WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND THE QUINTE AREA for Thursday, December 16, 2004 With a drop in temperature and a bit of snow this past week, bird activity in the county, particularly at feeders, has picked up considerably. Rare is the feeder in the Quinte area that doesn't have both COMMON REDPOLLS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES right now. A feeder operator on Crookston Road, south of Madoc, reported being invaded by "mobs of goldfinches, an estimated 100 on those very early frosty mornings." In Prince Edward County, it's much the same story with feeders averaging 20 or more. COMMON REDPOLLS have been seen at most feeders and in small flocks throughout Prince Edward County, and at a feeder in Tweed. Up to 10 PINE SISKINS are at a feeder on Glenora Road just east of Picton, and a feeder in Cressy is hosting PURPLE FINCH, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD and a WINTER WREN. A RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD is also at a feeder in the Ameliasburgh area. At 2005 County Road 7, COMMON REDPOLLS and PINE SISKINS are there too, along with RUFFED GROUSE, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH and 2 COMMON CROWS that have taken to feeding on peanut butter. Also attracted by peanut butter is a NORTHERN FLICKER that is coming to a feeder in Picton. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS are coming to feeders on Ben Gill Road (County Road 4), Picton, Victoria Road near McIntyre Road, and on County Road 1. There was a BROWN CREEPER in a backyard in Albury on December 11th. It's shaping up to be a very interesting year for bird feeder enthusiasts in the area. Colder weather has sealed many of the smaller lakes in the area, forcing much of the waterfowl out into Lake Ontario. At Prinyer's Cove, CANADA GEESE there number close to 1,000. Recent high winds have opened up some areas of local lakes, with East Lake still producing small numbers of LITTLE GULLS. At Point Petre, COMMON GOLDENEYE, BUFFLEHEAD and CANADA GEESE can be found and there was a COMMON LOON on the Bay of Quinte near 12 O'Clock Point on December 13th. On Monday, 9 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were still hanging around Picton Harbour, but have since disappeared with the freeze up. There were two reports of swans at Belleville and East Lake becoming frozen in the ice overnight with the sudden drop in temperature this week. It is unknown whether these were TUNDRA SWANS or MUTE SWANS or both, but all managed to work themselves free. A flock of 30 SNOW BUNTINGS showed up in a field along Crookston Road today, and other winter arrivals included a NORTHERN SHRIKE at Point Petre this afternoon, a GREAT GRAY OWL on Mudcat Lane in the Foxboro area on December 9th, and a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER in Bon Echo Provincial Park on December 5th. Other interesting birds that appeared during the week included a PILEATED WOODPECKER at Vanderwater Conservation Area on December 9th, a BARRED OWL on Flinton Road near County Road 41 the same day, and a GREAT BLUE HERON at Wellington this afternoon. Two COMMON RAVENS are being observed on a regular basis in the Elmbrook area. There was also a report of a possible PINE WARBLER that visited a feeder on County Road 12 at West Lake two weeks ago, and we are currently awaiting the arrival of photos that were taken of that bird. The Prince Edward Point Christmas Bird County takes place this Saturday, followed by the Presqu'ile Provincial Park count the following day. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Joanne Dewey, Devon Coburn & Jeff Collis, Rae O'Brien, Janet Foster, Cathy Anderson, Silvia Botnick, Bob Maurer, Eric Caley, Paul Wallace, Joanne West, Jerry Foster, Jenny Goodall, Doug McRae, Doris Lane, Dan Pipher and Wynne Thomas for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, December 23rd. Bird sightings may be forwarded to tsprague@kos.net at any time before the Thursday 6:00 p.m. deadline. This report also appears on the NatureStuff website under BIRDING. Terry Sprague Picton, Ontario tsprague@kos.net www.naturestuff.net