April 7, 2010 Amherst Island Birding

Spent most of yesterday birding various areas on Amherst Island before the rain started in the afternoon. The Owl Woods had a small variety of land birds including 4 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1 Brown Thrasher, 1 Field Sparrow and 2 Hermit Thrush, all singing. At the East Point (KFN property) there was a good selection of water birds. Highlights included 150+ Bonaparte's Gull, 175+ American Wigeon, 200+ Gadwall, 3 Greater Yellowlegs, and 500+ Long-tailed Duck. Along the South Shore Road 1 Common Loon, 1 Red-necked Grebe and 6 Horned Grebe were observed. In the open fields a number of Savannah Sparrows and Eastern Meadowlarks were singing while 4 Rough-legged Hawks, 9 Northern Harrier, 5 Red-tailed Hawk and 3 American Kestrel were seen.

Good Birding, Bruce

Directions: Amherst Island: Located 18 km. west of Kingston. Exit off Hwy. 401 at exit 593 (County Rd. 4, Camden East) and drive south to the very end (Millhaven). Turn right on Hwy. 33 and drive 100 metres until you see the sign for the Amherst Island ferry. The ferry (20 minute trip) leaves the mainland on the half hour and leaves the island on the hour. Cost is $8.00 Canadian round trip. There are no gas stations on the island. There are restrooms on the ferry, and at the island ferry dock. The East End K.F.N. property is at the easternmost part of the island on the east side of the Lower Forty Foot Road.

Because of liability issues, visitors to the Kingston Field Naturalists'property at the east end of Amherst Island MUST be accompanied by a KFN
member. For KFN contact information or how to become a member, please visit
http://kingstonfieldnaturalists.org/ ."

Adult Red-tailed Hawk in the rain.

Water bird viewing along the south shore and East point was excellent.

The winter of 2009-10 was the best ever for Barred Owls in Eastern Ontario with a number of concentrations between Brockville-Kingston-Presqu'ile.

Another owling season comes to an end on Amherst Island.