WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA FOR THE WEEK ENDING Thursday, January 26, 2006 Although cold weather returns in spurts as though unsure of its welcome, there has been enough mild weather to have had an effect on ice conditions across the Quinte area. Open conditions right now at the headwaters of the Outlet River at East Lake resemble what they usually are in late March. Last week there were about 100 CANADA GEESE present there, along with several MUTE SWANS, MALLARDS and COMMON GOLDENEYE. Conditions at Wellington has provided plenty of room for the waterfowl there, and last Sunday there were nine species present, among them 100 MALLARDS, 300 CANADA GEESE, a single CANVASBACK, about 30 REDHEADS and the resident flock of close to 75 MUTE SWANS. Meanwhile at South Bay, observers there on the 23rd found 60 TUNDRA SWANS still hanging in there, a species that usually pulls out in late December or very early January due to ice conditions. Present there too, were about 1,500 REDHEADS, down from the former 3,000, and 2 MUTE SWANS. At Prince Edward Point the same day, there was a raft of over 4,000 GREATER SCAUP along with a number of LONG-TAILED DUCKS. Activity at most feeding stations has been dull, at best, although some species at a few feeders remain at their customary high numbers. The famous feeder on Glenora Road, east of Picton, continues to draw them in from far and near, both birds and watchers of birds, as over 40 each of PINE SISKINS, COMMON REDPOLLS, HOUSE FINCHES and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES appear on any given day, according to the restaurateur. A total of 40 MOURNING DOVES has now joined the feed fleet. At a Salem Road feeder in Ameliasburgh Ward, there are 90 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES consuming Niger seed and sunflower seed. A feeder on Wilson Road has a pair of RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS. An adult BALD EAGLE continues to frequent the Thomasburg area according to observers there, and one has also been present this past month in the Stirling area. Reports of these majestic birds continue in Prince Edward County, but have dropped in number and frequency. In the Massassauga Point area, south of Belleville, there is an EASTERN SCREECH OWL that has accepted a wood duck nesting box and can be seen peering out occasionally. A BARRED OWL was seen on January 22nd on County Road 1 just north of May Road. RED-TAILED HAWK reports also dropped this past week and the only one reported was an individual along Massassauga Road, on the 22nd. A COOPER'S HAWK appeared at a feeder in the Barry Heights area of Trenton. NORTHERN SHRIKES were observed during the week near McMahon Lane not far from the Black River Cheese, another was seen impaling prey on a fence along Mitchells Road, and another was reported from Thomasburg. Backyard PILEATED WOODPECKERS were reported from Trenton and Prince Edward County's Ridge Road, and other interesting backyard birds during the week included a BROWN CREEPER on Salem Road, 5 km east of Wellers Bay, and three EASTERN BLUEBIRDS just beyond Black River near McMahon Lane. Other interesting sightings during the week included additional sightings of the resident BELTED KINGFISHER at Wellington, and a GREAT BLUE HERON that has been observed south of Queensboro for some time. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Bea and Jay McMahan, Donn & John Legate, George Kratz, David Hall, Wendy Sharpe, Silvia Botnick, Dennis Marisett, John Charlton, Terry Mandzy, Trudy Kitchen, Henri Garand, Albert Boisvert, Brian & Gloria Durell, and Peter Marshall for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, February 2nd. Bird sightings may be forwarded to tsprague@kos.net at any time before the Thursday 6:00 p.m. deadline. This report also appears for a period of seven days on the NatureStuff website, under BIRDING, where this week's featured photo of the EASTERN SCREECH OWL in the Massassauga area nest box is by Graeme Sharpe. Terry Sprague Prince Edward County tsprague@kos.net www.naturestuff.net