Presqu’ile Birding Report for the week of Aug 31 to Sept 6 2018

 

There are no real highlights to report this week. With the continued heat wave migration has slowed down significantly with the best birding occurring during the weekend and slowed down as the week went on. Hopefully with the north winds for the next few days things will pick up.

 

The first WHITE-WINGED SCOTER in awhile showed up on Sept 3 and quickly perished the next day most likely from avian botulism. WILD TURKEYS continue to be seen scattered through the Park. 2 HORNED GREBES were spotted most of the week out in Popham Bay. CUCKOOS continue to be reported this week with a BLACK-BILLED spotted on Sept 4th and another CUCKOO moving too fast to be ID at the Calf Pasture. RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS are still being seen in good numbers.

 

A SANDHILL CRANE was heard flying north from Owen Pt on Sept 4th. A total of 12 SHOREBIRD species were seen this week most on the weekend and numbers dropping the rest of week. BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and KILLDEER, RUDDY TURNSTONES (2 today), SANDERLING, BAIRD’S, LEAST, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, and both GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS.

 

4 Species of GULLS were spotted 1 BONAPARTE'S GULL, many RING-BILLED and HERRING and a few GREAT BLACK-BACKED. CASPIAN TERN numbers are slowly going down and can be seen resting on the shoal between Owen Pt and Gull Island.

 

TURKEY VULTURES, OSPREY, BALD EAGLES including 2 today seen from The Birdhouse Store and SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS were reported this week. PEREGRINE FALCONS and MERLINS were again reported this week mostly from Owen Pt.

 

OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER sightings are slowing down with a bird reported from Sept 4th from 83 Bayshore.EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE, LEAST, EASTERN PHOEBE, and GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATHERS were also reported mostly from the Calf Pasture. COMMON RAVENS are being heard throughout the Park including a pair from 83 Bayshore today. The CAROLINA WREN are becoming a fixture everyday at the Lighthouse. The Fingers can be an interesting place to bird particularly on windy days where there is lots of shelter and a GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET was a good find on Aug 31st. SWAINSON'S THRUSH numbers are starting to increase with lots more THRUSHES to come.

 

WARBLER numbers also dropped as the week went on but 19 species were still observed this week. BLACK-AND-WHITE, TENNESSEE, NASHVILLE, MOURNING, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, AMERICAN REDSTART, CAPE MAY, NORTHERN PARULA, MAGNOLIA, BAY-BREASTED, BLACKBURNIAN, YELLOW, CHESTNUT-SIDED, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, PINE, YELLOW-RUMPED, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, CANADA and WILSON WARBLERS.

 

A BALTIMORE ORIOLE that was seen today at 83 Bayshore was a very bright adult male.

 

Thanks to all who submitted reports!

 

THERE IS AN OFO TOUR HERE ON SUNDAY AND WITH THE WAY THE WINDS LOOK RIGHT NOW IT COULD PRODUCE A NICE FALLOUT!

 

Presqu’ile Provincial Park is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, just south of the town of Brighton.  It can be reached from either Hwy. 401 or Cty. Rd. 2 and is well signed.  A Park map can be found in the information tabloid available at the Park gate.  Presqu’ile’s two offshore islands – Gull and High Bluff – support a large multi-species colonial bird nesting area and access is not permitted during the breeding season.