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:
The extreme cold continued for the duration of the week, with accompanying
heavy snowfall on a couple of dates. Red Crossbills seemed more numerous
this week, and the large variety of winter finches continued. Here are the
highlights of the past week:
TRUMPETER SWAN – Three locations had good numbers this week: Lower Brewers
Lock had a high count of 58 on 14th; Chaffey’s Locks had 42 on 14th; and
Wiltse Creek (Lansdowne) had 60 birds on 30th.
TUNDRA SWAN – not surprisingly (since the lake is frozen) there were very
few observations this week. In fact, all sightings came from Amherst Island,
where a high of 12 was encountered on 14th.
NORTHERN PINTAIL – a male continues at the Invista pond, Kingston.
CANVASBACK – 1 bird was seen at the Invista pond, Kingston, on 15th.
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK – a continuing bird was seen at Gananoque on 13th.
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK – it’s a story of 2 islands (as it was last year). Wolfe
Island had a report of just a single bird this week whereas 52 were seen on
Amherst Island on 18th.
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER – an immature bird continued at Fairway Hill Park,
Kingston, to at least 17th.
PEREGRINE FALCON – Kingston’s downtown bird was seen on 18th.
NORTHERN SHRIKE – there were just 3 birds reported this week, from Napanee
and Prince Edward Point on 13th, and at Frontenac Provincial Park on 15th.
TUFTED TITMOUSE – a single bird continued for the week at Fairway Hill Park,
Kingston. Another bird was seen at Landon Bay, Gananoque on 14th, with 2 on
Middle Road, just east of Kingston, on 13th.
CAROLINA WREN – continuing birds were seen at Old Front Road, Balsam Grove,
and Ravensview (Kingston) with another bird also seen at Marble Rock.
GRAY CATBIRD – a single bird was seen at Castell Park, Kingston, on 13th and
14th.
HERMIT THRUSH – single birds continued at both Marshlands CA, and Lemoine
Point CA, Kingston.
BOHEMIAN WAXWING – No reports within the circle but many sightings just to
the north.
EVENING GROSBEAK – no reports this week.
PINE GROSBEAK – 8 birds were seen at Bedford Mills on 13th, with 19 seen at
Worthington Way, in the Rideau Heights area of Kingston, on 15th.
HOARY REDPOLL – there continue to be numerous reports of mainly single birds
from across the region.
RED CROSSBILL – birds were noted at 6 locations this week: 2 at Verona on
13th; 12 at Bedford Mills on 13th; 1 just south of Bedford Mills on 14th; 6
at Lemoine Point, Kingston, on 14th; 1 (type 10) at Little Cataraqui Creek
CA, Kingston, on 17th; and 7 at Warburton on 18th.
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL – 4 birds were seen at Marshlands CA, Kingston, on
15th.
PINE SISKIN – sightings were a bit more widespread this week with a high
count of 12 birds at Bur Brook Road, just north of Kingston, on 15th.
LAPLAND LONGSPUR – a single bird was seen on Wolfe Island on 14th.
SNOW BUNTING – there were widespread reports this week but the highest count
was of over 400 on Wolfe Island on 14th.
GAMBEL’S WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW – an immature bird continued to 17th at a
location near Prince Edward Point.
SAVANNAH SPARROW – 3 birds were seen on 5th Line, Wolfe Island, on 14th,
with 2 more on Amherst Island on 18th.
SWAMP SPARROW – 2-3 birds continue at Little Cataraqui Creek CA, Kingston,
seen on 18th and 19th.
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.
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
