Presqu’ile Bird Report August 2nd to Aug 8th
HIGHLIGHTS
Shorebird numbers are increasing slowly with 10 species reported this week with numbers of individuals slowly building as well. The first juvenile LEAST SANDPIPERS and the first WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER were reported. Lookouts and Owen Pt are still problematic for viewing from. Beach 3 remains the best location to view shorebirds from.
Duck species have been scarce with the best being a couple of BLUE-WINGED TEAL flying north up the beach.
There are a good number of ducks up on Gull Island but only viewing is from Beach 3 making it difficult to ID to species.
A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO can still be heard calling at times between the bend on Paxton and Atkins Lane.
A single BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER was reported from Beach 3 on Aug 6th. SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS with a high of 22 birds and a few local KILLDEER round up the plovers seen this week. LEAST SANDPIPERS with a high count of 19 birds including the first juveniles were reported between Aug 6th too 8th. The first southbound WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was reported between Beach 2 and 3 on Aug 8th. 4 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 1 WILSON’S SNIPE, 2 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, 4 GREATER YELLOWLEGS and a high of 12 LESSER YELLOWLEGS were also reported this week.
TURKEY VULTURES have been reported from scattered areas in small numbers in the Presqu’ile area this week. An adult COOPER’S HAWK was heard on Aug 7th near the entrance of the Marsh Boardwalk Trail with a possible fledgling calling nearby. The most interesting hawk of the week was a report of a BROAD-WING HAWK past a residential backyard. A very rare breeder for the Park makes this an interesting find! RED-TAILED HAWKS were reported from Huff Rd and the Brighton Sewage Lagoon area this week.
Presqu’ile always good for woodpeckers had 6 of the 7 resident breeding species reported this week. RED-HEADED, RED-BELLIED, DOWNY, HAIRY, NORTHERN FLICKER and PILEATED WOODPECKER. Newcastle and Jobes Woods being the best places other than residential backyards to look for these birds.
Signs of southbound migration of swallows picked up this week with higher numbers of PURPLE MARTINS, TREE and BARN SWALLOWS gathering. Best places to view this are Salt Pt, Calf Pasture and the lookouts at the Marsh Lookout. Early evening is the best time to view this spectacle!
Other local breeding songbirds such as vireos and warblers are also moving around the Park away from nesting areas getting ready to start migration. An interesting find by a couple of birders was what is believed to be a family group of CANADA WARBERS near the junction of Paxton and Atkins Lane. CANADA WARBLERS have rarely been known to breed in the Park!
THANK YOU to all the observers who have forward me or Ebirded their list of bird sightings this week!
Directions: 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 (10 March-10 September).
