The warmer weather resulted in waterbirds picking up a little this week with both ducks and gulls showing increased numbers and/or diversity.   Even landbirds showed some change with woodpeckers drumming more and songs from MOURNING DOVE, HOUSE FINCH and NORTHERN CARDINAL.

CANVASBACK – A distinct uptick in numbers with a high count of 40 on 10 Feb.

WHITE-WINGED SCOTER – small numbers seen through the week with a high of four on 10 Feb.

COMMON MERGANSER – One on 12 Feb was the first in a while.

BALD EAGLE – Seen throughout the week with a high count of four on 11 Feb.  Most interesting was two adults sitting side by side in a shoreline tree on 8 Feb – nesting hasn’t occurred here in many decades but seems inevitable given the number of birds around and multiple suitable nesting sites.

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK – An immature on 9 Feb was the only report.

RED-TAILED HAWK – A bird at the Calf Pasture on 9 Feb was the first in several weeks.

RING-BILLED GULL – Five on 10 Feb were possibly “spring migrants” since none have been around for weeks.

ICELAND GULL – An adult was on the ice with four other species of gulls on 10 Feb (RDM,BG).

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL – An adult was seen with other gulls on 10 Feb, which is fairly early for this rare but regular migrant.

GLAUCOUS GULL – Two adults were with the gull roost on 10 Feb.

BARRED OWL – There was a belated report of a bird on 2 Jan in Jobes Woods, which is the first since November of a species normally seen weekly.

NORTHERN FLICKER – A female was seen just outside the Park on Huff Rd. by the railroad tracks on 9 Feb.

MERLIN – Single sightings on 9 and 11 Feb.

WINTER WREN – A single bird was seen near the tip of Owen Pt. (a very exposed area) on 7 Feb.

EASTERN BLUEBIRD – a small group of up to four birds were seen on and off through the period just outside the Park on Huff Rd., usually near the railroad tracks.

HERMIT THRUSH – One was found outside the Park on Huff Rd. at the Railroad tracks on 8 Feb.

SONG SPARROW – The occasionally seen overwintering bird at the Birdhouse Nature Store was seen again on 11 and 13 Feb.  Another was at the Railway tracks on Huff Rd. on 8,9 and 13 Feb.

WHITE-THROATED SPARROW – One was at a Bayshore Rd feeder on 9 Feb and three were seen at Huff Rd. and the railway tracks on 9 Feb.

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD – A continuing, but infrequently seen male was at the Birdhouse Nature Store feeders on 9 Feb.

COMMON GRACKLE – A flock of seven was seen on Harbour St, just outside the Park on 11 Feb.

 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).