Sunday, November 20, 2011

November 20, 2011 Presqu'ile Birding

Today, November 20th birded Presqu'ile Provincial Park and found 3 Purple Sandpiper on Gull Island along with a small number of late lingering shorebirds including 1 White-rumped Sandpiper, 3 Black-bellied Plover, 8 Sanderling and 15+ Dunlin. The long staying male Eurasian Wigeon was still present in Presqu'ile Bay along with 174 American Coot, 8 Tundra Swan and 68 Mute Swam. With the mild weather we still had Spring Peepers calling and saw a Northern Leopard Frog.

Directions: Courtesy Fred Helleiner: To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton. Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid that is available at the Park gate. Visitors to Gull Island not using a boat should be prepared to wade through shin-deep water in which there is often a swift current and a substrate that is somewhat uneven and slippery. It should also be noted that, because duck hunting is given priority on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, Gull Island, High Bluff Island, Owen Point, and part of the calf pasture are not available for bird-watching on those days. Birders are encouraged to record their observations on the bird sightings board provided near the campground office by The Friends of Presqu'ile Park and to fill out a rare bird report for species not listed there.
Directions: Prince Edward Point. Take exit 566 (Marysville) off the 401 and go south on County Road 49 to Picton. Take County Rd. 8 to County Rd. 17 to County Rd. 16 to County Rd. 13. Follow County Rd. 13 to the end until you reach the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area. There is now a gate near the tip by the harbour. You can no longer drive to the lighthouse but have to park by the gate and walk. The lighthouse is at the very tip of the point.




Hip waders were required to cross over to Gull island.


My son Ben decided that pants and boots weren't required!


Ron Hoffe follows suit, almost. He rolls his pants up..



An injured Sanderling was hobbling along the gravel shoreline feeding.


A late White-rumped Sandpiper was actively feeding.


One of 3 Purple Sandpipers feeding on Gull Island.


A Purple Sandpiper and Dunlin feeding.


With mild conditions even the frogs were out.


An American Robin feeding on Buckthorn berries.


The Lighthouse is a good vantage point for viewing Presqu'ile Bay.

1 comment:

Bones said...

Wow. Bare legged wading in November. Brrr!!! Certainly dedicated.