Presqu’ile Bird Report for the week of 13th July to 19th July 2018

 

Highlights: PIPING PLOVER, CATTLE EGRET AND CAROLINA WREN

 

The dog days of bird migration are upon us with the hot weather, few birds and fewer birders. Lots of family groups and swallows gathering ready to head out but very few new migrants appearing as of yet!

 

A ROCK PIGEON rare for the Park flew over a residential cottage on July 14th. A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was seen along Newcastle trail and another at the lighthouse on July 17th.

 

KILLDEER can easily be seen on the beaches but the PIPING PLOVER was last seen on July 13th. Other shorebirds seen this week were a SANDERLING on beach 1 July14th, 2 LEAST SANDPIPERS on July 13th, WILSON’S SNIPE on the 13th of July as well. SPOTTED SANDPIPERS can be seen most days on the beaches as well.

 

BONAPARTE’S GULLS have been seen regularly flying around Salt Pt with a high of 4 birds today. A family group of 4 COMMON LOONS were spotted off the Calf Pasture.

 

HERONS,EGRETS & BITTERNS showed well this week with a total of 7 species. AMERICAN and LEAST BITTERNS plus GREAT BLUE HERONS can be seen along the Marsh Boardwalk and viewing stations. GREAT EGRETS and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS can seen flying coming and going from the High Bluff Island breeding colony. The GREEN HERON has been seen a few days this week close to Salt Pt. The CATTLE EGRET was last seen July 13th on Huff Rd. This bird could very well still be around but cows are not always present in fields lately making it harder to locate.

 

Presqu’ile is a great place for woodpeckers and a juvenile YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was seen with an adult in the campgrounds today. A COMMON RAVEN was seen from the Nature Centre on July 16th. A CLIFF SWALLOW was spotted amongst a mixed flock of swallows in the Calf Pasture on July 13th a nice find!

 

2 CAROLINA WRENS were surprisingly found at the Lighthouse on July 17h and a single bird seen the following day. Giving how these birds have been undetected until now there is hope they have breed and or about to breed again. The only known breeding in the Park was July 31st 1974 in the Fingers. A very good find for those of us in Eastern Ontario! A BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER another bird that has been very quiet recently was found at the Lighthouse as well July 17h.

 

The Lighthouse is the best spot to see some of the breeding warblers in the Park with this week NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTARTS and a few families of YELLOW WARBLERS present.

 

Although plenty of BALTIMORE ORIOLES can readily still be seen flying around the Park ORCHARD ORIOLES are becoming much harder to find. A single bird was seen in a residential yard July 18th.

 

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.