KFN 75 Years Logo

Kingston Area Birds: 26th December 2020 – 1st January 2021

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 again fluctuated widely this week but were generally on the mild side. First day listers and CBCs in the area produced some good sightings but the highlight must surely be an adult Ross’s Goose, seen at Reed’s Bay, Wolfe Island, on 1st. Here are the highlights of the past week:

SNOW GOOSE – singles were seen near Napanee on 27th, on Wolfe Island on 31st, and Amherst Island on 1st.

ROSS’S GOOSE – although on the increase, an individual seen at Reed’s Bay, Wolfe Island, on 1st is still only the 3rd Frontenac record in the last 12 years.

CACKLING GOOSE – Reed’s Bay, Wolfe Island, is the best spot for this species with up to 9 seen there this week. Another bird was seen at Bath on 27th.

TRUMPETER SWAN – There were fewer birds seen this week with a high of 21 at Chaffey’s Lock on 29th, and 15 on Canoe Lake Road on 1st.

TUNDRA SWAN – numbers seem to be holding steady, though Wolfe Island appears to have the majority of observations with almost 100 seen there on 29th.

NORTHERN SHOVELER – the continuing male has now set up at Lemoine Point CA, Kingston, where it was seen on 29th and 1st.

GREEN-WINGED TEAL – 2 males and a female were seen at Belle Park, Kingston, on 29th, with a continuing male at Lemoine Point CA, Kingston, seen on 27th.

CANVASBACK – 2 females were seen at Bath on 27th, with 6 at the nearby LaFarge Cement Fac tory on 1st. Two birds were at Cataraqui Bay, Kingston, on 1st.

KILLDEER – a single bird was seen at Wartman-Patterson Park, Kingston, on 29th and 31st.

GLAUCOUS GULL – birds were seen at Reed’s Bay, Wolfe Island, on 29th; at Violet Dump on 29th; on Amherst Island on 30th; and at Prince Edward Point and Bath on 1st.

ICELAND GULL – An adult was seen at Bath on 27th, with an immature near Napanee the same day.

COMMON LOON – 4 birds were seen on Howe Island on 27th, with singles near Amherstview and on Amherst Island the same day.

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK – birds continue to be concentrated on Amherst Island with 20 seen there on 1st.

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER – a female bird continued at a private feeder at Bedford Mills and was seen on 29th and 1st.

PEREGRINE FALCON – One of Kingston’s downtown birds was seen on 31st.

NORTHERN SHRIKE – 7 different birds were noted at a range of locations this week.

TUFTED TITMOUSE – a continuing bird was seen on Howe Island Ferry Road on 1st.

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET – a single bird was seen at the Invista plant, Kingston, on 1st.

CAROLINA WREN – 1-2 birds continued at Ravensview this week with another at Invista, Kingston, on 1st.

HERMIT THRUSH – a single bird was again seen at Marshlands CA, Kingston, on 26th.

BOHEMIAN WAXWING – the first birds of the season were seen this week with 2 flocks of 15 seen in the Amherstview area on 31st and 150 on Chaffey’s Lock Road on 29th.

EVENING GROSBEAK – as many as 19 birds have been coming to a feeder at Perth Road Village this week, with up to 13 near Verona, also over the week.

PINE GROSBEAK – there were several widespread observations this week, but the ‘high’ count of 5 came from Hay Bay on 27th.

HOARY REDPOLL – sightings came from Wolfe and Amherst Islands this week with 3 seen on Amherst on 26th.

RED CROSSBILL – 6 birds were seen at Parrott’s Bay CA on 1st with another 6 at Amherstview the same day.

WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL – 20 birds were seen on Amherst Island on 29th, with 9 birds at Parrott’s Bay CA on 1st with another 9 at Amherstview the same day.

PINE SISKIN – 1-2 birds were near Brewer’s Mills most of the week, with 2 at Westbrook on 26th and 1 in Kingston on 29th.

LAPLAND LONGSPUR – 3 birds were seen near Hawley on 27th.

SNOW BUNTING – numbers picked up a bit this week with widespread observations. 200 were seen on Amherst Island on 27th.

FIELD SPARROW – a single bird was seen near Prince Edward Point on 28th.

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW – birds were seen in Kingston on 26th/27th, with the Gambel’s subspecies seen at Button Bay, Wolfe Island, on 28th/29th. Another bird was seen near Prince Edward Point on 28th and 1st.

SWAMP SPARROW – a singles bird was at Prince Edward Point on 29th and 31st, with 1 at Little Cataraqui Creek, Kingston, on 31st, and 3 on Amherst island on 1st.

EASTERN TOWHEE – a male was seen and photographed near Switzerville on 27th.

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