3 198 Northern Harrier 10 10 758 Sharp-shinned Hawk 17 17 9756 Cooper's Hawk 12 12 519 Northern Goshawk 0 0 2 Red-shouldered Hawk 47 47 471 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 69574 Red-tailed Hawk 1116 1116 3820 Rough-legged Hawk 3 3 7 Golden Eagle 10 10 44 American Kestrel 2 2 1274 Merlin 0 0 38 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 61 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 8 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 2 Total: 2546 2546 147455 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time: 9 hours Official Counter: Calvin Brennan Observers: Darlene Friedman, Fred Kirn, Raburn Howland, Ron Harkness Visitors: Rodney Laura Pete Przybylski Anne and Saul Hanft Bruce Roberts Jim Maki Larry Snyder Weather: Skies were clear throughout the day today with little or no cloud cover. Winds were light west-southwest early becoming moderate west and finally west-northwest. Raptor Observations: There was very little movement early in the day, building only gradually during the late morning. By early afternoon though there was a heavy passage of birds that peaked late, with the busiest hours being between 3 and 5. Perhaps most remarkable was how late birds continued moving southbound with many seen up to a half hour before sunset. The Red-tail migration was the most impressive during these later hours of the count with kettles numbering from a few birds to a hundred or more, outnumbering even the TVs during this part of the day. Other highlights of the day were another fine Golden Eagle passage and several Rough-legs including one dark morph. Non-raptor Observations: ======================================================================== Report submitted by Calvin Brennan (common_raven(AT)hotmail.com) SMRR- Lake Erie Metropark information may be found at: http://www.smrr.net/ _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS(AT)hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdshow.htm ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm
[ << | >> | ^^ ] Subject: [Ontbirds] Presqu'ile Birding Report for Week Ending November 1, 2007. From: Fred Helleiner <fhelleiner(AT)trentu.ca> Date: 1 Nov 2007 9:25pm Judging from the paucity of recent entries in the book of bird sightings at Presqu'ile Provincial Park, there have been few birders visiting the Park this week. Thus there has been a corresponding diminution of bird observations which can only partly be attributed to the fact that the fall migration is winding down. Despite that, there have been a few noteworthy sightings. The month of November often sees a surge of visiting birders hoping to see one of the Presqu'ile specialties that normally shows up during that month. Waterfowl continue to be abundant in the marsh and the offshore waters. Among others, a Tundra Swan was there on November 1, the first of the season. Gadwalls are more plentiful than normal. A Northern Pintail was in the marsh on October 31. A Canvasback was off the beach on October 26. A Surf Scoter was in Presqu'ile Bay on October 30, and White-winged Scoters are numerous, especially out in the open waters of Lake Ontario. Long-tailed Ducks are becoming more plentiful each day. Half a dozen Red-throated Loons were among the many Common Loons off Beach 1 on October 26. A Red-necked Grebe was at Owen Point on November 1. For the second consecutive week, an American Bittern was in the marsh opposite the bird sightings board. A Turkey Vulture flew over Owen Point on October 30 and another was sitting just off the point two days later, perhaps attracted by all the avian corpses along the shore. Northern Harriers, Red-tailed Hawks, and Merlins are the only other raptors observed this week. Among the seven species of shorebirds (mostly Sanderlings and Dunlins) in the Park this week were a few lingering "peeps": a Least Sandpiper on October 28, a White-rumped Sandpiper on November 1, and a Baird's Sandpiper as recently as November 1. This is the month when Purple Sandpipers regularly appear at Presqu'ile, most often around Gull Island or Sebastopol Island. Look for them to arrive any day now. Unlike the female Red-bellied Woodpecker that was spotted last week, the bird that stopped briefly today at 186 Bayshore Road was a male, but it flew off after consuming some of the bird food on a feeder. A Northern Shrike was seen twice at the calf pasture, where that species has spent the entire winter in the past. Anyone hoping to see the Carolina Wren that has been present for over two months should watch the feeders at 186 Bayshore Road at dawn or at dusk, which is when it has been making brief visits on a fairly regular basis. Most Ruby-crowned Kinglets have left, but one was at the lighthouse today. At least a dozen Eastern Bluebirds were at the west end of the day use (picnic) area today. A few Yellow-rumped Warblers are the only members of that family still being seen in the Park. Although only a few sparrows remain, there were good numbers on High Bluff Island on October 30. Both Chipping Sparrow and Field Sparrow were seen on October 31. One or two Lapland Longspurs have been around Owen Point and Gull Island, usually with the scores of Snow Buntings. Common Redpolls arrived on October 28 and have been seen here and there since then. Over two dozen Pine Siskins have been patrolling the eastern end of the peninsula, sometimes stopping at feeders. 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. It should be noted that, because duck hunting is given priority on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, Gull "Island", High Bluff Island, and part of the calf pasture are not available for bird-watching on those days. Again this year, birders and others have been permitted at Owen Point on hunting days for the first few weeks of the hunting season. This afternoon a duck blind was erected at Owen Point, so birders should exercise caution in that area on hunting days until signs are erected restricting access altogether. Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be directed to: FHELLEINER(AT)TRENTU.CA. -- -- Fred Helleiner 186 Bayshore Road, R.R. #4, Brighton, Ontario, Canada, K0K 1H0 VOICE: (613) 475 5309 If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS(AT)hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdshow.htm ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm

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