WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FOR PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK ENDING Thursday, March 26, 2009 The cold morning temperatures of this past week have not helped at all in accelerating the arrival of spring migrants. New arrivals this week were EASTERN MEADOWLARKS (4) and NORTHERN FLICKER (2), both at Prince Edward Point on March 20th. An optimistic TREE SWALLOW put in an appearance yesterday at one residence along Massassauga Road. An equally optimistic EASTERN PHOEBE was at Dainard Road in Prince Edward County on the 19th, and others turned up on more reasonable dates on Queensboro Road northeast of Madoc just yesterday, and two more, also yesterday, on Partridge Hollow Road and the Stinson Block at Consecon. GREAT BLUE HERONS have been seen at several locations this week, and the numbers of TURKEY VULTURES are steadily increasing with between 12 and 17 being seen by several observers flying over the west end of Picton, appropriately enough, over the Whattam Funeral Home. AMERICAN WOODCOCK seemed unaffected by the cooler temperatures of recent mornings and from 12 to 16 continued to perform their nuptials before daybreak every morning along a 3 km stretch of Sprague and North Big Island Roads. NORTHERN HARRIER sightings have been spotty, with individuals turning up during the week at Big Island, Kaiser Crossroad, and Mountain View. An EASTERN BLUEBIRD investigated a nest box along Fry Road on the 19th and the first male EASTERN BLUEBIRD turned up on Crookston Road in the Tweed area on Monday. A lone COMMON RAVEN is present most mornings along Sprague Road at Big Island. PILEATED WOODPCKERS were calling this week on Harmony Road at Thurlow, and AMERICAN WOODOCKS were heard in the Madoc area. CEDAR WAXWINGS (39) were in a backyard tree at Allisonville on Saturday, and 2 HORNED LARKS can still be found along the west end of South Big Island Road most days. WILD TURKEYS (15) along Foster's Sideroad, and between 15 and 20 can be found every morning in a wooded area west of Sprague Road. Large numbers of AMERICAN CROWS continue to be seen in the Massassauga area with at least two flocks of up to 50 each. The predicted rains over the next several days should help raise the water levels at the flooded Kaiser Crossroad cornfields, where waterfowl numbers and species this past week depended largely on what day, or even time of day, one chose to be present. The five WHITE-FRONTED GEESE are sporadic, at best, but other waterfowl species there tend to be a bit more dependable although varying considerably in numbers. Highs this week were CANADA GEESE (4000), NORTHERN PINTAIL (400), MALLARD (250), GREEN-WINGED TEAL (100), AMERICAN BLACK DUCK (100) AMERICAN WIGEON (50), GREATER SNOW GOOSE (20), RING-NECKED DUCK (20), TUNDRA SWAN (15), and lesser numbers of WOOD DUCK, and BUFFLEHEAD. As the lakes and bays and creeks open up, more opportunities are presenting themselves. The Big Bay portion of the Bay of Quinte is slowly surrendering to the winds, although much of the Bay of Quinte has been open for more than a week. Likewise at Muscote Bay were ducks this week were 12 HOODED MERGANSERS and 30 COMMON MERGANSERS. At least 15 HOODED MERGANSERS were on Black River near the cheese factory Monday, along with BUFFLEHEADS and COMMON GOLDENEYES. BUFFLEHEADS, GREATER SCAUP, and COMMON GOLDENEYES were widely dispersed on Prince Edward Bay this week. At this time of the year, it pays to look everywhere. A flooded corner of an agricultural field along Highway 33 between Bloomfield and Wellington yesterday yielded three NORTHERN PINTAILS, and this spot bears watching until it dries up. Last year, a number of Caspian terns and shorebirds were present here, including a Wilson's phalarope in early May. Consecon Lake remains frozen. TUNDRA SWANS were seen in Adolphus Reach during the week, and MUTE SWANS have moved into Dead Creek at Carrying Place, now that the ice has softened. Winter type birds during the week included a NORTHERN SHRIKE along Big Island's Caughey Road, a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER at a Fish Lake Road feeder, and a PURPLE FINCH east of Lake on the Mountain. COMMON REDPOLLS and PINE SISKINS persist at many feeders across the region but numbers in the past week have not exceeded a dozen of each. Although WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS have been observed in the Toronto area this past week, the species seems to have completely vacated Prince Edward County for this winter. A RED-TAILED HAWK "buzzed" a feeder Monday near Lake on the Mountain as though to remind the few remaining feeder guests that birds of prey haven't completely lost their interest at feeding stations. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Mia Lane, Kathy Felkar, John Dacombe, Thom McLauchlin, Albert Boisvert, Owen Weir, Judy Kent, Myrna Wood, Garry & Elaine Kirsch, Janet Foster, Frank Artes & Carolyn Barnes, Borys Holowacz, Rosemary Smith, Pamela Stagg, Janet Mooney, Henri Garand, Ted Cullin, Fiona King, Judith Gray, Brock Burr, Nick Quickert and Brian & Gloria Durell for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, April 2nd, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the Wednesday night deadline. Featured photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website of the author with a cooperative BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE is by Gary O'Doherty of Belleville. Photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report include a NORTHERN FLICKER by Susan Shipman of Wellington and a SNOW GOOSE by Michael Jaques of Ottawa. Terry Sprague Prince Edward County tsprague@kos.net www.naturestuff.net