Presqu’ile Birding Report for 10th to 16th August 2018
 

HIGHLIGHTS: PIPING PLOVER
 

Birding started fairly slow this week but picked up as the week went on with a few new arrivals and a small drop of shorebirds today.
 

Very few reports of interest on the duck front but 5 COMMON MERGANSERS were seen on Gull Island on Aug 10th and a single WOOD DUCK and 3 BLUE-WINGED TEAL were seen flying in the marsh today. WILD TURKEYS were seen a couple times this week with a high of 12 birds on the August 11th. These birds are best seen around the Calf Pasture and Lilac Lane. A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was spotted quietly moving through a residential backyard on Aug 10th. A single COMMON NIGHTHAWK was seen flying towards Calf Pasture Aug 12th.
 

Shorebird migration started off dead quiet this week with no birds being reported on the weekend. On Monday a PIPING PLOVER was first reported by the Parks Bio Team on Gull Island and continued until today. This bird was a hatched bird this year from Darlington. Unfortunately this bird was in poor health. 2 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 5 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 2 KILLDEER, 12 LEAST SANDPIPERS of which at least half were juveniles. The first WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER of the fall, 8 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS of which one had a green flag. More information on this bird is being researched and will be updated as the details are known. A single PECTORAL SANDPIPER, 5 juvenile SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS were also seen on Gull Island on the 13th Aug with 4 remaining today. AN AMERICAN WOODCOCK was flushed off the Owen Pt Trail today. 5 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, 2 GREATER YELLOWLEGS and 14 LESSER YELLOWLEGS were also reported today.
 

Of note most of the shorebird sightings are now being seen from the first beach lookout down to Owen PT and Gull Island. Most of these birds can be seen from a fairly close distance although a good scope and early arrival time is needed for birds on Gull Island.
 

TURKEY VULTURES are being seen daily and at times can be seen on the beach eating washed up carrion. AN immature BALD EAGLE was spotted on 13th Aug near Salt Pt. Both SHARP-SHINNED and COOPERS HAWKS were seen from 83 Bayshore today. MERLINS are being seen most days between Salt Pt and the Calf Pasture. BARRED OWLS continue to be the only owl being reported with 2 or possibly 3 calling in Newcastle Woods with a juvenile being photographed in the same area today.
 

The RED-HEADED WOODPECKER is still coming to peanut feeders at 83 Bayshore but also of interest was a bird seen entering and leaving a cavity a couple of times at the back of Woodpile Marsh on Saturday 11th aug. AN OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was seen briefly perched in a tall cottonwood calling at 83 Bayshore as well. Other flycatchers being reported this week are EASTERN-WOOD PEWEES, LEAST FLYCATCHER, EASTERN PHOEBE,GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATHERS and EASTERN KINGBIRDS.
 

COMMON RAVENS were heard in a couple of locations on the 13th Aug. CAROLINA WREN is still being reported from Lighthouse this week.
 

10 species of Warblers were reported this week and the first CANADA WARBLER of the fall showed up to a bird bath at 83 Bayshore today. Other warblers reported this week were BLACK-AND-WHITE, NASHVILLE, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, AMERICAN REDSTART, CAPE MAY WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN, YELLOW, CHESTNUT-SIDED and PINE WARBLER.
 

SCARLET TANAGERS are slowly migrating in and SWALLOWS and most ORIOLES migrating out!
 

THANKS TO ALL OBSERVERS REPORTING BIRDS AND TO THE PARK BIO TEAM AND OTHER PARK STAFF.
 

Bill Gilmour