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.
Special Note re Owl Woods
Owl Woods is privately owned, but a long-standing agreement allows visitors
to enter the property. However, the owners insist that all owl sightings at
this location are not reported on any social media platform (including
eBird) until the season is over, or we risk losing access. Although owls are
occasionally seen at other nearby locations, disguising your owl wood
sightings as ‘Amherst Island’ or even ‘Lennox and Addington’ goes against
the spirit of the message.
Highlights:
Temperatures have dropped but the majority of waterways remain ice-free.
There was a nice diversity of species this week but the highlight must
surely be an Eared Grebe seen on Amherst Island. Here are the highlights of
the past week:
SNOW GOOSE – singles were seen on Amherst Island throughout the week, on
Wolfe Island on 11th and in Kingston on 7th.
CACKLING GOOSE – Wolfe Island again seems to be the best place to see this
species with 20 seen there on 10th and 3 on 11th.
TRUMPETER SWAN – numbers are beginning to build with 28 seen near Charleston
Lake on 7th, and 53 at Chaffey’s Lock on 10th.
TUNDRA SWAN – numbers have dropped off a bit this week with 80 on Lake
Ontario at Kaiser Cross Road on 5th, 60 at Cataraqui Bay, Kingston on 10th,
and almost 200 across Wolfe Island on 10th.
NORTHERN SHOVELER – a male was seen at Hillview Pond, Kingston, on 10th.
GREEN-WINGED TEAL – a single bird continues at Hillview Pong, Kingston.
CANVASBACK – a single bird was seen at Cataraqui Bay, Kingston, on 7th, 8th,
and 10th.
BLACK SCOTER – 2 females were seen in Cataraqui Bay, Kingston, on 7th.
PIED-BILLED GREBE – a slightly late bird was seen at Chaffey’s Lock on 10th.
RED-NECKED GREBE – singles were seen on Amherst Island on 6th and 10th, and
on Howe Island on 11th.
EARED GREBE – a single bird was seen on Amherst Island on 6th.
ICELAND GULL – an immature bird was seen at Prince Edward Point on 5th.
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK – birds continue to be concentrated on Amherst Island with
25 seen there on 10th.
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER – an adult was seen at Frontenac Provincial Park on
6th, with an immature coming to a feeder on Amherst Island from 7th to 11th.
NORTHERN SHRIKE – a single bird was seen on Amherst Island on 7th and 10th,
with another just north of Kingston on 10th.
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET – single birds were seen at Ravensview, Kingston, on
5th, and at Wartman-Patterson Park, Kingston, on 6th and 8th.
MARSH WREN – a late bird was at Marshlands CA, Kingston, on 7th.
CAROLINA WREN – birds were seen at Balsam Grove, Kingston, on 5th and 9th,
at Cartwright’s Point, Kingston, on 7th, and at McIntyre on 11th. Sightings
in the area appear to be increasing.
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD – the single bird seen at Portsmouth Olympic Harbour,
Kingston, last week continued to 8th.
AMERICAN PIPIT – a late bird was seen on Amherst Island on 10th.
EVENING GROSBEAK – birds were seen at just two locations this week with up
to 8 near Verona on several dates, and 1 north of Sydenham on 11th.
PINE GROSBEAK – 5 birds were seen in Kingston on 10th, with 3 north of
Sydenham on 11th.
HOARY REDPOLL – as many as 3 birds have been seen on Amherst Island this
week, with a single at Lansdowne on 5th.
RED CROSSBILL – no reports.
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL – all reports came from Amherst Island where 30 were
reported on 10th.
PINE SISKIN – there were several widespread reports this week but in low
numbers. 15 were seen near Bedford Mills on 6th.
SNOW BUNTING – there were only a handful of reports this week but a flock of
200 was seen on Amherst Island on 6th.
CHIPPING SPARROW – a single bird was seen on Amherst Island on 7th.
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW – an individual of the Western Taiga (Gambel’s)
subspecies was seen at a feeder on Wolfe Island on 8th. Two regular
individuals were seen on Amherst Island on 10th.
In order to minimise disturbance to wildlife and property in the recording
area, Kingston Field Naturalists has adopted the
<https://kingstonfieldnaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/KFN_sensiti
ve_sightings_policy.pdf> 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.
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