POSTED | July 7, 2005 - Fred Helleiner
Birding Report
At this time of year there is very little change in the bird life from week to week. At Presqu'ile Provincial Park, this implies that there has been a good variety of sightings during the past week, corresponding to the variety of habitats found in the Park. The only departure from the static conditions in mid-July consists of the re-appearance of southbound shorebirds and the presence of broods of young birds of many species.
Common Loons are present offshore in small numbers, including one right outside the window behind my computer at this moment. The lone Red-necked Grebe that has been present in Popham Bay intermittently since mid-June was still present this morning. Great Egrets often stop to feed along the south end of the beach towards Owen Point. Most sightings of Black-crowned Night-Herons have been of birds flying over en route to and from the offshore islands.
The usual mix of ducks in Popham Bay off Gull Island (Gadwalls, Redheads, scaup [Greater Scaup?] among others) was augmented on July 6 by a flock of ten American Wigeons. A Red-breasted Merganser was there on July 3 and a Common Merganser on July 6.
The marsh behind Owen Point has a few square metres of duckweed, on which two each of young Virginia Rails and Soras were feeding in plain view. At Owen Point some algae is building up, on which seven Least Sandpipers and a White-rumped Sandpiper were feeding on July 6 and nine of the former on July 7. Soon there will likely be dozens of shorebirds there, representing several species.
Earlier in the week, a Marsh Wren was singing right beside the main Park Road near the bird sightings board. An Eastern Towhee was found near 38 Bayshore Road on July 4. An adult male Orchard Oriole has been seen and heard on at least two recent occasions in the calf pasture, where an immature male and a female have been present for some time.
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. Access to the offshore islands is restricted at this time of year to prevent disturbance to the colonial nesting birds there.
Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be directed to: FHELLEINER@TRENTU.CA.
Common Loons are present offshore in small numbers, including one right outside the window behind my computer at this moment. The lone Red-necked Grebe that has been present in Popham Bay intermittently since mid-June was still present this morning. Great Egrets often stop to feed along the south end of the beach towards Owen Point. Most sightings of Black-crowned Night-Herons have been of birds flying over en route to and from the offshore islands.
The usual mix of ducks in Popham Bay off Gull Island (Gadwalls, Redheads, scaup [Greater Scaup?] among others) was augmented on July 6 by a flock of ten American Wigeons. A Red-breasted Merganser was there on July 3 and a Common Merganser on July 6.
The marsh behind Owen Point has a few square metres of duckweed, on which two each of young Virginia Rails and Soras were feeding in plain view. At Owen Point some algae is building up, on which seven Least Sandpipers and a White-rumped Sandpiper were feeding on July 6 and nine of the former on July 7. Soon there will likely be dozens of shorebirds there, representing several species.
Earlier in the week, a Marsh Wren was singing right beside the main Park Road near the bird sightings board. An Eastern Towhee was found near 38 Bayshore Road on July 4. An adult male Orchard Oriole has been seen and heard on at least two recent occasions in the calf pasture, where an immature male and a female have been present for some time.
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. Access to the offshore islands is restricted at this time of year to prevent disturbance to the colonial nesting birds there.
Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be directed to: FHELLEINER@TRENTU.CA.
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