Despite a week of cold temperatures, migrating waterfowl are putting on 

South winds today had caused many of the traditionally prolific 

The west side of Athol Bay at Sandbanks contained some 1,200 GREATER 

The Prince Edward County Field Naturalists on Tuesday found 4 MUTE 

    Amherst Island on March 9th turned out to be a fairly good day with 

BALD EAGLES this past week were noted at The Rock east of Waupoos on 

Also coming from the north was a report of 35 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS on March 

Although spring is just around the corner, feeder patronage is still 

Other interesting sightings to come in during the week included 2 SONG 

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte 

WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FOR PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA for the week ending Thursday, March 10, 2005 Despite a week of cold temperatures, migrating waterfowl are putting on some magnificent courting displays in many of the traditional gathering areas around Prince Edward County. At Wellington Harbour today, there were 12 species of waterfowl comprising 35 MUTE SWANS, 2 TUNDRA SWANS, 160 CANADA GEESE, 50 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 40 GREATER SCAUP, 25 LONG-TAILED DUCKS, 20 BUFFLEHEADS, 20 COMMON MERGANSERS, 30 MALLARDS, 15 AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, 2 HOODED MERGANSERS, and 1 REDHEAD. A female GREEN-WINGED TEAL that had been present on Tuesday, did not appear to be present today, nor could we locate the 3 CANVASBACKS that had been present Monday. As we ate our lunch in the Harbour Restaurant, a flock of 300 EUROPEAN STARLINGS descended on a growth of staghorn sumac along the east jetty and voraciously consumed the remaining seed heads. South winds today had caused many of the traditionally prolific waterfowl areas to be packed with ice floes, including West Point, much of Athol Bay and Soup Harbour. Birders interested in exploring some of these areas, especially West Point, are reminded that a four wheel drive vehicle is recommended as many of the ruts in these unserviced roads are very deep and icy. In fact, anything beyond a crawl at West Point could cause your vehicle at the end of the West Point Road to slide on the sheet ice over the small limestone edge and into the roiling waters of Lake Ontario! Caution is advised on any of these roads during this period of changing temperatures. The west side of Athol Bay at Sandbanks contained some 1,200 GREATER SCAUP and 300 LONG-TAILED DUCKS, along with lesser numbers of COMMON GOLDENEYE and BUFFLEHEAD. At East Lake at the headwaters of the Outlet River, there was a fine assortment of waterfowl there in the yet small amount of open water, including 18 MUTE SWANS, 90 GREATER SCAUP, 32 CANADA GEESE, 15 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 12 BUFFLEHEAD, 10 MALLARDS, 5 AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, 4 COMMON MERGANSERS, and the first 2 RING-NECKED DUCKS of the season. The Prince Edward County Field Naturalists on Tuesday found 4 MUTE SWANS, 6 AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS and a pair of HOODED MERGANSERS at the Whitney Memorial Dam at Consecon, while at Barcovan, waterfowling was much better with 11 species seen including the usual complement of MUTE SWANS (50), a drake LESSER SCAUP and a pair of NORTHERN PINTAILS. Another observer today at Barcovan reported that the number of MUTE SWANS had risen, to 96; however, a TRUMPETER SWAN tag #841, earlier seen on March 4th, and even earlier on February 1, was not present today. Jumping over to the east end of the County, there were hundreds of COMMON MERGANSERS and a few RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS in Prince Edward Bay/Lake Ontario between The Rock and Indian Point today. Amherst Island on March 9th turned out to be a fairly good day with observers there chalking up a NORTHERN GOSHAWK, 5 RED-TAILED HAWKS, a NORTHERN HARRIER, a BOREAL OWL, and 1 GREAT GRAY OWL. New sightings of GREAT GRAY OWLS in Prince Edward County were made at Cherry Valley during the week, Crowe's Road on March 3rd and Sunrise Drive at Massassauga Point on March 10th. From outside the county, another report came in from County Road 27, just south of Centreville Road, and up to 5 were seen almost daily until recently by a bus driver in the Queensborough/Cooper area, north of Madoc. The individuals on Sprague Road have not been seen now for several days. BALD EAGLES this past week were noted at The Rock east of Waupoos on March 9th (1 adult), and at the corner of Babylon Road and Helmer Road at South Bay on March 4th (1 immature). Other raptors of interest during the week included an ironed out NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL west of Picton on Highway 33 on Friday, a COOPER'S HAWK at a feeder in Trenton, a male AMERICAN KESTREL near the drive-in theatre on Scoharie Road today, a NORTHERN HARRIER east of Caughey Road on Big Island on March 8th, and a RED-TAILED HAWK seen today on Kelly Road just east of Rankin Road. North of the border, there was a barred owl at Thomasburg on March 5th, and four AMERICAN KESTRELS seen on a stretch of road between Stirling and Campbellford on March 7th. Also coming from the north was a report of 35 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS on March 4th and 5th at Harts Road and Cromwell Road north of Madoc, and PINE GROSBEAKS coming to a feeder on Lahey Road, south of Madoc. Speaking of winter birds, SNOW BUNTINGS are still in fine fettle with 100 being seen Friday near Cherry Valley, a dozen or so at the west end of Big Island, and an additional sighting of the species on Green Point Road. Two COMMON RAVENS continue to visit a feeder on Lahey Road near Madoc, and even in Prince Edward County where the species appears to be making a few inroads, there have been regular sightings at Elmbrook, and another on Babylon Road on March 4th. Although spring is just around the corner, feeder patronage is still excellent in some areas with 75 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, 50 DARK-EYED JUNCOS and 100 HOUSE FINCHES (an unusually high number given low numbers at other feeders) at Albury. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS are coming to feeders on Scoharie Road between Highway 62 and Picton, and another was reported at a feeder in Adolphustown, where 20 COMMON REDPOLLS continue to make daily visits. There are PURPLE FINCHES at a feeder on Crookston Road near Tweed, as well as at a feeder near Massassauga Point. Close to 75 COMMON REDPOLLS maintain their high numbers at a feeder near Allisonville, and an EASTERN TOWHEE is coming to a feeder in Cherry Valley at 1605 County Road 10. Other interesting sightings to come in during the week included 2 SONG SPARROWS - one along Cressy Lakeshore Road, and another on County Road 7 east of Lake-on-the-Mountain, a BELTED KINGFISHER in Consecon Creek, and WILD TURKEY sightings south of Milford (75) and at South Bay (26) and at The Rock Crossroad (2). Interestingly, no RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD migrants yet (although that may change if the weather improves), although there have been what appear to be arrivals of AMERICAN ROBINS and, of course, hundreds of HORNED LARKS along the roadsides. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to John Charlton, John Blaney, Peter Marshall, Fred Chandler, James Pounder, Susan Hollett, Russ Kitchen, Brian Credico, Rae O'Brien, Walter & Bonnie Cromwell, Pamela Martin, Jerry Foster, Martha Newbigging, Henri Gerand, Lloyd Paul, Doug & Evelyn Sloane, David Bree, Bill Hogg, Judith Gray, Janet Foster, Brian Durell, Al Korchuk and Doris Lane for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, March 17th. Bird sightings may be forwarded to tsprague@kos.net any time before the Thursday 6:00 p.m. deadline. This report also appears on the NatureStuff website at www.naturestuff.net under BIRDING, where a BROWN THRASHER at Amherst Island is this week's feature photo, taken by Russ Kitchen of Thomasburg. Terry Sprague Picton, Ontario tsprague@kos.net www.naturestuff.net