Kingston Field Naturalists (KFN) maintains records in a 50km radius of
MacDonald Park, Kingston. Birders using eBird are encouraged to share their
sightings with ‘Kingston FN’. Alternatively, please email or send records
directly to me – contact details below. Please note that some sightings may
require review and remain unconfirmed unless stated otherwise. Species
underlined in bold type require completion of a rare bird report available
on the KFN website or directly from me. If indicated, an OBRC report may be
required instead.
SPECIAL NOTE: The Owl Woods (Amherst Island) will be closed from November 15
through to December 5. Thank you for your patience and please respect the
wishes of the Lauret family who own the property and have allowed us to
enjoy this treasure for many years.
Highlights:
Apologies for not getting this out in a timely manner. Below are the
highlights of the past 3 weeks:
SNOW GOOSE – the only record during the period was of a single bird at
Cataraqui Bay, Kingston, on 26th October.
BRANT – the only report was of a flock of 75 at Gananoque on 2nd November.
CACKLING GOOSE – birds have been seen at a number of locations but the high
count was 18 near Napanee on 7th November. Wolfe Island is also fairly
consistent.
TRUMPETER SWAN – numbers are slowly beginning to build with a high of 20 at
Desert Lake Road on 4th November. Bedford Mills is also proving consistent
with up to 18 reported there during the period.
TUNDRA SWAN – it’s looking like a poor season for this species with the
highest count from a single location just 20 (Reed’s Bay, Wolfe Island).
However, 50 birds were reported across the entire island on 19th October.
CANVASBACK – not common in the area, 10 birds were seen at Bayfield Bay,
Wolfe Island, on 7th November.
REDHEAD – Wolfe Island holds significant numbers of this species – 7500 were
seen at Button Bay, Wolfe Island, on 6th November.
SURF SCOTER – away from the typical location of Prince Edward Point (which
has been poor this year) birds have been seen at Cataraqui Bay, Kingston,
Bayfield Bay, Wolfe Island, and Howe Island.
BLACK SCOTER – 4 birds were
seen at Prince Edward Point on 24th October.
RUDDY DUCK – it’s a pretty good season so far for this species with 46 at
Hay Bay on 6th November, and as many as 16 birds in Kingston’s Inner Harbour
at Belle Park.
RED-NECKED GREBE – it hasn’t been a particularly good season so far with a
high of just 2 near Prince Edward Point on 24th October. Other singles were
seen at Big Sandy Bay, Wolfe Island, Bath, and the Wolfe Island ferry.
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO – a very late bird was seen at Martin Edwards Reserve,
Amherst Island on 2nd November.
SANDHILL CRANE – a flock of 51 birds was seen just outside the area at
Forfar on 29th October. Other than ones or twos elsewhere, 9 birds at Dewey
Road on 23rd October and 9 near Yarker on 12th November were the next
highest counts.
SANDERLING – 6 birds were seen at Prince Edward Point on 6th November.
DUNLIN – as many as 21 birds were seen at Martin Edwards Reserve, Amherst
Island in late October.
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER – 1-2 birds were seen at Martin Edwards Reserve,
Amherst Island, 19th – 24th October.
PECTORAL SANDPIPER – a lone bird was at Martin Edwards Reserve, Amherst
Island, 22nd – 24th October.
RAZORBILL (OBRC report required) – the Kingston area has had 3 reports of
this vagrant to the area over the past week, complimenting an unprecedented
influx into Ontario. Birds were reported from Amherst Island on 6th, Wolfe
Island on 8th, and Howe Island on 10th/11th, the latter seen by many
observers. It is unclear at this stage how many birds were involved. Reports
of alcid species (too distant to identify) were received from Howe Island on
29th October and 9th November.
LITTLE GULL – singles were reported from Prince Edward Point on 7th November
and Hay Bay on 11th.
GLAUCOUS GULL – a single bird was seen at Prince Edward Point 1st-7th
November.
RED-THROATED LOON – a single bird has been reported from several locations
along the Kingston waterfront this month, with 2 noted off Howe Island on
9th. Singles were also noted at Gananoque and Prince Edward Point.
GOLDEN EAGLE – there were several observations over the period with the
majority of sightings coming from Prince Edward Point where a high of 6 was
noted on 1st November. Other observations came from Amherst Island, Howe
Island, and Desert Lake.
NORTHERN GOSHAWK – singles were seen at Prince Edward Point on 18th October
and Kingston on 10th November.
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK – numbers are building on Amherst Island with 11 seen
there on 6th November.
PEREGRINE FALCON – there were several sightings from across the area.
NORTHERN SHRIKE – the were reports from just 5 locations over the past 3
weeks.
TUFTED TITMOUSE – a single bird was at a private feeder off Montreal Street
in downtown Kingston on 3rd November.
CAROLINA WREN – 1-2 birds were reported from Marshlands CA, Kingston
throughout the period, with another 1-2 at Prince Edward Point. Other
sightings came from Grenville Park (close to Marshlands) and on the mainland
side of Howe Island.
COMMON REDPOLL – there have been a few sightings so far this season but in
low numbers. A high count of 10 came from Amherst Island on 10th November.
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL – small numbers (1-4) have passed through Prince
Edward Point over the period with an additional record from Parrott Bay on
28th October.
PINE SISKIN – good numbers were moving through Prince Edward Point in
October with a high of 38 on 20th. We’re now starting to see a few birds
moving into the area with 15 noted at Verona on 10th November and ones and
twos elsewhere.
SNOW BUNTING – numbers are starting to build, but mainly on Amherst Island
where 90 were reported on 6th November.
RUSTY BLACKBIRD – a high count of 170 came from Harrowsmith on 3rd November.
In order to minimise disturbance to wildlife and property in the recording area, Kingston Field Naturalists has adopted the KFN Sensitive Sightings Policy. Please note that you must be a card-carrying member of Kingston Field Naturalists (KFN), or be accompanied by a member, to access both the Martin Edwards Reserve and
Amherstview Sewage Lagoons. Permits are being checked on a regular basis at Amherstview and those without are being evicted.
As always, a big thank you goes to all those who have submitted sightings
directly or via eBird.
Mark.
Mark D. Read
337 Button Bay Road,
Wolfe Island,
Kingston, Ontario
K0H 2Y0
Canada
Mobile: +1 (613) 217-1246
Email: markdread@gmail.com