WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA for Sunday, March 03, 2002 A rather interesting week, if only from the standpoint of weather. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS arrived to the Quinte area on Monday, and en masse throughout the area by the following day when there was an estimated 200 in the Big Island Marsh. An overnight snowfall of as much as 15 cm brought many of these huge flocks to area bird feeders on March 1st. There were isolated reports of COMMON GRACKLES last week, and there were two KILLDEER at Prince Edward Point on Wednesday. NORTHERN HARRIER migrants were observed during the week along Highway 62 at Sawguin Marsh, and at the Big Island Marsh. BALD EAGLES this past week were observed at Adolphustown (1 imm.), Smith's Bay (1 A & 1 imm.), Glenora (1 A & 1 imm) and two others of undetermined age along Highway 49 at the Quinte Skyway Bridge, and along Adolphus Reach. There was a report from Belleville yesterday of a PEREGRINE FALCON on North Front Street. Other hawk sightings during the week included an AMERICAN KESTREL and a RED-TAILED HAWK at Warkworth. NORTHERN SHRIKES were seen during the week at Crofton and along Royal Road, south of Milford. Sightings made today at Presqu'ile were 50 MUTE SWANS, 4 TRUMPETER SWANS, 45 TUNDRA SWANS, SNOWY OWL, 900-1000 CANVASBACKS, a BARROW'S GOLDENEYE and PIED-BILLED GREBE. Another observer yesterday added GADWALL, RING-NECKED DUCK, both GREATER & LESSER SCAUP, and COMMON MERGANSERS to the list. Other interesting sightings during the week included 100+ WILD TURKEYS at their customary location north of Belleville in the field west of Sidney Street, 22 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS at the north end of Sprague Road, a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH at a Downs Avenue feeder in Picton, 3 PURPLE FINCHES coming to a feeder on Maitland Drive in Belleville, PILEATED WOODPECKER at Prince Edward Point's Big Sand Bay marsh area, and a BELTED KINGFISHER south of Milford. And among the odd and unexplained was a CANADA GOOSE that apparently died in mid flight, plummeting to the ground in front of a Bloomfield home verandah. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Carole and Bob Wigington, Penny Rae, Mary Tammel, Wayne Montgomery, David Bree, Don McClure, Fran Donaldson, Lloyd Paul, Owen Weir, Judy Bell, Shirley Preston, Jim Wait, Bill Hogg, Susan Yankoo, Nancy Fox and Don Craighead for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated by 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 10th. Bird sightings must be in by 6:00 p.m. to be included in the next report. Good winter birding everyone ! Terry Sprague Picton, Ontario tsprague@kos.net http://www.naturestuff.net "Terry Sprague" <tsprague@hermes.kos.net>