Recent Birding Reports AMHERST ISLAND

  • Snowy Plover at Amherst Is. - June 2, 2002

    The SNOWY PLOVER originally found on the May 25 OFO trip was still present 
this morning on Amherst Island.


DIRECTIONS (thanks to Ken Kingdon): from exit #593 on Hwy.401 (16 km west 
of Kingston), proceed south-bound on County Road 4 to Millhaven. The ferry 
departs every hour on the half-hour for a 20-minute crossing ($5 round 
trip). Off the ferry, drive 200m to the stop-sign in Stella, turn left 
(east) and follow the road to the extreme south-east corner of the Island. 
Park at the cattle corral, enter the Kingston Field Naturalists property by 
crossing the fence at the wooden steps, walk 8-10 minutes east along the 
shore of Lake Ontario. As soon as the pond is in view behind the berm, look 
along the south margin of this pond.

Paul Pratt
Windsor, ON
prairie@netcore.ca

  • Snowy Plover - May 31, 2002

    I was over on Amherst this afternoon, 2:30 31 May,  and the SNOWY PLOVER was
still there. There were at least 12 WILSON'S PHALAROPES, DUNLIN, BLACK
BELLIED PLOVERS plus other peeps. Thanks for the lifer and never bird in a
thunder storm.

Jamie Reid
Kingston, ON
JamieReid17@hotmail.com

Directions as per Ken Kingdon;

DIRECTIONS:  from exit #593 on Hwy.401 (16 km west of Kingston), proceed
south-bound on County Road 4 to Millhaven.  The ferry departs every hour on
the half-hour for a 20-minute crossing ($5 round trip).  Off the ferry,
drive 200m to the stop-sign in Stella, turn left (east) and follow the road
to the extreme south-east corner of the Island.  Park at the cattle corral,
enter the Kingston Field Naturalists property by crossing the fence at the
stile, walk 8-10 minutes east along the shore of Lake Ontario.  As soon as
the pond is in view behind the berm, look along the south margin of this
pond.

  • SNOWY PLOVER, WHIMBREL - AMHERST ISLAND - May 29, 2002

    Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).

    The SNOWY PLOVER found during the O.F.O. field trip last Saturday, May 25th 
remains in the same place at 2PM today, Wednesday May 29, 2002.  This is now 
the fifth day in a row.  It continues to feed contentedly along the damp 
margin on the south side of the D.U. pond on the KFN property, patrolling a 
stretch of just 100m.  I believe it will remain at least another day.  It is 
quite approachable, and often squats down in low grass to rest, but is 
visible virtually all the time.  Numerous WILSON'S PHALAROPES are also near 
it.  Two (2) WHIMBREL were also seen, one sitting nearby on the grass, and 
one fly-by at the carpark.  A dozen BRANT GEESE that often feed at this pond 
were NOT seen today.  Amongst numerous shorebirds was a single WHITE-RUMPED 
SANDPIPER.  At this time, a variety of warterfowl and other shorebirds are 
there each day, and a GREAT EGRET has been hanging around out by the gravel 
bar near the tip.


DIRECTIONS:  from exit #593 on Hwy.401 (16 km west of Kingston), proceed 
south-bound on County Road 4 to Millhaven.  The ferry departs every hour on 
the half-hour for a 20-minute crossing ($5 round trip).  Off the ferry, 
drive 200m to the stop-sign in Stella, turn left (east) and follow the road 
to the extreme south-east corner of the Island.  Park at the cattle corral, 
enter the Kingston Field Naturalists property by crossing the fence at the 
stile, walk 8-10 minutes east along the shore of Lake Ontario.  As soon as 
the pond is in view behind the berm, look along the south margin of this 
pond.

Ken Kingdon,
KINGSTON
kenkingdon@hotmail.com

  • Willet, Amherst Island, Kingston Region - May 4, 2002

    Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).

    Hi all,
Bob Sachs will not be able to report for a week or so, so I will send a few 
items.

Several observers saw a Willet on Sat. morning at the KFN property on 
Amherst Island prior to a well attended tree planting in the Owl Woods 
annex. Fifty Brant, two Wilsons Phalarope and two Eastern Kingbirds were 
also seen, and over a thousand Bonaparte's gulls flew west off the south shore.
There were about 8 Least Sandpipers, 15 Black Terns, 8 Caspian Terns 
and  large numbers of both Yellowlegs at Amherstview Sewage lagoons.

Amherst Island is west of Kingston in Lake Ontario, and the Sewage Lagoons 
are on the mainland off Taylor Kidd Blvd. north of the village of Amherstview.

cheers....
Paul Mackenzie,
Kingston, Canada.

  • Eurasian wigeon, Amherst Island. - April 27, 2002

    Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).

    Eastern Ontario birders:

There was one Male Eurasian wigeon with 12 American Wigeon on east end of 
Amherst Island Friday April 26th. Also 7 Brant nearby along the south shore 
of KFN property. One immature Snow Goose with Canada Geese. One Dunlin.

Amherst Island is located 16 km. west of Kingston. Exit off the 401 at exit
593 and drive south to the very end. Turn right on hwy. 33 and drive 500 m.
till you see the sign to the ferry. The ferry leaves the mainland on the
half hour and leaves the island on the hour. Cost is $5.00 round trip. There
are no gas stations on the island. The K.F.N. property is at the
easternmost part of the island.

cheers.....
Paul Mackenzie,
Kingston, Canada.
mackenzp@post.queensu.ca

  • Amherst Island - Owl Woods - Sat, 09 Feb 2002

       
There are still 2 SAW-WHET OWLS in the Owl Woods.  I now believe these
are the same two that have been there all winter although they have
changed their locations and are now roosting relatively close to each
other.  There's no sign of any in the Cedar Woods now, and both have
moved to the east margin of the Pine Woods.

The number of LONG-EARED OWLS seems to be on the increase now though
with 6 in the Cedar Woods today and yesterday and at least 1 more in the

Pines.

At least 6 SNOWY OWLS on the east end of the Island, at least 2 of which

are very nice, almost totally white, adult males.  There were also at
least 6 SHORT-EARED OWLS on the east end across from the KFN property
and several more down along the south shore towards the road to the
ferry.

Alex. Scott
Bath

  • Amherst Island - Access to Owl Woods - Wed, 02 Jan 2002

       
The road to the Owl Woods is now closed and impassable from both ends.
Going in from the north end today, there are drifts of 4-5 feet in
height with some as much as 8 feet.  The good news is that the drifts
have been packed so hard by the gale force winds that have dumped all
that snow from the surrounding open fields that you can walk on them
without breaking through.

The southern entrance is probably somewhat better with lower drifts and
it probably won't be long until there is a well established path.  With
the amount of snow and the way it is packed down, I think there is
little likelihood that the road will reopen again before spring so bring
your hiking boots.  It is approximately 1 km from the main road to the
entrance to the woods from either direction.

Once into the woods, that paths are well travelled and marked and the
going is pretty easy.

Alex. Scott
akscott@kos.net

  • Amherst Island - Raptors - Wed, 02 Jan 2002

       
It looks more and more like it's going to be an average year at best in
the Owl Woods.  Into the new year, there are still only 3 SAW-WHET OWLS
regular in the woods, one in the Cedar Woods and 2 in the Pines with no
signs that the snows of the past several weeks have resulted in any
movement in or out.  The result is that if you overlook one, you may not
find any.

There is still the occasional LONG-EARED OWL but most have either been
taken by the NORTHERN GOSHAWK or have moved out to safer locales. And no
sign of any movement of BOREAL, GREAT GRAY or HAWK OWLS.  Still, if you
want to see either SAW-WHET or LONG-EARED OWLS, this is probably your
best bet.

Around the woods however there are lots of SNOWY OWLS and SHORT-EARED
OWLS.  Lots of hawks over the whole Island especially RED-TAILED,
ROUGH-LEGGED, HARRIER and KESTREL.  The NORTHERN GOSHAWK can be seen
most days at some point in or around the Owl Woods.  So, a trip to the
Island will be productive as always.

Alex. Scott
Bath
akscott@kos.net


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    Last Updated: June 3, 2002 6:19:49 AM