blue bill - kingston field naturalists...nature reserves erwin batalla 613-542-2048 [email protected]...

The

Blue Bill

Quarterly Journal of the Kingston Field Naturalists

ISSN 0382-5655

Volume 59, No. 1 March 2012

Contents

President’s Page Gaye Beckwith ...................129

Yearly List of Birds-KFN 2011 Ron D. Weir ......................130

Odonate Sightings & Yearly List 2011 Kurt Hennige ....................139

KFN Outings January-February 2012

14Jan Teen Trip to Elbow Lake William Arsenault.............141

12Feb Teen Trip to Wolfe Island Michael Jaansalu ...............142

February 2012 Rambles Joseph Benderavage ...........142

Family Day Trip to Wolfe Island Erwin Batalla ....................143

Kingston and Area Christmas Bird Counts Ron D. Weir ......................144

South Shore Needs Real Protection Terry Sprague....................149

Kingston Area Birds Winter Season 1Dec2011-29Feb2012 Mark Andrew Conboy.......151

Mid-winter Waterfowl Inventory Ron D. Weir ......................156

Butterfly News and Views Don Davis .........................159

The Blue Bill is the quarterly journal (published March, June, September and December) of the Kingston Field Naturalists, P.O. Box 831, Kingston, ON (Canada), K7L 4X6.

Website: http://www.kingstonfieldnaturalists.org

Send submissions to the Editor by the 15th of the month prior to the month of publication (i.e. by the 15th of February/May/August/November) to the address above, or to the editor via e-mail to: [email protected]. Please include contact phone number.

Submissions should be in MS Word format or in “plain text” format (PC or MacIntosh) or unformatted in the body of an e-mail.

Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #047128

20011/2012 Officers

President: Gaye Beckwith

613-376-3716

[email protected]

Vice-President: Chris Grooms

613-386-7969

[email protected]

Past President: Janis Grant

613-548-3668

[email protected]

Treasurer: Larry McCurdy

613-389-6427

[email protected]

Recording John Cartwright

Secretary: 613-766-2896

[email protected]

Membership John Critchley

Secretary: 613-634-5475

[email protected]

Nature Reserves Erwin Batalla 613-542-2048 [email protected] Conservation Chris Hargreaves 613-389-8993 [email protected] Blue Bill Editor Alex Simmons 613-542-2048 [email protected] Junior Naturalists Anne Robertson 613-389-6742 [email protected] Education Shirley French 613-548-8617 [email protected] Field Trips Kurt Hennige 613-386-1772 [email protected] Bird Sightings Mark Conboy [email protected] Bird Records Ron Weir 613-549-5274 [email protected] Speakers Gaye Beckwith 613-376-3716 [email protected] Newsletter Connie Gardiner 613-545-2354 [email protected] Publicity/Website Chris Grooms 613-386-7969 [email protected] Slideshow Gaye Beckwith 613-376-3716 [email protected] Ontario Nature Jackie Bartnik 613-531-3736 [email protected] Member-at-large Darren Rayner 613-766-2210 [email protected]. Member-at-large Mark Conboy [email protected] Member-at-large Rose-marie Burke 613-549-7583 [email protected] Archives Peter McIntyre 613-548-4738 [email protected]

The Blue Bill Volume 59, No. 1 Page 129

President’s Page

Gaye Beckwith

With the passing of Dr. Martin Edwards

on Thursday, February 16th, the

Kingston Field Naturalists has lost a

very prestigious member. Martin was an

active member for almost six decades,

including holding the role of honourary

president at the time of his death. The

next issue of our Blue Bill will include

articles on Martin’s life and his

extraordinary birding history. On behalf

of the KFN organization I offer our

sincere condolences to Martin’s family.

He will be greatly missed.

At this time of year when we are

looking forward to the spring with its

many renewals of life: budding trees,

returning birds, shoots pushing through

the snow, and new offspring throughout

the animal community, our organization

is also looking for renewal.

March and April is our time to seek new

members for the executive. As you

know KFN requires a group of

dedicated individuals to fill a variety of

jobs to keep the club on course. We have

an exemplary history of bringing in new

people to take over for those who are

leaving the executive.

I recently read of a similar organization

in Durham where its current president

has held that position for the past 10

years. KFN has been fortunate to have

many members who are able and

willing to step forward and serve a term

or two on the executive. This brings new

ideas and direction to the club.

If you have a desire to join the executive

this year or sometime in the future, we

would like to know. Send me an email

at [email protected] or speak to

anyone on the current executive. We

have ‘members-at-large’ positions

which allow new executive members to

get an understanding of how the club

functions and where their particular

skills and expertise might be used.

I look forward to hearing from those

who are interested in joining the

executive and take this opportunity to

thank the current executive for all the

great work they do.

BRING ON THE SPRING!

March 2012

Yearly List of Birds – KFN 2011

Ron D. Weir

There were 277 species of birds seen in

2011 in the 50km radius circle centred in

MacDonald Park, Kingston, compared

to the 31-year average (1980-2010) of

280. The distribution over the past 31

years is given in Table 1.

Table 1: Annual total bird species for the Kingston area 1980 to 2010

Year Total Year Total Year Total

1980 278 1991 281 2002 287

1981 277 1992 281 2003 282

1982 276 1993 293 2004 280

1983 282 1994 283 2005 278

1984 285 1995 280 2006 274

1985 271 1996 285 2007 272*

1986 277 1997 283 2008 272

1987 279 1998 283 2009 281**

1988 270 1999 278 2010 281

1989 273 2000 282 2011 277

1990 279 2001 285

*In the list for 2007 (Blue Bill 55 (1)

(2008)), a total of 270 species was shown.

Since then, two additional species were

reported for 2007: Red Phalarope (1) and

Parasitic Jaeger (1) on 16Sep at

Henderson, NY. **In the list for 2009

(Blue Bill 57 (1) (2010)), a total of 280

species was shown. The KFN learned

through the official report of the Ontario

Bird Records Committee published in

2010, of a sighting of a Roseate

Spoonbill at Westport on 13Jun.

In 2011, no new species was added to

the list, which remains at 376. Rarities

include Pacific Loon, Northern Gannet,

Great Cormorant, Greater White-fronted

Goose, Ross’s Goose, King Eider,

Harlequin Duck, Gyrfalcon, Franklin’s

Gull, Forster’s Tern, Northern Hawk

Owl, Say’s Phoebe, White-eyed Vireo,

Townsend’s Solitaire, Varied Thrush,

Yellow-throated Warbler, Worm-eating

Warbler, Le Conte’s Sparrow, Yellow-

headed Blackbird.

Species not seen every year were

Cackling Goose, Barrow’s Goldeneye,

Marbled Godwit, Western Sandpiper,

Purple Sandpiper, Lesser Black-backed

Gull, Boreal Owl, Tufted Titmouse,

Connecticut Warbler, Hooded Warbler,

Nelson’s Sparrow.

Species missed were Common Eider,

Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Red

Phalarope, three-toed woodpeckers,

Sedge Wren, Kentucky Warbler, Pine


Grosbeak. Table 2 contains the date of

first occurrence in 2011 with the

observers' initials. Where KFN appears,

more than 3 observers of the Kingston

Field Naturalists were involved.

Contributors: E. Batalla, J. S.Bolsinger, A.

Brown, M. Chojiecki, M. A. Conboy, S.

David, B. M. DiLabio, B. (Ben) DiLabio, J.

H. Ellis, P. English, H. Evans, P. J. Good, C.

Grooms, K. Hennige, V. P. Mackenzie, P.

Martin, C. Muller, L. Nuttall, D. Okines, P.

O’Toole, B. Ripley, C. Robinson, M.

Roncetti, A. K. Rowe, J. Scott, N. Spencer, R.

T. Sprague, S. Treganza, R. D. Weir, KFN (3+

members of the Kingston Field Naturalists)

Table 2. Bird species seen in the Kingston area during 2011 with date of first sighting

and observers.

Species Date Observer

Red-throated Loon 26Oct VPM

Pacific Loon 03Dec BRp

Common Loon 06Jan BRp

Pied-billed Grebe 24Mar VPM

Horned Grebe 12Mar MStewart, JSB

Red-necked Grebe 16Jan KFN

Northern Gannet 23Oct BRp

Double-crested Cormorant 15Mar AKaduck

Great Cormorant 22May HNahs

American Bittern 10Apr KH

Least Bittern 14May JSB

Great Blue Heron 14Jan EB

Great Egret 01Apr CG

Green Heron 02May EB

Blck-crwnd Night Heron 19Apr JHE, AKR

Turkey Vulture 16Jan KFN

Greater White-fronted Goose 26Mar JHall, DEdwards

Snow Goose 12Mar KFN

Ross’s Goose 16Mar KFN

Cackling Goose 09Jan RDW

Canada Goose 01Jan KFN

Brant 09May CG

Mute Swan 01Jan KFN

Trumpeter Swan 06Jan BRp

Tundra Swan 01Jan KFN

Wood Duck 09Jan KFN

March 2012


Gadwall 01Jan KFN

American Wigeon 01Jan KFN

American Black Duck 01Jan KFN

Mallard 01Jan KFN

Blue-winged Teal 06Apr KH

Northern Shoveler 26Mar JHE, AKR

Northern Pintail 16Jan KFN

Green-winged Teal 09Jan SD

Canvasback 01Jan KFN

Redhead 01Jan KFN

Ring-necked Duck 01Jan KFN

Greater Scaup 01Jan KFN

Lesser Scaup 01Jan KFN

King Eider 18Dec RDW

Harlequin Duck 08Jan DO

Surf Scoter 28Apr BMD, BD

White-winged Scoter 09Jan JHE, RDW

Black Scoter 30Apr PO’T

Long-tailed Duck 01Jan KFN

Bufflehead 01Jan KFN

Common Goldeneye 01Jan KFN

Barrow’s Goldeneye 01Jan RDW, JSB

Hooded Merganser 01Jan KFN

Common Merganser 01Jan KFN

Red-breasted Merganser 01Jan KFN

Ruddy Duck 18Apr VPM, AKR

Virginia Rail 22Apr GUre

Sora 03May BRp

Common Moorhen 24Apr PJG

American Coot 01Jan KFN

Sandhill Crane 23Mar JSB

Osprey 02Apr LN, MC

Bald Eagle 01Jan KFN

Northern Harrier 01Jan KFN

Sharp-shinned Hawk 01Jan LN, MC

Cooper’s Hawk 05Jan BRp



Northern Goshawk 01Jan JSB

Red-shouldered Hawk 15Mar LC, MC

Broad-winged Hawk 15Apr PSpaar

Red-tailed Hawk 01Jan KFN

Rough-legged Hawk 01Jan KFN

Golden Eagle 20Jan BRp

American Kestrel 01Jan KFN

Merlin 01Jan KFN

Gyrfalcon 09Mar CM

Peregrine Falcon 01Jan KFN

Ring-necked Pheasant 02Jan KFN

Ruffed Grouse 10Jan PJG

Wild Turkey 01Jan KFN

Black-bellied Plover 26May KFN

American Golden-Plover 26Aug JHE, VPM

Semipalmated Plover 21May KFN

Killdeer 02Jan BRp

Greater Yellowlegs 06Apr KH

Lesser Yellowlegs 22May KFN

Solitary Sandpiper 22Apr JSB

Willet 01May RTS

Spotted Sandpiper 07Apr MAC

Upland Sandpiper 10Apr JHE, RDW

Whimbrel 28May MBurrell

Hudsonian Godwit 28May MBurrell

Marbled Godwit 03Jun AKR

Ruddy Turnstone 22May KFN

Red Knot 25May BMD, BD

Sanderling 01Sep DO

Semipalmated Sandp 23May VPM

Western Sandpiper 26Jul RDW

Least Sandpiper 10May VPM

White-rumpd Sandp 26May BRp

Baird’s Sandpiper 24Jul KH

Pectoral Sandpiper 13May EB

Purple Sandpiper 12Dec BMD, BD

March 2012


Dunlin 13May EB

Stilt Sandpiper 17Jul JHE, VPM

Short-billed Dowitcher 16May JLetendre

Long-billed Dowitcher 12Aug JHE

Wilson’s Snipe 22Mar MRon

American Woodcock 15Mar EB

Wilson’s Phalarope 27Apr KFN

Red-necked Phalarope 26Aug KH

Franklin’s Gull 10Sep KFN

Little Gull 17Apr DEdwards, JHall

Bonaparte’s Gull 07Apr BRp

Ring-billed Gull 01Jan KFN

Hering Gull 01Jan KFN

Iceland Gull 14Jan VPM

Lesser Black-backed Gull 08Dec VPM

Glaucous Gull 03Jan KH

Great Black-backedGull 01Jan KFN

Caspian Tern 07Apr DO

Common Tern 21May KFN

Forster’s Tern 04Sep VPM

Black Tern 18Apr VPM, AKR

Rock Pigeon 01Jan VPM

Mourning Dove 01Jan KFN

Black-billed Cuckoo 13May MAC

Yellow-billed Cuckoo 12May PBlake

Eastern Screech Owl 09Jan SD

Great Horned Owl 02Jan MMcMurray

Snowy Owl 01Jan BRp

Northern Hawk Owl 21Jan JSc

Barred Owl 05Jan HE

Long-eared Owl 20Feb KFN

Short-eared Owl 01Jan KFN

Boreal Owl 01Jan BRp

Northern Saw-whet Owl 01Jan BRp

Common Nighthawk 21May KFN



Whip-poor-will 28Apr LN, MC

Chimney Swift 27Apr RDW

Ruby-throated Hummingbird 07 May KH

Belted Kingfisher 01Jan KH

Red-headed Woodpecker 03May JSc

Red-bellied Woodpecker 01Jan SD

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 07Apr ST

Downy Woodpecker 01Jan KFN

Hairy Woodpecker 03Jan PJG

Northern Flicker 23Jan KFN

Pileated Woodpecker 02Jan HE

Olive-sided Flycatcher 20May DO

Eastern Wood-Pewee 13May JHE, RDW

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 07May JHE, RDW

Alder Flycatcher 21May KFN

Willow Flycatcher 21May KFN

Least Flycatcher 28Apr KFN

Eastern Phoebe 30Mar ST

Say’s Phoebe 03 Jun PRead

Great Crested Flycatcher 17Apr BMD

Eastern Kingbird 15Apr KH

Loggerhead Shrike 14Apr KH

Northern Shrike 01Jan KFN

White-eyed Vireo 11May DO

Yellow-throated Vireo 08May KH

Blue-headed Vireo 27Apr AB, NS

Warbling Vireo 27Apr BMD

Philadelphia Vireo 07May JHE, RDW

Red-eyed Vireo 07May JHE, RDW

Blue Jay 03Jan PJG

American Crow 09Jan PJG

Common Raven 01Jan KH

Horned Lark 09Jan JHE, RDW

Purple Martin 25Apr LN, MC

Tree Swallow 07Apr JHE, RDW

Northern Rough-winged Swallow 14Apr KFN

March 2012


Bank Swallow 05May DO

Cliff Swallow 26Apr JSc

Barn Swallow 05Apr HE, EB

Black-capped Chickadee 01Jan KFN

Tufted Titmouse 01Jan EDavies

Red-breastd Nuthatch 09Jan SD

White-breasted Nuthatch 01Jan VPM

Brown Creeper 24Jan BRp

Carolina Wren 16Jan VPM

House Wren 01Jan KFN

Winter Wren 02Feb MAC

Marsh Wren 02May EB

Golden-crowned Kinglet 01Jan KH

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 11Apr VPM

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 01May JHE, RDW

Eastern Bluebird 22Mar KFN

Townsend’s Solitaire 07Jan J Brin, J Taroll

Veery 28Apr KFN

Gray-cheeked Thrush 21 May KFN

Swainson’s Thrush 13May KH

Hermit Thrush 03Jan NS

Wood Thrush 27Apr BMD

American Robin 01Jan MRon

Varied Thrush 03Jan KH

Gray Catbird 29Apr KFN

Northern Mockingbird 11May DO

Brown Thrasher 18Feb PO’T

European Starling 01Jan VPM

American Pipit 06May VPM

Bohemian Waxwing 03Jan KH

Cedar Waxwing 01Jan VPM

Blue-winged Warbler 07May KH

Golden-winged Warbler 07May JHE, RDW

Tennessee Warbler 07May KFN

Orange-crowned Warbler 07May JHE, RDW

Nashville Warbler 27Apr KFN



Northern Parula 27Apr KFN

Yellow Warbler 27Apr KFN

Chestnut-sided Warbler 07May JHE, RDW

Magnolia Warbler 01May JHE, RDW

Cape May Warbler 06May VPM

Black-throated Blue Warbler 04May DO

Yellow-rumped Warbler 21Apr EB

Black-throated Green Warbler 26Apr EB

Blackburnian Warbler 01May HE

Yellow-throated Warbler 07May JHE, RDW

Pine Warbler 19Apr JHE, RDW

Prairie Warbler 05May CR

Palm Warbler 27Apr KFN

Bay-breasted Warbler 11May DO

Blackpoll Warbler 06May KH

Cerulean Warbler 01May KFN

Black and white Warbler 26Apr EB

American Redstart 08May DO, VPM

Worm-eating Warbler 22May RTS

Ovenbird 27Apr MAC, PE

Northern Waterthrush 19Apr JHE, RDW

Louisiana Waterthrush 19Apr JHE, RDW

Connecticut Warbler 07Sep JHE

Mourning Warbler 21May KFN

Common Yellowthroat 27Apr KFN

Hooded Warbler 20May JSB

Wilson’s Warbler 21May KFN

Canada Warbler 12May KFN

Scarlet Tanager 30Apr MAC

Eastern Towhee 11Apr VPM

American Tree Sparrow 01Jan KFN

Chipping Sparrow 06Apr DO

Clay-colored Sparrow 13May JHE,VPM

Field Sparrow 10Apr KH

Vesper Sparrow 19Apr BRp, VPM

Savannah Sparrow 14Apr KH

March 2012


Grasshopper Sparrow 12May KH

Henslow’s Sparrow 05May JSB

Le Conte’s Sparrow 07May RTS

Nelson’s Sparrow 08Oct AKR, VPM

Fox Sparrow 11Apr VPM

Song Sparrow 24Jan BRp

Lincoln’s Sparrow 07Apr MAC, PE

Swamp Sparrow 15Apr EB

White-throatd Sparrow 03Apr JHE, RDW

White-crowned Sparrow 19Apr P Spaar

Dark-eyed Junco 03Apr JHE, RDW

Lapland Longspur 14Jan VPM

Snow Bunting 0 Jan SD

Northern Cardinal 0 Jan VPM

Rose-breasted Grosbeak 17Apr P Spaar

Indigo Bunting 01May HE

Bobolink 03May BRp

Red-winged Blackbird 23 Jan KFN

Eastern Meadowlark 18Mar MRon

Yellow-headed Blackbird 13Jun JSc

Rusty Blackbird 15Jan CG

Brewer‘s Blackbird 15May CM

Common Grackle 01Jan KH

Brown-headed Cowbird 15Jan CG

Orchard Oriole 27Apr MAC, PE

Baltimore Oriole 01May MRon

Purple Finch 31Mar BRp

House Finch 02Jan KFN

Red Crossbill 20Feb BRp

White-winged Crossbill 20Feb BRp

Common Redpoll 01Jan MAC

Hoary Redpoll 01Jan MAC

Pine Siskin 01Jan KFN

American Goldfinch 01Jan VPM

Evening Grosbeak 03Jan MAC

House Sparrow 01Jan VPM


Odonate Sightings & Yearly List 2011

Kurt Hennige

This List includes records within the

Kingston Checklist area and records

from Charleston Lake & Menzel

Provincial Parks. Seventy-seven species

were recorded in 2011. For the first time

in five years, we did not add any new

species to the Checklist.

Provincially-rare species reported this

year were: Amber-winged Spreadwing,

Arrowhead Spiketail, Harlequin Darner,

Williamson’s Emerald, Azure Bluet,

Lilypad Clubtail, Horned Clubtail,

Unicorn Clubtail and Ebony

Boghaunter. Other local or rare species

seen in more locations and in higher

numbers were Elfin Skimmer, Eastern

Amberwing, Aurora Damsel and Black

Saddlebags.

Contributors: D. Bree, M. Conboy, M.

Burrell, D. Edwards, J. Hall, K. Hennige,

V. P. Mackenzie, L. Nuttall, C.

Robinson, C. & M. Seymour

1st sight Species Latin Name Location

25-Apr Common Grn Darner Anax junius Lost Bay

5-May Hudsonian Whiteface Leucorrhinia hudsonica 3rd Depot Lake Rd

8-May Dusky Clubtail Gomphus spicatus Blue Mountain Rd

9-May Common Pondhawk Erythemis simplicicollis Kingsford

10-May Beaverpond Baskettail Tetragoneuria canis E Frontenac Park

10-May Common Baskettail Epitheca cynosura California Rd

10-May American Emerald Cordulia shurtleffii E Frontenac Park

10-May Dot-tailed Whiteface Leucorrhinia intacta Rock Dunder

12-May Springtime Darner Basiaeschna janata Cat Tr MacGillivray Rd

12-May Racket-tailed Emerald Dorocordulia libera Cat Tr MacGillivray Rd

12-May Chalk-fronted Corporal Ladona julia Trails on Opinicon Rd

13-May Taiga Bluet Coenagrion resolutum Menzel Nature Res

Lilypad Clubtail Male 03Jun HQS Four-spotted Skimmer 02Jun Madoc

March 2012


19-May Eastern Forktail Ischnura verticalis Roblin Rd

21-May Stream Cruiser Didymops transversa Frontenac Park

21-May Spiny Baskettail Epitheca spinigera Frontenac Park

21-May Northern Bluet Enallagma annexum Frontenac Park

24-May Violet Dancer Argia fumipennis violacea Salmon R. Sheffld Brdg

24-May Boreal Bluet Enallagma boreale 3rd Depot Lake

24-May Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata 3rd Depot Lake

24-May Belted Whiteface Leucorrhinia proxima 3rd Depot Lake

25-May Common Whitetail Plathemis lydia Cat Tr (Chaffey's Lock)

29-May Ebony Boghaunter Williamsonia fletcheri Menzel

29-May Ebony Jewelwing Calopteryx maculata Millhaven Crk

30-May Twelve-spotted Skimmer Libellula pulchella Rock Dunder

31-May Harlequin Darner Gomphaeschna furcillata Menzel Centennial

31-May Hagen's Bluet Enallagma hageni Menzel Centennial

3-Jun Frosted Whiteface Leucorrhinia frigida Helen Quilliam Sanct

3-Jun Amber-wngd Spreadwing Lestes eurinus Helen Quilliam Sanct

3-Jun Lilypad Clubtail Arigomphus furcifer Helen Quilliam Sanct

3-Jun Emerald Spreadwing Lestes dryas Helen Quilliam Sanct

3-Jun Slaty Skimmer Libellula incesta Helen Quilliam Sanct

3-Jun Elfin Skimmer Nannothemis bella Helen Quilliam Sanct

3-Jun Sedge Sprite Nehalennia irene Helen Quilliam Sanct

7-Jun Arrowhead Spiketail Cordulegaster obliqua Red Horse Lk

8-Jun River Jewelwing Calopteryx aequabilis Salmon R. Sheffld Brdg

8-Jun Swift River Cruiser Macromia illinoiensis Salmon R. Sheffld Brdg

8-Jun Powdered Dancer Argia moesta Salmon R. Sheffld Brdg

10-Jun Prince Baskettail Epitheca princeps Blue Mountain Rd

10-Jun Marsh Bluet Enallagma ebrium Salmon R. Haggerty Rd.

10-Jun Blck-shouldrd Spinyleg Dromogomphus spinosus Salmon R. Haggerty Rd.

10-Jun Stream Bluet Enallagma exsulans Salmon R. Haggerty Rd.

10-Jun Skimming Bluet Enallagma geminatum Salmon R. Haggerty Rd.

10-Jun Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa Calif Rd E of Tamworth

10-Jun Canada Darner Aeshna canadensis Calif Rd E of Tamworth

11-Jun Calico Pennant Celithemis elisa Lost Bay Res Ganan Lk

11-Jun Lancet Clubtail Gomphus exilis Lost Bay Res GananLk

11-Jun Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis Lost Bay Res Ganan Lk

14-Jun Whtfaced Meadowhawk Sympetrum obtrusum Sandhurst Shores

15-Jun Halloween Pennant Celithemis eponina Frontenac PP Slide Lk

15-Jun Sphagnum Sprite Nehalennia gracilis Menzell Nature Res

17-Jun Unicorn Clubtail Arigomphus villosipes. Salmon R. Forest Mills

17-Jun Rainbow Bluet Enallagma antennatum Salmon R. Forest Mills

17-Jun Aurora Damsel Chromagrion conditum Salmon R. Forest Mill



18-Jun Elegant Spreadwing Lestes inaequalis Charlstn PP Quiddity Tr

20-Jun Fragile Forktail Ischnura posita Collins Creek

20-Jun Swamp Spreadwing Lestes vigilax Frontenac PP

23-Jun Eastern Least Clubtail Stylogomphus albistylus Salmon R. Forest Mills

26-Jun Brush-tipped Emerald Somatochlora walshi Menzel Nature Res

27-Jun Horned Clubtail Arigomphus cornutus Cat Tr McGillivray Rd

27-Jun Eastern Amberwing Perithemis tenera Rideau Trail/Opinicon

30-Jun Familiar Bluet Enallagma civile Hill Island

30-Jun Northern Spreadwing Lestes disjunctus Hill Island

30-Jun Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata L Ont Sandhurst Shores

2-Jul Shadow Darner Aeshna umbrosa Menzel Nature Res

2-Jul Azure Bluet Enallagma aspersum Menzel Nature Res

3-Jul Band-wngd Meadowhawk Sympetrum semicinctum Sucker Cr Hy 41 N of 401

5-Jul Cherry-facd Meadowhawk Sympetrum internum Bayview Lands

5-Jul Williamson's Emerald Somatochlora williamsoni Bayview Lands

7-Jul Orange Bluet Enallagma signatum Verona Hardwood Cr

7-Jul Vesper Bluet Enallagma vesperum Verona Hardwood Cr

9-Jul Tule Bluet Enallagma carunculatum Sandhurst Shores Pk

10-Jul Fawn Darner Boyeria vinosa Pangman Trail QUBS

10-Jul Sweetflag Spreadwing Lestes forcipatus Pangman Trail QUBS

10-Jul Black-tipped Darner Aeshna tuberculifera Pangman Trail QUBS

15-Jul Slender Spreadwing Lestes rectangularis Menzel Nature Res

15-Jul Autumn Meadowhawk Sympetrum vicinum Menzel Nature Res

5-Aug Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens Collins Cr N of Bath Rd

KFN Outings January-February 2012

January 14 Teen Trip to NCC Elbow

Lake Property

William Arsenault

When we got to Elbow Lake, it didn’t

feel as cold as expected. It was -14oC but

we were dressed for the weather. It was

sunny, and had snowed the night

before. Before starting our hike, we

went on the lake and tried to walk a

perfectly strait line across the ice. It isn't

as easy as it seems!

We hiked around the Nature Trail to

find red and white oaks. At first, we did

not find any because the habitat was not

right, but eventually, we came across

one. We used the GPS units to write

down the latitude and longitude. The

two GPS units gave similar readings.

Anne showed us how to distinguish a

red oak from a white oak (the leaves

may be larger on white oaks, and the

lobes are rounded; red oaks have

pointed leaf lobes). We compared the

bark of the two oak species and other

tree species and tasted Basswood buds.

We identified and recorded the location

of 2 white oaks and 4 red oaks. These

waypoints will be entered on a map of

March 2012

the area. This method of recording exact

locations of sightings is used extensively

in field biology.

At our listening stop it was quiet except

for the slight wind and the ever-present

chickadees. We noticed fresh animal

tracks including Coyote, White-tailed

deer, Squirrel and Mouse. We talked

about what these animals were doing,

how they moved and followed some

tracks to find out where they went. We

had lunch in the car, out of the cold, and

came back into town after a peaceful

day in a winter wonderland.

February 12 Teen Trip to Wolfe Island

Michael Jaansalu

On February 12, Adam, William,

Michael, Lucas, and Dhyani joined

Anne Robertson and the KFN, led by

Erwin Batalla, on a trip to Wolfe Island.

Although the sun was out, on a -13°C day, the wind was rather cold.

After seeing one of our two sighted bald

eagles near RMC from the out-bound

ferry, we drove counter-clockwise

around the island, stopping to look at

birds. We set up scopes to get a closer

look at four of the five Snowy Owls we

saw - two immature females and three

beautiful all-white males.

We stopped at Pt. Alexandria to look at

about 2000 geese, 35 Coots, and various

other waterfowl, as well as eat lunch.

We noted the size difference between

Common and Hooded Mergansers. The

phrase “it is Common to be larger than a

Hooded Merganser” helps not to mix up

the two species.

All in all it was a pretty good day. After

all, it is pretty hard to not have one

when you see: Snow Buntings, Snowy

Owls, Crow, Northern Shrike, Rough-

legged Hawks, Red-tailed Hawk, Rock

Pigeons, Mourning Doves, Bald Eagles,

Tundra Swans, Pintails, Coots, Canada

Geese, Redheads, Mallards, Starlings,

Horned Larks, Buffleheads, Scaup,

Ring-Necked Ducks, assorted gulls and

Common and Hooded Mergansers!

February 2012 Rambles

Joe Benderavage

Rambles visited the Rideau Trail on the

7th and Kingston Waterfront on the 21st.

February 7th was clear and cold when

we headed for Burbrook Road from the

carpool at Highways 38 and 401. On an

uphill trek along an ice-covered road,

leader Anne Robertson pointed out a

Bitternut Hickory, Prickly Ash, and

White Ash, all with cocoons attached to

them. A cocoon along the roadside with

leaves around it may have held a

Polyphemus Moth

We noted a Black Cherry tree has hairs

on the back of its leaves and saw the


flattened petiole on the underside of an

Aspen leaf. Turkey-Tail fungus was

spotted, and noticed the pattern on an

Ash trunk looks like a lot of little canoes.

At the roadside, there was Bittersweet

vine and a Butternut tree, with a

monkey-face design in its leaf scar.

Male Staghorn Sumac, recognized by its

curly tips where pollen is held, was

growing separately from the female

Sumac community. The conversation

turned to the very mild winter. Giant

Swallowtail Butterflies have moved

northward to Ottawa, and some ducks

that should have gone south have

overwintered.

We saw an old Robin's nest and heard

Crows, a nuthatch and a Black-capped

Chickadee, which we mimicked by

planting a noisy kiss on one's own wrist.

Cinquefoil and Wild Strawberry were

still green along the road. Deer tracks

and a limestone rock formation were

admired and amid a grove of cedar

trees, Anne described Cedar Apple

Rust. The Cedar generates a brown blob

that explodes in June into orange jelly of

spores that get blown to Apple trees.

Leaves and fruit are infected. By mid-

August, wind carries spores from the

infected Apple back to the Cedar,

completing the cycle. As we retraced

our steps down the slippery trail, we

noticed Chrinoid fossil fragments

around the base of tree roots. Anne

Robertson read aloud from a 1976

edition of Guide to Nature in Winter,

which she recommended to us.

On a bitterly cold and gusty February

21, we set out from Wartman House at

the foot of Sunnyacres Road, and

followed Anne eastward along the Lake

Ontario shoreline, hoping to spot an

eagle. We noted the remains of Wild

Parsnip in open areas; the flower

resembles Queen Anne's Lace: both are

umbelliferous plants, bearing umbrella-

like flowers. The sturdy grooved stem

and compound leaves of Wild Parsnip

are a warning to give it a wide berth, as

its sap can produce an allergic response

resembling chemical burns. We saw

Black Willow; Silver Maple with its

opposite leaves, a Cottonwood branch;

Dogwood; and Bittersweet Nightshade.

On a settling pond facing Elevator Bay,

we admired Gadwalls and Coots.

Gadwalls have black tail coverts and

orange legs. Tundra Swans were resting

in the Bay where a mature Bald Eagle

with a white head was spotted on the

ice, and soon afterwards, an immature

eagle. There was a beaver lodge and a

beaver highway, formed as beavers

transport the branches they cut to the

water. On the return we saw nests of an

Oriole and a Yellow Warbler, Dame's

Rocket, and a field that will hold

Monarch butterflies in late summer. The

road was bounded on one side by

Norway Spruce. Anne showed us an

invasion of Garlic Mustard near the Girl

Guides’ camp. We saw Red Oak, Dog-

strangling Vine, a Yew, and probably a

"town" of Vole nests near a stone wall,

as well as Ganoderma Bracket Fungus.

Family Day Trip to Wolfe Island

Erwin Batalla

Because of large numbers of Snowy

Owls reported on Wolfe Island this

March 2012

winter, a trip was organized to visit the

island on February 20. The outing was

announced at the general meeting on

the previous Thursday and members

were encouraged to invite family,

friends and neighbours to join us. With

such short notice, it was gratifying to

see 29 people take part in the trip.

Approximately half were KFN members

with the rest composed of a good

fraction of young people.

The weather was sunny and the water

was perfectly calm when we boarded

the 9:30 ferry to the island. We could see

the lake bottom as we approached the

dock at Marysville. We drove west and

turned north on 5th line, then west on

Baseline Rd. After driving to the

western end of Baseline without seeing

an owl, I began to doubt if this trip was

such a good idea.

We turned around and drove back to

the highway where we found our first

Snowy Owl, a pure white adult male. It

was quite a relief! The bird stood on a

post and good views were had by all.

The next owl was hunkered down on

the ground and at first, it was suggested

that it was no more than a soccer ball.

The owl did not take offense to that

comment.

We saw five Snowy Owls and were back

in Marysville in time for the noon ferry.

We are privileged to be able to see these

lovely creatures at our doorstep.

Kingston and Area Christmas Counts

Ron D. Weir

Warmer than usual weather prevailed

during the Christmas Count Period

14Dec2011 to 05Jan2012, as was the case

throughout late autumn 2011. Snow was

absent and temperatures varied around

the freezing point. Most water was

open, including lakes north of Kingston

at Westport, accounting for larger

numbers of waterfowl away from Lake

Ontario.

Table 1 shows statistics for local counts.

Those for the Rideau Ferry count were

not available in time for this Blue Bill

issue. Table 2 contains species totals for

the past 21 years. Table 3 is a summary

of the high species tallies for Ontario

from 2003 to 2011. Table 4 is a detailed

species list for local Christmas counts.

Where record numbers of individuals

occurred, the number is underlined. CW

designates a sighting in count week, 3

days before to 3 days after count day.

Snowy Owl photo by Steve Manders


Table 1: Statistics on Individual Counts in 2011 for the Kingston Area

14Dec

Delta

17Dec

Pr Edw Pt

18Dec

Kingston

20Dec

Westport

28Dec

1000 Isl

30Dec

Rideau Fy

02Jan

Amhrst Isl

03Jan

Napanee

Species 38 68 105 51 54 ? 69 60

Birds 3221 58889 63222 6871 ? ? 5393 10865

Participants 19 27 57 ? ? ? 23 ?

Precipitation None None None None ? ? None None

T low/ oC -15 -3 -8 -8 ? ? 1 ?

T high/ oC -13 -1 -2 -6 ? ? 4 ?

Weather Cloud Cloud Cloud Cloud ? ? Cloud ?

Table 2: Twenty-one year Average (* = Count was not done)

Count 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 avg

Pr Edw Pt 61 61 64 61 76 67 64 61 80 61 72 58 82 71 76 71 65 63 55 55 69 66

Kingston 95 96 113 99 101 97 106 104 107 102 111 109 103 103 103 104 * 106 101 102 105 103

Westport 37 55 50 46 36 48 45 41 49 44 54 47 * * * 52 34 36 33 37 51 44

Napanee 44 46 42 52 52 56 51 38 58 49 50 56 51 58 50 56 51 57 60 59 59 53

1000 Isl 61 55 74 58 53 57 54 56 68 56 61 51 61 57 60 64 60 55 50 63 54 59

Amherst I 51 47 51 n/a 54 57 66 57 51 58 71 60 53 36 64 54 54 57 56 57 69 56

Rideau Fy 39 39 37 36 29 40 45 41 36 37 42 38 37 35 47 54 46 38 39 40 ? 40

Delta 38 37 40 38 43 38 48 40 42 42 40 38 40**

Table 3: Comparison of selected Christmas Counts in Ontario: 2003 to 2011

Count 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

1. Blenheim 100 103 111 108 100 115 115 103 108

2. Long Pt 110 98 105 106 109 105 98 106 111

3. Kingston 103 104 103 104 Canc’d 106 101 102 105

4. Pt Pelee 94 91 103 94 98 93 92 96 98

5. Hamilton 101 102 100 101 103 103 98 98 105

6. Toronto 89 89 91 102 81 89 87 93 87

7. N. Falls 98 95 90 99 96 91 95 86 ?

8.Oshawa 87 84 85 98 82 80 86 91 91

March 2012

Table 4: Kingston Area Christmas Counts 2011

Count 14Dec

Delta

17Dec

P E Pt

18Dec

Kingston

20Dec

Westport

28Dec

1000Isl

30Dec

RidFry

02Jan

Amh I

09Jan

Napanee

Red-thrtd Loon - 1 2 - - - 1 -

Common Loon 3 - 6 7 - - 2 -

Pied-billed Grebe - - 1 - - - - -

Horned Grebe - 2 7 - - - 1 1

Red-necked Grebe - 1 2 - - - - -

Dble-crstd Corm. - 7 2 - 1 - - 1

Great Blue Heron 1 - 3 - - - - 1

Turkey Vulture - 2 1 - - - - -

Ross’s Goose - 1 - - - - - -

Cackling Goose - - 6 - - - - -

Canada Goose 630 3067 27315 1774 2769 - 2777 6274

Mute Swan - 59 43 - 7 - - 16

Trumpeter Swan - - - 44 - - - -

Tundra Swan - 206 579 - - - 104 39

Gadwall - 3 586 - - - 2 121

American Wigeon - 5 27 - - - - 1

Am. Black Duck 3 37 400 19 37 - 33 4

Mallard 174 518 4702 298 151 - 332 382

Northern Pintail - 1 8 - - - - 1

Green-winged Teal - 5 1 - - - - -

Canvasback - - 4 - - - - -

Redhead - - 2520 - - - - 1

Ring-necked Duck - - 21 1 - - - -

Greater Scaup - 29932 6976 - - - 60 125

Lesser Scaup - 150 203 - 4 - 2 2

King Eider - - 1 - - - - -

Surf Scoter - 1 15 - - - - -

Wht-winged Scoter - 94 9 - - - - 14

Black Scoter - 1 2 - - - - -

Long-tailed Duck - 20860 636 1 - - 24 11

Bufflehead 1 259 388 5 4 - 78 121

Comm Goldeneye 33 316 1593 185 218 - 487 267

Brrw’s Goldeneye - - 2 - 1 -

Hooded Merganser 4 33 118 14 10 - 2 -

Comm Merganser - 118 3883 2449 759 - 38 70

Red-breasted Merg - 32 3542 - 12 - 39 84

American Coot - - 401 - - - - 1

Sandhill Crane - - 1 - - - - -


Count 14Dec

Delta

17Dec

P E Pt

18Dec

Kingston

20Dec

Westport

28Dec

1000Isl

30Dec

RidFry

02Jan

Amh I

09Jan

Napanee

Bald Eagle 2 8 17 37 21 - 5 1

Northern Harrier 1 3 38 1 6 - 26 2

Shrp-shined Hawk - 1 1 1 1 - - 1

Cooper’s Hawk - 1 1 - cw - - 1

Northern Goshawk - - 1 - 1 - - -

Red-tailed Hawk 15 21 47 11 12 - 15 15

Rough-leggd Hawk 2 2 43 4 13 - 9 5

American Kestrel - - 11 - - - 2 7

Merlin - 1 1 - - - 1 -

Peregrine Falcon - - 1 - - - - -

Rng-nckd Pheasant - - 1 - - - - -

Ruffed Grouse 1 6 7 9 2 - - 1

Wild Turkey 52 - 221 102 128 - - -

Amer Woodcock - - 1 - - - - -

Bonaparte’s Gull - 20 205 - - - 2 -

Ring-billed Gull 76 43 1157 10 5863 - 21 161

Herring Gull - 34 609 60 2968 - 56 47

Iceland Gull - - 1 - - - - -

Glaucous Gull - - 1 - - - - -

Grt Blck-back Gull - 3 34 5 16 - 3 12

Rock Pigeon 143 124 762 146 116 - 71 390

Mourning Dove 26 46 364 52 129 - 109 169

East Screech-Owl - - 7 1 - - - 2

Great Horned Owl - 1 7 2 - - 1 -

Snowy Owl - - 16 - - - 2 -

Barred Owl - - 2 3 - - - 1

Long-eared Owl - - 1 - - - 1 -

Short-eared Owl - - 5 - - - 3 -

N. Saw-whet Owl - - - - - - 1 -

Red-belld Woodp. - 3 4 - 5 - 1 -

Yellw-b Sapsucker - - 1 - - - - -

Downy Woodpeckr 21 22 48 22 55 - 14 16

Hairy Woodpecker 12 9 26 28 31 - - 4

Northern Flicker 3 1 1 - 1 - - -

Pileated Woodpckr 6 4 7 15 5 - 1 -

Northern Shrike 6 4 4 2 - - 3 -

Blue Jay 168 91 202 196 98 - 65 35

American Crow 165 131 352 34 287 - 17 352

Common Raven 21 9 16 19 17 - 4 8

Horned Lark - - 6 - 28 - - -

March 2012

Count 14Dec

Delta

17Dec

P E Pt

18Dec

Kingston

20Dec

Westport

28Dec

1000Isl

30Dec

RidFry

02Jan

Amh I

09Jan

Napanee

Blk-cpd Chickadee 362 220 1063 414 338 - 81 109

Rd-brstd Nuthatch 3 - 4 19 13 - 1 -

Wht-brstd Nthatch 47 25 77 62 50 - 8 36

Brown Creeper - 2 14 3 - - - 4

Carolina Wren - - - - 1 - - -

Winter Wren - - - - 1 - - -

Marsh Wren - - 1 - - - - -

Golden-cr’d Kinglet 1 - 30 - 4 - - 5

Hermit Thrush - - 1 - - - - -

Eastern Bluebird 9 27 - 4 - - - 8

American Robin 22 51 73 25 11 - 76 147

European Starling 758 452 2637 329 418 - 566 1123

Bohemian Waxwng - - - - - - 15 20

Cedar Waxwing 67 119 24 184 15 - 70 310

Yllw-rmpd Warbler - 14 - - - - - -

Tree Sparrow 48 82 144 24 185 - 4 111

Fox Sparrow - - 1 - - - - -

Song Sparrow - 2 4 - 2 - cw -

Swamp Sparrow - - 3 - - - - -

Wht-thrtd Sparrow - - 1 - - - - 1

White-crn Sparrow - - 1 - - - - -

Dark-eyed Junco 23 120 142 24 236 - 7 72

Lapland Longspur - - 5 - - - - -

Snow Bunting - - 25 - 156 - 2 -

Northern Cardinal - 9 35 4 23 - 2 2

Rd-wngd Blackbird - 1 5 1 2 - 1 -

Rusty Blackbird - - 2 - 1 - - -

Common Grackle - - cw - - - - -

Brwn-hdd Cowbird - - 45 - - - - -

Baltimore Oriole - - - - cw - - -

Purple Finch - - 4 2 7 - 1 16

House Finch - 28 32 - 38 - 25 45

Common Redpoll - - 12 - - - - -

Pine Siskin 30 1 - 20 - - - -

Amer Goldfinch 247 89 247 165 184 - 35 70

Evening Grosbeak - 1 - - - - - -

House Sparrow 81 23 353 43 108 - 80 59

scaup (sp) - - - - - - - 50

Totals: Species 38 69 105 51 54 - 69 59

Individuals 3221 62690 63222 6871 12878 - 5393 10865


South Shore Needs Real Protection

Terry Sprague

Only the very foolish in a family car

dare to navigate the rutted trails that go

under the guise of roads along Prince

Edward County’s south shore. Some do,

and efforts to extricate themselves from

the shaley mud in spring are evident.

Even some four-wheel drives hesitate

before venturing forward. However, it is

difficult to get hopelessly mired here, as

there is only a thin covering of soil over

the limestone bedrock. Oak trees take on

grotesque shapes, and bushes resemble

bonsai from years of being parched in

summer’s relentless drought, or

drowned in spring rains that refuse to

soak away. The south shore is, in the

eyes of many, a desolate, useless

wasteland.

You don’t have to be a biologist to

appreciate the importance of Prince

Edward County’s south shore from

Point Petre to Prince Edward Point, just

someone who understands the

importance of biodiversity and how all

living things, us included, are intricately

linked.

Proponents have been touting its virtues

as a critical staging area for migrating

birds for at least a half century.

However, through no fault of their own,

they have overlooked a much larger

picture. It is more than just a place

where hundreds of thousands of birds

land in spring, exhausted and hungry,

after crossing Lake Ontario. It is a

breeding ground for several turtle

species, including the Blanding’s, a

designated Species at Risk. It is where

foxes roam, coyotes prowl, Monarch

butterflies await suitable weather for a

lake crossing, hawks stage, dragonflies

hunt, and other insects multiply – the

same insects upon which the migratory

and resident birds feed, in those same

stunted shrubs and trees that give the

peninsula its character.

It is a complex biome, a delicate

ecosystem that has been purring along,

more or less undisturbed since 1938

when the property was used as an

artillery range, the area continuing in

that role with the formation of Royal

Canadian School of Artillery.

The birdlife that has made the south

shore what it is today. Numbers of

landed migrants often exceed those at

famous Point Pelee. Numbers of

waterfowl have exceeded 7.5% of the

global population for long-tailed ducks,

1.5% for white-winged scoters and 1.4%

for scaup. It is for these reasons that

approximately 26 square kilometres of

land and 65 square kilometres of

nearshore waters were officially South Shore Important Bird Area

March 2012

designated an Important Bird Area

(IBA).

This designation does not come easily.

The IBA Program is part of a nation-

wide initiative to conserve wildlife and

habitats on private and public lands. It

is an international initiative coordinated

by BirdLife International, a partnership

of member-based organizations in over

100 countries seeking to identify and

conserve sites important to bird species

world-wide. Through the protection of

birds and habitats, they promote

conservation of the world’s biodiversity.

The South Shore Important Bird Area

encompasses about 30 kilometres of

shoreline, the only lengthy undeveloped

strip of shoreline remaining in Prince

Edward County – indeed, one of the few

shorelines of Lake Ontario that has

remained undeveloped. It is even on the

Nature Conservancy of Canada’s list of

100 areas in Canada most needing

protection.

In earlier years, when wind turbine

development was proposed for the

Point Petre area, a group known as the

South Shore Conservancy protested

against wind turbine development here.

Some members of the public had mixed

feelings – and I was among them – and

cautioned against acting too hastily in

stopping clean energy until we knew

more. Much has been learned since, and

other groups agree that wind turbine

development in an IBA, including

Ostrander Point, is wrong when such

massive numbers of migrants are at

stake, unlike other less significant areas

where turbines have been sited.

The Prince Edward County South Shore

IBA has been designated a globally

significant IBA under the congregatory

species category and nationally

significant under the threatened species

category. One must question the

purpose of an IBA designation if that

designation ignored. If development is

permitted along the South Shore IBA,

then the IBA has failed in its purported

purpose.

The South Shore IBA joins other equally

important bird migration spots like

Amherst Island and Wolfe Island as

being locations inappropriate for the

placement of industrial wind turbines. If

biodiversity cannot be ensured

protection in these special places, where

can it seek protection?

Ostrander Point


Kingston Area Birds for the Winter Season 1Dec 2011 to 29Feb2012

Mark Andrew Conboy

The winter season was characterized by

fairly mild temperatures and very little

snow. Lake Ontario remained generally

ice-free, but most of the water in the

countryside north of Kingston was

frozen since late December. Winter finch

numbers were poor, while raptor and

waterfowl numbers were fairly good. A

total of 131 species and three hybrids

were reported. There were several good

rarities. Here are the highlights.

Snow Goose: Large numbers all winter

on the American side of the circle. The

high count was 4600 near Henderson

(Bolsinger) 3Feb. Only a few

observations from the Ontario side of

the circle: 2 at Bath (KFN) 4-27Jan; 1 at

Amherst Island (Holden) 7Feb.

Ross’s Goose: Hay Bay (KFN) 17Dec.

Brant: 4 at Wolfe Island (North Leeds

Birders) 18Jan.

Canada Goose x Greater White-fronted

Goose Hybrid: 1 at Wolfe Island

(Holden) 6Feb.

Cackling Goose: high counts of 6 at

Wolfe Island (KFN) 18Dec; 3 at Amherst

Island (Holden) 10Jan; 2 at Wolfe Island

(Keaveney) 21Jan. A few singletons

were elsewhere.

Trumpeter Swan: high counts of 44 at

Westport (KFN) 2Dec; 32 at Outlet

(Barkley and Burrell) 20Jan; 31 at

Chaffey’s Lock (Conboy) 1Jan.

Tundra Swan: high counts of 579 at

Kingston (KFN) 18Dec; 206 at Prince

Edward Point (KFN) 17Dec; 185 at

Wolfe Island (KFN) 5Jan.

Gadwall x Mallard Hybrid: 1 at

Cataraqui Bay (Roncetti) 6Jan.

American Black Duck x Mallard

Hybrid: 1 along Bath Road (Burrell and

Burrell)

Northern Shoveler: 3 at Amherst Island

(KFN) 2Jan.

Northern Pintail: 12 at Glenora

(Holden) 27Jan; 1 at Bath Road (KFN)

early Jan; 1 at Queen’s University

Biological Station (Rowher) 4Jan.

Green-winged Teal: 6 at Howe Island

(KFN) early Jan; 5 at Prince Edward

Point (KFN) early Jan; 2 at Bath Road

(Batalla) 14Jan; 2 at Cedar Point State

Park (Bolsinger) 5Jan.

Canvasback: high counts of 50 at Wolfe

Island (KFN) 8Dec; 5 at Snowshoe Bay

(Bolsinger) 7Jan; 2 at Elevator Bay

(Ripley) 5Jan.

Redhead: high counts of 3030 at

Kingston (KFN) early Jan; 2520 at

Kingston (KFN) 18Dec; 1200 at Cedar

Point State Park (Bolsinger) 5Jan.

Greater Scaup: high counts of 29932 at

Prince Edward Point (KFN) 17Dec;

29100 at Prince Edward Point (KFN)

March 2012

early Jan; 25500 at Waupoos Island

(KFN) early Jan.

Harlequin Duck: 1 at Bath Road

(Hennige) 20Dec; 2 at Prince Edward

Point Bird Observatory (Ripley) 16Feb.

Surf Scoter: 4 at Prince Edward Point

(KFN) early Jan.

White-winged Scoter: 505 at Prince

Edward Point (KFN) early Jan; 30 at

Prince Edward Point (Burrell and

Barkley) 19Feb. Smaller numbers

elsewhere.

Black Scoter: 1 at Prince Edward Point

(KFN) early Jan.

Long-tailed Duck: high counts of 20860

at Prince Edward Point (KFN) 17Dec;

24800 at Prince Edward Point (KFN)

early Jan.

Barrow’s Goldeneye: 2 at Kingston

(KFN) 18Dec; 1 at Amherst Island (KFN)

2Jan; 1 at Grass Point State Park

(Conboy and Bolsinger) 10-22 Feb.

Ruddy Duck: 1 at Amherstview (van

der Zweep) 5Feb.

Ruffed Grouse: Uncommon this winter.

Red-throated Loon: 21 at Wolfe Island

(KFN) 18Dec; 1 at Elevator Bay (Batalla)

2Dec; 1 at Wolfe Island (KFN) 5Jan; 1 at

Amherst Island (KFN) 2Jan.

Pacific Loon: 1 at Prince Edward Point

(Ripley) 3Dec.

Common Loon: high count of 7 at

Amherst Island (KFN) 7Dec. Smaller

numbers throughout winter.

Horned Grebe: high count of 24 at

Prince Edward Point (Hennige) 11Dec.

Smaller numbers throughout winter.

Red-necked Grebe: 1 at Prince Edward

Point (Ripley) 3Dec; 1 at Hay Bay (KFN)

17Dec; 2 Kingston (KFN) 18Dec.

Double-crested Cormorant: 7 Prince

Edward Point (KFN) 17Dec; 2 at

Kingston (KFN) 18Dec.

Great Blue Heron: at least 11 during the

winter. Latest: 1 at Kingston (Batalla)

29Jan.

Turkey Vulture: 1 at Wolfe Island

(KFN) 18Dec; 1 at Point Peninsula

(Callaghan) 17Feb; 1 at Inverary

(Martin) 26Feb.

Bald Eagle: high count of 17 at Wolfe

Island (KFN) Jan5.

Northern Harrier: high count of 47 at


Northern Goshawk: 7 records.

Red-shouldered Hawk: 1 at Bedford

Mills (KFN) 26-27Dec; 1 at Glenora

(Holden) 27Jan; 1 at Bedford Mills

(Batalla) 1Feb; 1 at Queen’s University

Biological Station (Martin and Rowher)

23Feb.

Rough-legged Hawk: high counts of 51

at Simcoe Island (McMahan) 21Feb; 43

at Wolfe Island (KFN) 18Dec; 22 at


Amherst Island (DiLabio and DiLabio)

2Dec.

Golden Eagle: 1 at Sydenham (Davis-

Young) 20Dec; 1 at Opinicon Road

(Conboy and Martin) 23-25Feb.

Peregrine Falcon: 1 at Kingston (KFN)

throughout Dec; 2 at Kingston

beginning in Feb (KFN).

Sandhill Crane: 1 at Wolfe Island

(Hennige) 18Dec.

Killdeer: last observation was at

Amherst Island (KFN) 20Dec.

Purple Sandpiper: 1 at Amherst Island

(DiLabio and DiLabio) 12Dec; 1 at

Amherst Island (DiLabio and DiLabio)

20Dec.

American Woodcock: 1 at Wolfe Island

(Weir) 18Dec.

Bonaparte’s Gull: A late high count of

205 at Kingston (KFN) 18Dec. Few

others reported: 5 at Cedar Point State

Park (Bolsinger) 5Jan; 2 at Amherst

Island (KFN) 2Jan.

Iceland Gull: 1 at Violet Dump (Paul

Mackenzie) 13Dec; 1 at Wolfe Island

(KFN) 18Dec.

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 1 at

Kingston Wolfe Island ferry dock

(Mackenzie) 8-11Dec; 1 at Douglas

Fluhrer Park (Mackenzie) 19Feb.

Glaucous Gull: Singles at numerous

locations. Earliest: 1 at Wolfe Island

(KFN) 18Dec.

Snowy Owl: high counts of 16 at Wolfe

Island (KFN) 20Dec; 13 at Wolfe Island

(Holden) 9Jan; 12 at Wolfe Island

(Bleeks) 22Jan. Present on Wolfe,

Amherst and Simcoe Islands as well as

at Millhaven and several locations on

the American side of the circle.

Long-eared Owl: Rare this winter.

Reports of a single individual at the Owl

Woods throughout the winter starting

on 2Jan (KFN). Also 1 at Kingston

(Rayner) 2Jan.

Short-eared Owl: high counts of 22 at

Amherst Island (Hennige) 7Dec; 21 at

Amherst Island (Bergmeyer) 18Feb; 14

at Amherst Island (DiLabio and

DiLabio) 12Dec. Present on Wolfe and

Amherst Islands all winter. Also

reported from several inland locations

on the Canadian and American sides of

the circle.

Northern Saw-whet Owl: Uncommon.

Occasional reports from the Owl

Woods. High count of 2 at Owl Woods

(KFN) 16Feb. Inland reports: 1 at

Frontenac Provincial Park (Conboy and

Rohwer) 21Jan; 1 at Queen’s University

Biological Station (Conboy) 25Jan and

19-20Feb.

Belted Kingfisher: at least 4 over-

wintering.

Red-bellied Woodpecker: 8 reports.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: 1 at

Elginburg (Batalla) 02Dec-29Feb; 1 at


March 2012

Northern Flicker: at least 10 over-

wintering.

Northern Shrike: Widespread. high

counts of 3 at Amherst Island

(Bergmeyer) 18Feb; 3 on Opinicon Road

(Conboy) 25Feb.

Horned Lark: high counts of: 12 at

Wolfe Island (Blacher) 12Feb; 8 at Cape

Vincent Grasslands (Purcell) 22Jan; 6 at

Wolfe Island (Hennige) 11Feb.

Tufted Titmouse: 1 at Amherstview

(Gagnon) 23Jan; 1 at Minna Anthony

Nature Centre (Bolsinger) 5Jan.

Winter Wren: 1 at Cranberry Lake

(Runtz) 20Jan; 1 at Lemoine Point (Bell)

23Feb

Carolina Wren: 1 at Kingston (Ripley)

23Dec; 1 at Kingston (Grooms) 15Feb.

Marsh Wren: 1 at Amherst Island

(DiLabio and DiLabio) 12 and 20Dec; 1

at Wolfe Island (KFN) 18Dec.

Eastern Bluebird: Numerous over-

wintering birds, particularly near Lake

Ontario.

Mountain Bluebird: 1 female at Prince

Edward Point (Keaveney) 13Feb. Still

present until at least 29Feb (KFN).

Northern Mockingbird: 1 at Amherst

Island (Pleizier) 22Jan.

American Pipit: 1 at Finkle Shore Park

(Hoar and Sadler) 11Feb.

Bohemian Waxwing: high counts of 60

at Queen’s University Biological Station

(Rohwer); 58 on Opinicon Road

(Conboy) 14Feb; 53 at Elginburg

(Keaveney) 17Feb. Earliest: 18 at

Amherst Island (Phillips) 8Dec.

Lapland Longspur: Rare. 2 at Wolfe

Island (Hennige) 14Jan; 2 at Queen’s

University Biological Station (Conboy)

12Jan.

Yellow-rumped Warbler: 1 at Cedar

Point State Park (Callaghan) 8Jan; 2 at

Prince Edward Point (Ripley) 19Feb.

Field Sparrow: 1 at Bedford Mills

(Nuttall and Wojiecki) 27Dec-29Feb.

Savannah Sparrow: 1 at Amherst Island

(observer?) 20Dec; 1 at Amherst Island

(Holden) 10Jan.

Song Sparrow: at least 5 over-wintering.

Swamp Sparrow: 1 at Amherst Island

(KFN) 2Jan.

Fox Sparrow: 1 at Wolfe Island (KFN)

18Dec.

White-throated Sparrow: 1 on Blue

Mountain Road (Hennige) 1Jan.

White-crowned Sparrow: 1 at Ivy Lea

(Ripley) 22-24Dec; 1 at Wolfe Island

(Weir) 18Dec; 1 at Queen’s University

(Bonier) 10Jan.

Eastern Meadowlark: 1 at Amherst

Island (KFN) 10Jan-22Feb.


Rusty Blackbird: 1 at Bedford Mills

(Nuttall and Wojiecki) from at least

1Jan.

White-winged Crossbill: 2 at Millhaven

(Hennige) 08Dec.

Common Redpoll: Uncommon. High

counts of 80 at Saint Lawrence Woods

(Mackenzie) 28Jan; 62 at Queen’s

University Biological Station (Conboy)

5Feb; 30 at Kingston (Weir) 29Jan.

Pine Siskin: Uncommon. High counts

of 10 along the Rideau Canal (Grant); 6

near Elgin (North Leeds Birders) 8Feb.

Widespread observations of smaller

numbers.

Evening Grosbeak: 1 at Prince Edward

Point (KFN) 17Dec; 2 at Wolfe Island

(Weir) 18Dec.

Other species observed during the time

period: Canada Goose, Mute Swan,

Gadwall, American Wigeon, American

Black Duck, Mallard, Ring-necked

Duck, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead,

Common Goldeneye, Hooded

Merganser, Common Merganser, Red-

breasted Merganser, Ring-necked

Pheasant, Wild Turkey, Sharp-shinned

Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-tailed

Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin,

American Coot, Ring-billed Gull,

Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull,

Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Eastern

Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Barred

Owl, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy

Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker,

Blue Jay, American Crow, Common

Raven, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-

breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted

Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Golden-

crowned Kinglet, American Robin,

European Starling, Cedar Waxwing,

Snow Bunting, American Tree Sparrow,

Dark-eyed Junco, North Cardinal, Red-

winged Blackbird, Common Grackle,

Brown-headed Cowbird, Purple Finch,

House Finch, American Goldfinch,

House Sparrow.

Contributors: Erica Barkley, Erwin

Batalla, David Bell, Lynn Bergmeyer,

Peter Blancher, Kevin Bleeks, Jeffrey

Bolsinger, Fran Bonier, Ken Burrell,

Mike Burrell, P. Burke, Corey

Callaghan, Mark Conboy, I. Davis-

Young, Ben DiLabio, Bruce DiLabio, A.

Gagnon, Chris Grooms, Janis Grant,

Kurt Hennige, Tyler Hoar, Brandon

Holden, Andrew Keaveney, Paul

Martin, Paul Mackenzie, Jay McMahan,

North Leeds Birders, G. Phillips, John

Pleizier, Bill Purcell, Linda Nuttall,

Dareen Rayner, Bruce Ripley, Michael

Runtz, Martin Roncetti, Vanya Rowher,

Denby Sadler, Ron Weir, Mark Wojiecki,

and Hans van der Zweep. Observations

cited as KFN were originally made by

three or more observers.

Swans off Wolfe Island 20 Feb photo by Steve Manders

March 2012

Mid-winter Waterfowl Inventory

Ron D. Weir

The Mid-winter Waterfowl Inventory

was carried out throughout North

America during the second week of

January 2012. Thirteen observers

surveyed the Kingston region from Ivy

Lea, Hill and Wellesley Islands on the

east to Prince Edward Point on the west.

Lake Ontario water was open, except for

a few shallow bays.

Sections covered from the land were the

St. Lawrence River from Ivy Lea and the

Thousand Islands to Gananoque, Howe

Island, Wolfe Island, Cataraqui River

and the Rideau system (frozen except at

and below the locks), Amherst Island,

Kingston waterfront from Treasure

Island to Collins Bay (all open), Bath

Road from Collins Bay to Glenora (all

open), Hay Bay (frozen), Waupoos

peninsula, Bay of Quinte (partially

frozen) and Prince Edward Point (open).

For the aerial survey portion, the

Canadian Wildlife Services (CWS) staff

covered the St. Lawrence River from Ivy

Lea to Kingston, offshore sections of

Wolfe and Amherst Islands, and the

offshore islands and adjacent areas of

Waupoos and Prince Edward Point, and

the Bay of Quinte.

Participants were Erwin Batalla, Kevin

Bleeks, Barbara Campbell (CWS), Mark

Conboy, Sharon David, Joel Ellis, Peter

Good, Bea and Jay McMahon, Shawn

Meyer (CWS), Bud Rowe, Barb and Ron

Weir.

The results shown in Table 1 were

forwarded to Barbara Campbell of the

CWS. When the CWS staff flew over the

Kingston area, they located some

waterfowl beyond the access of the

ground observers; these sightings are

included in Table 1. The total of 177,291

is impressive and only possible because

of the lack of ice. The tally of 39 Bald

Eagles from the land observers is also

included in Table 1.

The weekend of the census saw sunny

and cloudy conditions and temperatures

from -8oC to -2o, with moderate wind

from the SW shifting from the W.

Visibility was good. The results of the

survey for all of the Lake Ontario sites

on the Canadian side have been collated

by Mr. Glenn Coady of Toronto. That

summary is shown as Table 2, which

includes the overall total from Kingston.

Areas surveyed along Lake Ontario

from east to west were Kingston,

Quinte, Presqu'ile, Port Hope, Durham,

Toronto, Hamilton and Niagara.

Locations in Table 1:

Ivy Lea: Hill Island, adjoining islands to

Gananoque

Kingston Waterfront: Treasure Island to

Lemoine's Point

Bath Road: Collins Bay to Glenora Ferry

Hay Bay: south shore Hay Bay

(completely frozen)

Waupoos: NE peninsula of Prince

Edward county

PEPt: SE peninsula of Prince Edward

county

Bay of Quinte (partially frozen)


Table 1. Waterfowl Summary for Kingston January 2012

Species

Rid.

R.

Cat.

R.

Ivy

Lea

Howe

I.

King

ston

Amh.

I.

Wolfe

I.

Bath

Rd.

Hay

Bay

Wau

poos

Pr Ed

Pt

Bay of

Quinte Totals

Rd-thrtd Loon - - - - 1 - - - - - - 1

Common Loon - 1 1 2 2 - 1 - - - - 7

Rd-nckd Grebe - - - - - - - - - 1 - 1

Horned Grebe - - - - 1 - 1 - - - - 2

Snow Goose - - - - - - 2 - - - - 2

Canada Goose 446 1954 773 6315 2777 3142 9750 - 7359 1802 3226 37544

Mute Swan - 2 9 10 13 97 34 - 197 43 111 516

Tundra Swan - 37 18 26 104 185 81 - 6 40 - 497

Trmptr Swan 6 - - - - - - - - - - 6

swan sp. - 8 10 30 53 372 - - 207 3 - 683

Gadwall - 13 - 376 2 7 1 - - 6 - 405

Am. Wigeon - - - 50 - - - - - - - 50

Black Duck 2 7 54 33 33 653 80 - 88 51 27 1028

Mallard 6 104 74 468 332 2055 392 - 641 183 161 4416

Nor. Pintail - - - - - - 1 - - - - 1

Grn-wngd Teal - - 6 - - - - - - 5 - 11

(dabblers) - - - - - - - - - - - -

Canvasback - - - 4 - - - - 1 - - 5

Redhead - 30 - 3030 - 50 - - 125 - 3235

Rng-nckd Duck 2 6 - 275 3 - - - - - - 286

Greater Scaup - 400 - 7650 60 40 100 - 25500 29100 - 62850

Lesser Scaup - 4 5 60 2 - 15 - 15 30 - 131

scaup sp. - - 3200 - - 247 95 - - 195 10 3747

Surf Scoter - - - - - - - - - 4 - 4

Black Scoter - - - - - - - - - 1 - 1

Wht-wngd Scoter - 2 - - - - - - - 505 10 517

scoter sp. - - - - - - - - - 80 - 80

Lng-tld Duck - 18 1905 1 25 47 1 - 11196 24800 - 37993

Bufflehead - 2 4 12 308 60 80 - 166 87 22 741

C Goldeneye 2 126 387 377 487 379 1410 - 60 430 101 3759

Brrw’s Goldeneye - - - - 1 - - - - - - 1

Hooded Merg - 20 4 26 2 4 - - - - - 56

Comm Merg 35 1164 1339 11,791 38 783 332 - 15 10 338 15845

Rd-brstd Merg. - 121 32 4 39 160 6 - 20 830 - 1212

merganser (sp) - - - - 546 745 110 - - - 134 1535

Amer Coot - - - 14 - - - - - 2 - 16

divers - - - - 100 - - - - - 7 107

Totals 499 4019 7821 30554 4929 9026 12492 - 45471 58333 4147 177291

Party hours 3 8 3 6 8 7 3 - 3 4 - 45

# observers 1 4 1 6 6 3 2 - 2 2 - 27

Bald Eagle 3 3 3 3 5 17 3 - 0 2 - 39*

March 2012

Table 2. Lake Ontario Mid-winter Waterfowl Inventory 08Jan2012

Species Kngstn Quinte Prsquile PtHope Durham Toronto Hamiltn Niagara Total

Red-throated Loon 1 1

Common Loon 7 2 3 2 14

Pied-billed Grebe 1 1 2

Horned Grebe 2 1 7 10

Red-necked Grebe 1 5 6

Dbl-crstd Cormrnt 1 56 49 106*

Tundra Swan 497 75 11 3 6 592

Trumpeter Swan 6 1 4 6 84 196 297

Mute Swan 516 39 442 9 15 380 104 8 1513*

Grt Wt-frnt Goose 0

Snow Goose 2 2

Brant 0

Canada Goose 37544 10582 1850 3026 3414 16887 5644 1589 80536*

Cackling Goose 1 0 6 1 8

Wood Duck 1 1 2

Grn-wngd Teal 11 3 14

Amer Black Duck 1028 58 3 35 46 268 90 24 1552

Mallard 4416 345 12 1739 298 6255 3010 825 16900

Northern Pintail 1 5 6

Northrn Shoveler 2 150 152

Gadwall 405 35 676 50 1166

Eurasian Wigeon 0

American Wigeon 50 44 94

Canvasback 5 11 1 270 287

Redhead 3235 950 5 1773 28 5991

Rng-nckd Duck 286 1 42 329*

Greater Scaup 62850 56 1980 836 3934 11024 7282 1139 89101*

Lesser Scaup 131 3 42 1615 1 1792

Scaup sp. 3747 0 3747

King Eider 1 1

Harlequin Duck 0 0

Long-tailed Duck 37993 886 1452 262 127 4343 36724 14185 95972

Black Scoter 1 0 3 3 7

Surf Scoter 4 0 98 20 122

Wht-wned Scoter 517 3 12 7 16 659 1884 3098

Comm Goldeneye 3759 138 472 836 1006 1980 2384 1973 12548

Brrw's Goldeneye 1 1 2

Bufflehead 741 36 85 132 313 867 475 536 3185

Hooded Mergnsr 56 29 43 128

Comm Mergnsr 15845 9 43 76 25 557 621 687 17863

Rd-brstd Mergnsr 1212 10 28 301 632 2031 507 1201 5922

Ruddy Duck 26 320 346

American Coot 16 1 12 121 1 151


Species Kngstn Quinte Prsquile PtHope Durham Toronto Hamiltn Niagara Total

Swan sp. 683 1 684

Merganser sp. 1535 1544

Duck sp. 187 100 266 42 50 645

MallrdX Blk Duck 1 5 6

Total Birds 177291 12339 7627 7307 9851 47370 60513 24137 346444

Total Species 31 14 18 13 12 30 28 21 38

Participants 27 2 4 9 5 34 16 15 112

Party-hours 45 8 9 12.5 13 66.5 27 16 197

Bald Eagle 39 1 1 2 43

Butterfly News and Views

Don Davis

As of February 15, 2012, WWF Mexico

and the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere

Reserve had yet to release data related

to the number of hectares of trees

covered with wintering monarchs in

Mexico. Last spring, the population

rebounded from a record low of 1.9

hectares in 2009 to 4.2 hectares in 2010.

Concerns remain about the impact of

the severe drought in Texas and the

cool, wet spring conditions in the

northern breeding range.

Diane Pruden of Michigan will again

purchase Monarch Watch tags from

those living in and around the

Biosphere Reserve. A U.S. advisory

against travel to Michoacán, and

university policy, prevents Director

Chip Taylor from the University of

Kansas from travelling to the Reserve.

Weekly Monarch Migration Updates

have been published since February 2nd

by Journey North.

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/monarch/

News.html

The Monarch Teacher Network of

Canada will be holding eleven 2-day

workshops across Canada for teachers

and others interested in using monarch

butterflies as a multi-disciplinary

teaching tool. The first French-language

workshop will be held in Ottawa:

http://www.monarchteacher.ca/ . A new

workshop is being planned for Durham

Region.

The Toronto Entomologists’ Association

requests your 2011 lepidoptera and

odonata records for publication in the

annual season summaries. Rare

sightings are submitted to the Natural

Heritage Information Centre for

inclusion in their databases. For further

information, see

http://www.ontarioinsects.org .

The first major international Monarch

Butterfly Biology and Conservation

Meeting since 2001 will be held in June

2012 in Minnesota.

http://www.monarchlab.org/mn2012/ .

March 2012

Lincoln Brower, who lectured at

Queen’s University in 2004, will speak

about his 58-year journey with monarch

butterflies.

The final footage for the new 3D IMAX

film entitled “Flight of the Butterflies”,

based on the story of Dr. Fred

Urquhart’s discovery of the monarch

wintering sites in Mexico, is being

filmed this month in Michoacán. The

role of Fred Urquhart will be played by

noted Canadian actor Gordon Pinsent.

Questions?: [email protected]

Don Davis

Life Member

Ontario Nature and Friends of

Presqu’ile Park

blue bill - kingston field naturalists...nature reserves erwin batalla 613-542-2048 [email protected]...

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