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Kingston Area Birds 28 May – 3 June 2022

After ten years of weekly reports, Mark Read has passed the baton to me. On behalf of the Kingston Field Naturalists I would like to thank Mark for his efforts as Bird Reporter and Chair of the KFN Rare Birds Committee, and wish him well in his new job.

Kingston Field Naturalists (KFN) maintain records in a 50km radius of MacDonald Park, Kingston. Birders using eBird are encouraged to share their sightings with ‘Kingston FN’. Alternatively, please email  records directly to me – contact details below. Please note that some sightings may require review and remain unconfirmed unless stated otherwise. Species 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 (http://www.ofo.ca/site/Obrcreport).

Highlights:

Migration has largely tailed off, with the late warblers (Wilson’s, Blackpoll and Bay-breasted) having passed through and only a few late shorebirds still to come. Here are the highlights of the last couple of weeks:

BRANT – have been and gone, with the last sightings on 29 (Amherst Island) and 30 May (Thousand Islands Parkway).

AMERICAN WIGEON – two late lingerers on Howe Island, 29 May.

WHITE-WINGED SCOTER – lingered in good numbers at Prince Edward Point until at least 3 June.

BLACK SCOTER – two at Prince Edward Point on 3 June – an uncommon bird in eastern Lake Ontario at the best of times.

UPLAND SANDPIPER – probable breeding pairs on Amherst and Wolfe Islands and on the Camden East Alvar.

RUDDY TURNSTONE – first arrival on the 24th, with a 65 seen at Martin Edwards on 2 June.

RED KNOT – one bird noted in a large flock of Ruddy Turnstone on 2 June.

SANDERLING – the first bird of the season was seen at Martin Edwards on 27 May.

DUNLIN – still a few moving through, with five on Amherst on 2 June.

WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER – two at Martin Edwards on 26 May.

PECTORAL SANDPIPER – two at Morven as late as 25 May.

SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER – moving through in good numbers.

PIPING PLOVER – just outside the Circle, at Sandy Point Outlet in Oswego County, NY, 3-4 birds from 27 May to 2 June.

SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER – two birds arrived at the unlikely location of Marshlands CA on the 28th and remained until at least the 29th.

WILSON’S PHALAROPE – the breeding colony at Martin Edwards is still active, though numbers seem to be down from previous years.

BLACK TERN – good numbers at the breeding colony on Camden Lake.

NEOTROPIC CORMORANT – the Prince Edward Point bird was last seen on 23 May.

LEAST BITTERN – one calling at Big Sandy Bay on 31 May, and the usual good numbers at Moscow Marsh

GLOSSY IBIS – three birds were discovered on 2 June at Martin Edwards Reserve. They were seen again on 3 June.

RED-SHOULDERED HAWK – two over Prince Edward Point on 31 May

BROAD-WINGED HAWK – a late migrant through Prince Edward Point on 31 May.

RED-HEADED WOODPECKER – these birds are uncommon in the Kingston Circle, but there has been an uptick in the sightings in the last few weeks. Birds have been spotted on Townline Road south of Morven, on County Road 2 west of Gananoque, and on James Wilson Road.

ACADIAN FLYCATCHER – a very rare spring visitor, one was netted and examined at Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory on 31 May.

LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE – two pairs continue at the release site on the Camden East Alvar.

NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD – another species having a mini-irruption, with a continuing bird(s) on Wolfe Island and Lemoine Point/Old Front Road, one on Amherst on 3 June, one at Moscow on 27 May, on  Middle Road on 29 May and a single at Prince Edward Point as late as 29 May.

ORCHARD ORIOLE – suddenly they are everywhere! Normally a rare to uncommon bird, but aside from the regular pair at Lemoine Point CA, birds are being seen on Wolfe, Amherst and Howe Islands, in Gananoque, Bath, and Stella, and at Prince Edward Point.

LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH – one bird reported singing on 30 May on Canoe Lake Road.

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. KFN members wishing to enter the Invista property must enter through the west gate and show their membership card to security.

As always, a big thank you goes to all those who have submitted sightings directly or via eBird.

Anthony

N. Anthony Kaduck

Kingston, Ontario

Email: kaduckintransit « at » googlemail.com