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Kingston Area Birds: 9th – 15th 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:

It has been a relatively mild week with last week’s snow slowly, but by no means entirely, beginning to melt. Waterways don’t know whether to freeze or stay open. With this week’s stay at home order now in effect, this report mainly covers the first part of the period. Some of the better sightings this week include additional Ross’s Goose sightings from Howe Island and Prince Edward County, as well as a good mix of winter finches. Here are the highlights of the past week:

SNOW GOOSE – a single bird was seen on Amherst Island on 10th.

ROSS’S GOOSE – a single bird showing some grey immature plumage on the head was seen on Howe Island on 10th, and what appears to be an adult bird was seen near Kaiser Cross Road, Prince Edward, on 9th. It is unclear whether the Prince Edward bird is the same individual as seen at Reed’s Bay, Wolfe Island, through to 3rd.

TRUMPETER SWAN – Bedford Mills once again held the largest concentrations this week with 45 seen there on 10th. Davis Lock came in second with 25 seen there, also on 10th.

TUNDRA SWAN – birds are still hanging around the area though individual flock sizes are generally deceasing. Larger flocks included 48 on Lake Ontario off Kaiser Cross Road on 10th, 28 on Amherst Island on 11th, and 27 on Wolfe Island, also on 11th.

NORTHERN SHOVELER – a male was seen on Amherst Island on 10th.

CANVASBACK – Two birds remained at Cataraqui Bay, Kingston, over the week

BLACK SCOTER – a single bird was seen at Heritage Point, Bath, on 14th and 15th.

BARROW’S GOLDENEYE – a male was seen near Fisher’s Landing, NY, on 10th and 14th.

GLAUCOUS GULL – singles were seen on Howe Island on 10th and Wolfe Island on 11th. Two birds were seen at Violet Dump on 13th.

ICELAND GULL – Singles were observed at Collin’s Bay, Kingston, on 10th and at Lansdowne Dump on 10th and 11th.

COMMON LOON – birds continue in the area with 6 seen off Howe Island on 10th and 5 off Amherst the same day. Another 1-2 remain off the Kingston waterfront.

NORTHERN GOSHAWK – an adult was seen near Verona on 13th.

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK – the vast majority of records came from Amherst Island where 26 were seen on 10th.

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER – an immature bird was seen at Marshlands CA, Kingston, on 9th, with the continuing female at Bedford Mills seen on 11th.

PEREGRINE FALCON – Kingston’s downtown bird was seen on 9th, 12th, and 14th.

NORTHERN SHRIKE – there were just 3 reports this week: single birds were seen on Amherst Island on 9th and 10th; and another was near Verona on 11th.

TUFTED TITMOUSE – a single bird was seen at Sandhurst Shores on 10th and 11th, with another at Cartwright’s Point, Kingston, on 15th.

CAROLINA WREN – 6 different birds were seen this week, all in the Kingston area.

NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD – birds were noted near Prince Edward Point on 10th, with Kingston’s Portsmouth Olympic Harbour bird returning to that location on 15th.

HERMIT THRUSH – a continuing bird was seen at Marshlands CA, Kingston, on 9th and 11th.

BOHEMIAN WAXWING – 4 birds were near Marble Rock CA, on 11th, with 80 at Harrowsmith the same day. 50-60 birds were on Florida Road near Murvale on 12th.

EVENING GROSBEAK – 6 birds were still coming to a feeder at Perth Road Village through to 9th.

PINE GROSBEAK – Sightings came from several locations but larger flocks were as follows: 10-15 birds were at Rideau Heights, Kingston, on 9th-10th, with 7-14 at Willowbank on 10th-11th. 14 birds were seen near Charleston Lake on 10th.

HOARY REDPOLL – singles were seen at Cressy Lakeside Road, Prince Edward, and at Hughes Road, north of Kingston, on 9th, with others in Kingston on 10th, and on Amherst and Wolfe Islands on 11th.

RED CROSSBILL – no reports this week.

WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL – 6 birds were seen at Little Cataraqui Creek CA, Kingston, on 9th, with 3 also seen at Prince Edward Point the same day.

PINE SISKIN – there were a few more birds seen in the Kingston area this week with a high count of 26 seen at Bur Brook Road on 9th.

LAPLAND LONGSPUR – 2 birds were seen on Wolfe Island on 9th, with 2 also seen on Amherst Island on 13th.

SNOW BUNTING – observations came from a number of locations this week, though the island tended to have most of the sightings – 340 were seen on Wolfe on 13th.

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW – singles were seen near Prince Edward Point on several dates this week, with another seen at Cartwright’s Point, Kingston, on 15th.

SWAMP SPARROW – birds continued at at least 3 different locations, with 2 reported from Prince Edward Point on 10th.

SAVANNAH SPARROW – 2 birds were seen near Napanee on 10th, with a single on Amherst Island on 11th.

EASTERN TOWHEE – a male continued at Amherstview until 13th at least.

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