Presqu’ile Bird Report for 9-15 Apr 2021
HIGHLIGHTS:
Lesser Black-backed Gull,
Snowy Owl,
Red Crossbill,
White-winged Crossbill
OVERVIEW: Coverage was low this week so the report is a bit slim. Scoping around Gull Is. when calm has been productive for seeing waterfowl, especially puddle ducks and gulls. The Lake and Presqu’ile Bay still has most of the diving ducks but numbers are dwindling fast for most species. Land bird migration has been progressing more or less on schedule but there hasn’t been a big push of migrants yet.
American Black Duck: Present through the week, mostly around Gull Is./Owen
April 17, 2021 - Doug McRae
Presqu’ile Bird Report for 2-8 Apr 2021
HIGHLIGHTS:
Ruddy Duck,
Long-eared Owl,
Red Crossbill
OVERVIEW: Migration steams ahead mostly on schedule but despite there being a lot more birds around, there were few unexpected finds. Most of the waterfowl are still present but diving ducks are dropping in numbers rapidly. The islands (scope required) and marsh have been where most of the puddle ducks have been seen. In addition to the Park, the Brighton waterfront along Harbour St., and the Price Street Canoe Launch at the east end of Price St. in Gosport have been good locations for duck watching. Most of the
April 10, 2021 - Doug McRae
Presqu’ile Bird Report for 26 March – 1 April 2021
HIGHLIGHTS:
American Bittern,
Virginia Rail,
Yellow-rumped Warbler,
Red Crossbill,
White-winged Crossbill
OVERVIEW: Let me start by offering my apologies for missing the last few weeks. Spring is undeniably well underway now. With the ice gone many diving ducks have left and those that remain are mostly spread out over the Bay. The best time to look is early morning when the water tends to be most calm, birds are closer to shore and boat activity hasn’t flushed them far out. Gull and High Bluff Island are getting busy with colonial nesting species like Herring
April 3, 2021 - Doug McRae
Presqu’ile Bird Report for 19 Feb-4 Mar 2021
HIGHLIGHTS:
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE,
HOODED MERGANSER x COMMON GOLDENEYE,
GREAT BLUE HERON,
SANDHILL CRANE,
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL
OVERVIEW: In the two weeks covered by this report we seemed to have gone from dead of winter to the beginning of spring. Waterfowl and gulls are building up in numbers and offer chances to find unusual species in the mix. Landbirds are still pretty static but that should change as soon as a warm system arrives. Birding is about to get busy!
MUTE SWAN – While hundreds are massed in Presqu’ile Bay, 2 birds were seen flying low
March 8, 2021 - Doug McRae
Presqu’ile Bird Report for Week of 12-18 Feb 2021
OVERVIEW: There was a bit more coverage this week, in part due to the holiday and some bright sunny days. In general things are fairly static but the first Mallard in weeks and an influx of soon-to-be nesting Ring-billed Gulls show that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
HIGHLIGHTS:
NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL,
WINTER WREN,
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD,
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL,
HOARY REDPOLL
TRUMPETER SWAN – 7 on 18 Feb was the only report.
MALLARD – 1 seen on 18 Feb is the first at Presqu’ile since early in the new year.
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER – 1 on 18
February 21, 2021 - Doug McRae
Presqu’ile Bird Report for Week of 5-11 Feb 2021
OVERVIEW
Coverage remains low. Waterfowl keep moving around based on ice cover but in general the greatest numbers are in the outer portion of Presqu’ile Bay (Government dock and east to the Lighthouse) and around Gull and High Bluff Island, especially Long-tailed Ducks at the latter site. Land birds are scattered about in the woods and field edges but most action is at feeders along Bayshore Rd. On a brighter note Cardinals and House Finches are singing in response to longer days and woodpeckers are drumming more.
HIGHLIGHTS
CANADA GOOSE – even though the Bay is
February 14, 2021 - Doug McRae
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