The spring migrants have obediently lined up for viewing and are ready for the opening of Birding Week at Prince Edward Point which will see banding demonstrations at the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, and guided bird walks every morning at 8:00 a.m. in the Point Traverse Woods. While "meet me at the outhouse" doesn't sound very appealing, that is, in fact, where we will be meeting for the guided walks every morning, commencing on Saturday, and running until the 18th, with the exception of our Birdathon Day on May 16th. The hikes cost $5/person with the revenue being donated back to the Observatory at the end of the week. I have the pleasure of leading those walks every morning. Then, at 10:00 a.m. there will be bird banding demonstrations at the Observatory both weekends. Join us if you can in this celebration of the spring migration at the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, at the southeastern tip of Prince Edward County.

Over 20 species of warblers have been present since the first early arrivals appeared in late April. A PRAIRIE WARBLER was singing for members of the OFO in the Point Traverse Woods during a field trip there on May 4th. Also seen that day was a YELLOW-THROATED VIREO.

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS have now started to appear in numbers and about 2000 were roosting on the offshore shoal on the 6th and an AMERICAN BITTERN flew over that day as well. The WOOD DUCKS are still being seen in the area and 4 were present on the 4th. Three LESSER SCAUP were at the entrance to the harbour on the 5th and 7 SURF SCOTERS were seen off of Point Traverse on the 4th, LONG-TAILED DUCKS increased from 200 to 1000 on the 7th and 2 BUFFLEHEADS can occasionally be seen past the lighthouse. RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS (200) flew past on the 7th. An OSPREY and a BALD EAGLE flew over on the 4th and a BROAD-WINGED HAWK was in the woods at Point Traverse that day as well. On the 5th a SANDHILL CRANE flew over calling as it went.

The first RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD at the Point was seen on the 6th. A YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was seen on the 5th, and the first LEAST FLYCATCHER was seen on the 6th and 2 EASTERN KINGBIRDS were seen on the 3rd. The first WARBLING VIREOS turned up on the 7th. BLUE JAYS peaked at 150 on the 4th this week, and a COMMON RAVEN was noted on the 6th. The CLIFF SWALLOWS are building on the lighthouse now and up to a 100 are present most days. A late BROWN CREEPER was trapped on the 4th and HOUSE WRENS are singing and some are already lining their nests. A male MARSH WREN was singing from a tangle of deciduous shrubs near the nets on the 4th. Female RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS are now moving through and 100 were here on the 6th, there are at least two pairs of BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS present around the woods. The first VEERY was recorded on the 8th and 1 or 2 WOOD THRUSHES are seen regularly in the woods, HERMIT THRUSHES continue to trickle through and up to six are being seen daily. The first GRAY CATBIRD appeared on the 4th, CEDAR WAXWINGS have started to build up and 60 were seen on the 7th.

As May progresses more species of warblers are starting to appear and 21 species were seen this week. BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS were seen on the 4th and 7th with a GOLDEN WINGED and a BREWSTER?S WARBLER also being seen on the 7th. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was trapped on the 6th, the first NASHVILLE WARBLER was seen on the 3rd and 40 were present on the 7th, NORTHERN PARULAS appeared on the 4th and the first YELLOW WARBLER was noted on the 5th. CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS arrived on the 3rd followed by MAGNOLIA WARBLERS on the 5th. YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS have started to move in bigger numbers and 250 were seen on the 6th and 7th. BLACKBURNIAN, BLACK-THROATED BLUE and BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS arrived on the 3rd followed by WESTERN PALM WARBLERS on the 5th. A PINE WARBLER was banded on the 7th, the aforementioned PRAIRIE WARBLER was found at Point Traverse on the 4th and BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS have been seen since the 3rd. A nice adult AMERICAN REDSTART arrived on the 7th with OVENBIRDS appearing on the 4th and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES are singing most mornings from the swamp in the middle of the woods. COMMON YELLOWTHROATS were singing from the 4th onwards.

A late FOX SPARROW was seen on the 3rd and LINCOLN?S SPARROWS arrived on the 6th, WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS continue to move and up to 60 have been seen in a day this week while WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS arrived on the 3rd and up to 85 have been present since then. A GAMBELL?S WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was trapped on the 8th. ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS have become more common but there are still fewer than 10 being seen daily so far. BOBOLINKS arrived on the 3rd and can now be heard singing just to the north of the Observatory daily. A few RUSTY BLACKBIRDS are still singing from the swamp and the first BALTIMORE ORIOLES arrived on the 3rd and 80 were seen on the 7th with most of them flying past the window in the evening. The PURPLE FINCH saga continued through the early part of the week with 120 being present on the 3rd. Up to 6 PINE SISKINS have been seen in a day and a female EVENING GROSBEAK was present on the 3rd and 4th.

Elsewhere in the county, an early EASTERN KINGBIRD showed up at Kelly Road near King's Road on April 27th and another was on Ridge Road in the Picton area on May 5th. Five AMERICAN PIPITS were seen at Waupoos on the 3rd. A chance stop by two parties of observers along Highway 33 between Bloomfield and Wellington on May 6th resulted in some nice additions to the day's checklist when a relatively small flooded corner of an agricultural field produced a dozen yellowlegs with LESSER being identified for sure, along with 8 CASPIAN TERNS, and joining the crowd was a WILSON'S PHALAROPE spinning like a top as it searched for insects. A check of the area the following day produced only a single CASPIAN TERN and two LESSER YELLOWLEGS. However, more dependable results can be expected at one reliable site along Wesley Acres Road where a flooded field there has not been pumped out yet as it has been in past years. Present there on Tuesday were 8 GREEN-WINGED TEAL and a pair of NORTHERN SHOVELERS.

At Sandbanks Provincial Park, the warbler migration there is going full tilt and several species were noted during the week including BLACKBURNIAN, MAGNOLIA, CHESTNUT-SIDED, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES and NORTHERN PARULAS. In the panne area on the north side of the dunes a SOLITARY SANDPIPER was found on Saturday, and other newcomers to the scene included the season's first GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER and a SAVANNAH SPARROW. Six LESSER YELLOWLEGS and 3 LEAST SANDPIPERS were at Jackson's Falls Creek, just above the falls east of Milford on the 6th, and a GREEN HERON was foraging in the Napanee River at the base of the falls in that town last evening. And as this summary was being finalized, a report came in of a WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE in with a large gaggle of pasturing CANADA GEESE in a corn field at Mountain View this evening.

Most backyards are alive with songs these days and among them, of course, are the monotonous drawls of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS. Twenty were in one backyard east of Milford today. Both ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS and RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS are visiting many feeders in the county and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES are still coming to a few feeders in the area. A Glenora Road feeder has 35 PURPLE FINCHES there, in addition to 10 ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS and a plethora of woodpeckers involving 5 HAIRYS, 6 DOWNIES and 2 RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS.

Remember only six weeks ago there was still snow on the ground and ice in the smaller lakes?

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to David Okines of the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, Rosemary Smith, Fiona King, John Blaney, Marilyn Holland-Foster, Sophia Huyer, Karen Stenhouse, Nancy Smitts, Pamela Martin, Dirk de Boer, Doris Lane, Don Chisholm, Heatherjoy Fraser Kirby, Mia Lane, John Charlton, Cindi Stapleton, Henry Pasila, Ted Cullin, Sidney Smith, Wayne McNulty, Kathleen Rankine, Pamela Stagg, Nancy Fox, Brian Durell, David Bree, Joanne Dewey, Silvia Botnick, Heather Heron and Donn Legate for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, May 15th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the new Wednesday night deadline. Feature photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website is by Sidney Smith and shows a male NORTHERN CARDINAL fighting with its image in a car mirror. Photos of a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER and a SOLITARY SANDPIPER in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report are by Sidney Smith and David Bree respectively.

LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS, BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, GRAY CATBIRD, NASHVILLE WARBLER, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS, BALTIMORE ORIOLES and BOBOLINKS were newcomers to the Prince Edward County scene this past week as spring marches bravely forward despite scattered snow flurries yesterday and bitter winds. The first ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK was seen near Bloomfield on April 24th - not a record early date, but very close, and another showed up at a Glenora area feeder three days later. Also appearing on the scene early was a BALTIMORE ORIOLE on the 25th in Picton, RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD at a Picton nectar feeder on the 27th, a GRAY CATBIRD on Hull Road on the 24th and BOBOLINKS west of Consecon on the 30th. Not to be beaten was a WHIP-POOR-WILL at Wooler on the 26th calling enthusiastically at 8:30 p.m.

At Prince Edward Point, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS have increased to about 500 offshore now and more continue to arrive daily, 15 TURKEY VULTURES went over on the 29th and up to 8 have been roosting in the woods. Four WOOD DUCKS were seen on the 26th and are likely the ones nesting here, 40 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS were counted on the 29th and LONG-TAILED DUCKS increased to 800 on the 27th. BUFFLEHEADS have mostly gone now and only a small handful can be seen off the lighthouse, a female COMMON GOLDENEYE can be seen most days in the harbour while RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS have built up to 70.

The NORTHERN HARRIERS can be seen displaying in the field and the occasional COOPER'S or SHARP-SHINNED HAWK often does a flyby. BONAPARTE?S GULLS have not really built up yet but 200-300 can be seen offshore along with the odd CASPIAN TERN. A GREAT-HORNED OWL was calling on the 30th and a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL was seen in a bush on the 27th. The RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER has been vocal all week but is rarely seen, and the last few YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS are trickling through now while NORTHERN FLICKERS continue to make their presence known and different flicker intergrades were trapped on the 29th and 30th. BLUE JAYS have started to move and up to 20 a day are going through. A COMMON RAVEN was seen on the 27th. Two PURPLE MARTINS flew over on the 27th and TREE SWALLOWS have increased to about 20 with up to 60 CLIFF SWALLOWS frequenting the lighthouse now. HOUSE WRENS have arrived to breed and are singing everywhere now and WINTER WRENS are still being seen. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS are continuing to arrive and 65 were counted on the 27th, with most birds still being males but the females should start arriving soon. A pair of BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS is setting up territory near the nets and while HERMIT THRUSHES are still arriving, the other thrushes should start to appear within a week or so. Twelve BROWN THRASHERS were counted on the 27th and the local birds are now singing.

An early BLUE-WINGED WARBLER was singing for most of the 27th and an early BREWSTER'S WARBLER was seen after the rain stopped on the 26th.The first NASHVILLE WARBLER of the season was seen on the 27th with another seen on the 30th. YELLOW WARBLERS arrived on the 27th as well as did 75 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, 2 PINE WARBLERS, 2 WESTERN PALM WARBLERS 3 BLACK AND WHITE WARBLERS and a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH. The first LINCOLNS SPARROW of the spring was banded on the 27th and a few SWAMP SPARROWS are moving with up to 3 seen in a day. Eighty WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS arrived on the 27th and the first WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was banded on the 29th. Up to 3 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS can be found in the swamp, and on the 26th and 27th, 160 and 110 PURPLE FINCHES were recorded, PINE SISKINS were seen on the 27th (1) and 1st (3). A female EVENING GROSBEAK was around the Observatory on the 26th and 27th and the first ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK of the spring was banded on the 1st.

PURPLE FINCHES are still migrating through in the county and 30 are at a feeder along Glenora Road, and smaller numbers are at feeders at Cape Vesey, Big Island, and Huff's Island. Nearly every morning this past week at least 3 VIRGINIA RAILS and one PIED-BILLED GREBE have been calling before light from the Big Island Marsh. A COMMON RAVEN was seen at Cape Vesey and more than one are seen daily on the Stinson Block near Consecon. A SANDHILL CRANE was seen today at the corner of Hamilton and Aitkin's Road about half way between Belleville and Trenton. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES are still coming to feeders in Picton and Elmbrook. The party of 30 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS that had been arriving with monotonous regularity to a clump of willows in the Big Island Marsh every morning at daybreak for the past week or more seem to have departed with only the occasional one heard now with RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS. Thirty LESSER SCAUP were present this morning in Muscote Bay, and six COMMON MERGANSERS were present there the previous afternoon.

A report of a WHITE PELICAN near 12 O'clock Point came in from two separate observers this week, first seen on April 30th, but it didn't appear to be present when I was there that evening. Birders in that area should keep their eyes open for this bird, since one was in the Belleville area for nearly two months last summer. And a sighting that is currently awaiting further details is a pair of crossbills of undetermined identity coming to a feeder along Highway 33, near Glenora. According to the observer, they have been at the feeders for two weeks.

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to David Okines from the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, Henri Garand, Fred Helleiner, Chesia Livingston, Russ Williams, Cheryl Anderson, S.W. (Tex) Ridder, Fred Chandler, Joanne Dewey, Pamela Stagg, Silvia Botnick, Wendy Fraser, Nancy Fox and Paul Mackenzie for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, May 8th, but sightings can be e-mailed anytime before the new Wednesday night deadline. We seem to ignore AMERICAN ROBINS at this time of the year since they are so common, but our featured photos this week on both the Birding Page of the NatureStuff website and the two photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report are all by Belleville photographer Dave Bell, and show robins caught in the act of being themselves.

Up to five COMMON LOONS are seen going over Prince Edward Point daily and the DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT numbers offshore have built up to about 150 and will continue to increase. Small groups of up to 15 TURKEY VULTURES are going over daily and can be seen kettling over the point. The only CANADA GEESE that were moving were 30 on the 19th while an AMERICAN BLACK DUCK flew over with MALLARDS on the 18th. Duck numbers offshore have been disappointing so far with only 50 or fewer WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS being seen daily. LONG-TAILED DUCKS numbered 1000 on the 19th but are usually 500 or less in a day. The BUFFLEHEAD flock has decreased from 70 down to about 10 now and RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS are starting to increase with a maximum of 35 seen in a day.

An OSPREY flew over in the afternoon of the 20th and a late dark morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen on the 22nd. Eight RED-TAILED HAWKS were kettling among 15 TURKEY VULTURES on the 24th. A SANDHILL CRANE flew gracefully by on the 19th. Up to 400 BONAPARTE?S GULLS are feeding offshore and should increase now that the midges have started to appear. The first CASPIAN TERN appeared on the 19th and has been seen most days since then. Two NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS were trapped on the 21/22nd and three were trapped the following night.

A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was seen on the 18th and has been noted most days since then. YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS have been scarce and a flicker intergrade was trapped on the 22nd. NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS are more numerous now and the CLIFF SWALLOWS arrived in force on the 20th when 40 were seen attending the nests on the lighthouse. The EASTERN TUFTED TITMOUSE, banded last week, was found again on the 19th and a few RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES are being seen daily. BROWN CREEPERS are decreasing and only the odd one is now being seen. WINTER WRENS continue to move through and the first HOUSE WREN was trapped on the 24th. GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS are scarce with few females being seen yet, meanwhile male RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS are moving through in good numbers with a peak of 100 on the 20th. The first BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER was banded on the 20th. A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was seen on the 18th and 19th and BROWN THRASHERS arrived on the 20th and up to three are now singing daily. The local EASTERN TOWHEES arrived on the 20th and 8 were seen on the 21st.

The last AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was seen on the 19th, while CHIPPING SPARROWS peaked at 40 on the 20th. One or two SWAMP SPARROWS are being seen most days and WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS are moving with up to 35 a day being seen. DARK-EYED JUNCOS are decreasing and only a dozen or so are being seen now. The first NORTHERN CARDINAL of the spring was trapped on the 21st. RUSTY BLACKBIRDS are mostly being seen in low numbers but a flock of 21 flew over on the 24th. PURPLE FINCHES are moving back north in good numbers and 130 were present on the 20th. A late COMMON REDPOLL was banded on the 21st and occasional PINE SISKINS can still be found around the feeders. A male EVENING GROSBEAK frequented the feeders for three days from the 19th to the 21st, and finally at least three different HOUSE SPARROWS, a rare species at the Point, have been seen around the Observatory during the week.

EVENING GROSBEAKS have turned up elsewhere too across the region. One showed up at a Thurlow feeder north of Belleville, and another was at a feeder along Glenora Road during the week. The influx of PURPLE FINCHES moving through the area was reflected in individuals appearing at feeders at 23 Sprague Road, and along Glenora Road. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES are still visiting feeders in Bloomfield, Glenora and Cape Vesey. As though reinforcing that spring is here, at one Bloomfield backyard, a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER appeared there at a bird bath. Both WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS and isolated numbers of later appearing WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS are present in many backyards and CHIPPING SPARROWS have all but replaced AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS at most area feeders, although a few feeders have had both of the latter species. A COMMON RAVEN was heard at Cape Vesey on the 23rd. The first SAVANNAH SPARROW of the season showed up at Trenton on the 22nd, and early WOOD PEWEE was at Prince Edward Point on the 19th. Even earlier was a reported NORTHERN PARULA north of Trenton. A pair of SANDHILL CRANES has been cruising the Prince Edward County area for the past two weeks, and were last seen on Miller Road on April 18th.

A few of the TRUMPETER SWANS from the 2006 release at Big Island and Huff's Island, appear to have settled in and we are waiting to see what they do next. Two were in the Cherry Valley area, one of them #052 whose exploits across the country and beyond have been well documented, from New York to Connecticut and back to Prince Edward County. Another individual, #952, also a traveller, was not so lucky. It was seen thrashing about on the ground near Cherry Valley and is believed to be suffering from avian botulism. It is currently being care for at the Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre at Napanee. Waterfowl and other birds at the Wesley Acres flooded agricultural fields during the past week have included up to 25 GREEN-WINGED TEALS, 5 BLUE-WINGED TEALS, 25 CASPIAN TERNS, 5 GREATER YELLOWLEGS and 2 LESSER YELLOWLEGS. South Bay has had CANVASBACKS and hundreds of scaups. RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS and LONG-TAILED DUCKS have been noted at Little Bluff Conservation Area.

Plans are in place for Birding Week in Prince Edward County, May 10th to 18th with much of the action taking place at Prince Edward Point with daily morning bird walks and weekend banding demonstrations. A colour brochure focusing on the top birding areas of the county and containing a schedule of events for Birding Week is now available at many Quinte area outlets. The stars of the brochure, an AMERICAN GOLDFINCH and a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW by Belleville photographer Dave Bell, are this week's featured photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report. Photo of a BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE drinking from a water tap on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website is by Shirley Laundry of Belleville. Details of the Birding Week are on both the Prince Edward Point website www.peptbo.ca and on the NatureStuff website www.naturestuff./net (under EVENTS).

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to David Okines of the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, Pamela Stagg, Doris Lane, Brian & Gloria Durell, David Bree, Owen Weir, Chesia Livingston, Fiona King, Kathleen Rankine, Heather Heron, Paul Guernsey, Donna Fano, Norma Broadbear, Silvia Botnick and Fred Chandler for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday May 1st, but sightings can be e-mailed anytime before the new deadline of Wednesday night at 9:00 p.m.

New arrivals this past week included BROWN CREEPERS, CASPIAN TERNS, CLIFF SWALLOW, LITTLE GULL, RED-NECKED GREBES, HERMIT THRUSH, and say it isn't so - the first YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS of the season! The latter species, along with the first RED-NECKED GREBES (13) and the first HERMIT THRUSH of the spring season, were all recorded at Prince Edward Point yesterday, marking a nice jump start in the spring migration. And more new arrivals below.

The Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory opened for the spring 2008 season on the 15th April. Although it has only been running for three days the numbers banded have been good with 355 birds banded so far. A few COMMON LOONS are going over, as are CANADA GEESE with 200 seen on the 15th and 76 on the 17th. Apart from up to 75 BUFFLEHEADS, there have been few ducks offshore at the moment but they should pick up soon. The WILSON'S SNIPE and AMERICAN WOODCOCKS are calling in the field and a KILLDEER is noisily calling most days. MOURNING DOVES are moving with up to fifteen being seen daily. A BELTED KINGFISHER flew over on the 16th and YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS are drilling holes in the trees for the sap. NORTHERN FLICKERS numbered 30 on the 16th and EASTERN PHOEBES numbered four on the 15th. A COMMON RAVEN was calling near Point Traverse on the 16th while at the Observatory the TREE SWALLOWS are starting to guard the swallow boxes. A NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW was seen in the harbour on the 15th and a CLIFF SWALLOW appeared on the 16th, and around the building two BARN SWALLOWS are present. A TUFTED TITMOUSE visited the feeder for about one minute on the 17th and BROWN CREEPERS are moving in good numbers with 45 seen on the 16th with similar numbers seen on the 17th. It looks as though the male GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS have already gone through and most of the ones being seen are females; RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS are just starting to move with 20 seen on the 16th and 50+ seen on the 17th. An EASTERN BLUEBIRD appeared on the 16th and the first HERMIT THRUSHES have arrived with 3-4 being seen daily. A BOHEMIAN WAXWING was seen on the 15th and the first YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER was banded on the 17th. Sparrow numbers have been good with AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS on the 16th and 17th, and 20 CHIPPING SPARROWS arrived mid-morning on the 16th. FIELD SPARROWS are singing, and a VESPER SPARROW was seen at Point Traverse on the 16th. One or two FOX SPARROWS are being seen or heard singing daily, up to 40 SONG SPARROWS are singing and the first SWAMP SPARROW arrived on the 16th, the first EASTERN TOWHEE was singing on the 17th and at least three WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS were seen that day as well. Up to 80 DARK-EYED JUNCOS are being seen as they feed around the Observatory. The first RUSTY BLACKBIRD arrived on the 17th and a COMMON REDPOLL was at the feeder on the 16th.

Any vestiges of the winter are slowly disappearing, as the spring migration begins to take control. A few RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES are still visiting feeders across the region and a handful of COMMON REDPOLLS are still hanging on at a feeder in Stirling. Two AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS are still coming to a feeder east of Lake on the Mountain, but at some feeders they have been replaced by CHIPPING SPARROW arrivals. A lingering PINE SISKIN continues to visit daily to a feeder near Lake on the Mountain. PURPLE FINCHES (6) showed up at a feeder mid-week at Glenora, likely spring migrants, and three were also at a feeder in Thurlow, and one at a feeder on George's Road, east of Northport. At Cape Vesey, in Prince Edward County, one bird feeder operator had a TUFTED TITMOUSE at his feeder both Saturday and Sunday which has since disappeared. FOX SPARROWS continue to turn up across the region. One was seen in a patio area of one home at the west end of Big Island, and in Kingston on the weekend, one was scratching about under the ornamental shrubs at the entrance to the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority's Education Centre.

Other migrants seen during the week included 5 GREATER YELLOWLEGS at Cherry Valley on April 16th, and two WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS on Barker Street in Picton. YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS have been turning up everywhere, in some cases involving several individuals in local backyards. West of Consecon, two knocked themselves out when they flew against a living room window. EASTERN BLUEBIRDS are reported to be nesting near Tweed. As TURKEY VULTURES continue to increase in numbers and establish territories, a few amusing stories have come in. One west Big Island resident was concerned when two individuals perched on the property as his wife was still in bed asleep. Other stories have come in involving small kettles circling over the hospital in Picton, as well as over at least two nursing homes, the Whattam Funeral Home, and the local municipal government offices at Shire Hall. CASPIAN TERNS (2) were seen in Muscote Bay on the 14th, and four were at the mouth of the Outlet River at Sandbanks last Sunday. A LITTLE GULL joined a flock of 50 BONAPARTE'S GULLS in an agricultural field near Sandbanks on the 13th.

The Kaiser Crossroad flooded cornfields continue to offer some good opportunities and on the 12th there were AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, NORTHERN PINTAILS, CANADA GEESE and a pair of SHOVELERS. Over 250 BONAPARTE'S GULLS were present there on the 16th. The flooded field along Wesley Acres Road, known locally as Bucknell's slough, and the adjacent marsh across the road, offered about a dozen species of waterfowl this week, among them both species of teal, NORTHERN PINTAILS, RING-NECKED DUCKS and AMERICAN WIGEON. Waterfowl come and go on Muscote Bay, dictated apparently by the whims of the day.

Other interesting sightings include a persistent singing early morning flock of 30 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS along South Big Island Road, 45 WILD TURKEYS in a field near Sandbanks, an AMERICAN KESTREL in Picton and on Big Island, a BALD EAGLE over Trenton, and a pair of WOOD DUCKS in Cherry Valley.

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to David Okines, Heather Heron, Pamela Stagg, Chesia Livingston, David Bree, Henry Pasila, Bill Hogg, Doris Lane, Cheryl Anderson, Cathie Stewart, Frank Artes & Carolyn Barnes, John & Janet Foster, Silvia Botnick, Kathleen Rankine, Marilyn Holland-Foster, Fiona King, Henri Garand, Owen Weir, and Fred Chandler for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, April 24th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the 9:00 p.m. Wednesday night deadline (please note the new deadline). Featured photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report are of a MUTE SWAN doing a ballet, by Susan Shipman of Wellington, and a BROWN CREEPER by Elena Petrcich of Ottawa. Photo of "fishing cormorants" in China on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website is courtesy of Ingrid Harrington of Bloomfield.

New spring arrivals this past week in the Quinte area included a whole whack of stuff including 2 SANDHILL CRANES in flight over Picton on April 2nd, NORTHERN FLICKER and BARN SWALLOW at Prince Edward Point on the 5th, AMERICAN BITTERN (2) in the Big Island Marsh on the 6th, and VESPER SPARROW near Prince Edward Point on the 7th, just to name a few of the highlights. PURPLE MARTINS returned to West Lake on April 8th, and the same day along Massassauga Road, and to Big Island this evening. The first OSPREY of the season was seen at the Massasauga Road and County Road 28 nesting platform, south of Belleville, on April 4th, and resident birds are now at their nest sites along Highway 33 at the Lennox Generating Plant, and Cherry Valley, with individual birds hunting being noted in North Marysburgh, Wesley Acres and Green Point. A PIED-BILLED GREBE has been calling noisily from the Big Island Marsh for the past two mornings.

With warmer temperatures, waterfowl are taking advantage of lakes and bays and flooded fields where they occur. Kaiser Crossroad continues to baffle many observers as even a space of an hour can make a big difference in what may show up. TUNDRA SWANS in the high 20s have been counted, along with varying numbers of NORTHERN PINTAILS, AMERICAN WIGEONS, GREEN-WINGED TEALS, SNOW GEESE (5), AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, BUFFLEHEAD, RING-NECKED DUCKS, just to name a few of those species one can expect to see on a visit there while water levels remain constant. Predicted rains on Friday and Saturday should hold the water for a few more days. At Prince Edward Point, GADWALL, 1000 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, 5 COMMON LOONS, 2300 CANADA GEESE, 67 SNOW GEESE, 500 LONG-TAILED DUCKS and 200 BUFFLEHEAD were some of the interesting species and numbers to be reported from there.

Elsewhere, it's where and when you happen to stop. A flooded field along County Road 64 just east of Brighton, on April 4th, contained no fewer than 30 WOOD DUCKS. HOODED MERGANSERS turn up regularly in many local creeks at this time of the year, and the flooded field along Wesley Acres had 36 GREEN-WINGED TEALS on April 7th. Conditions continue to improve as the ice gives way at the headwaters of the Outlet River in East Lake with 30 MUTE SWANS, BUFFLEHEADS, CANVASBACKS, COMMON GOLDENEYE and scaup being a few of the waterfowl species present on the 6th. The ice at Muscote Bay finally surrendered to spring on Monday, with 6 HOODED MERGANSERS being the first to take advantage of the softer conditions. A GREAT BLUE HERON and an OSPREY actively fishing officially declared this section of the Bay of Quinte open for business.

A GREAT EGRET flew east along the Napanee River in that town on Wednesday, and another was seen the same day at Barcovan near Brighton. YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS were seen at Walmsley Road, and at Prince Edward Point. Also at the latter location, 4 GREATER YELLOWLEGS were seen on April 6th, along with 1 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET and a WINTER WREN. A tiny marsh of less than an acre along upper Victoria Road in Ameliasburgh on Tuesday was alive with WILSON'S SNIPE as 3 winnowed at low level above my head while another 2 called from within the marsh itself.

The swarms of COMMON REDPOLLS that once descended on local bird feeders are but a fraction of their earlier numbers. Two were still at a Bloomfield feeder on Sunday, 4 at a Big Island feeder on the 7th and 3 the same day at a Tripp Road feeder. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES are still visiting a few local feeders, and is the subject of our photos in the online edition of this report. FOX SPARROWS have been noted at several location, and three were in one backyard in the Tweed area. EASTERN BLUEBIRDS are nesting now, as are TREE SWALLOWS. A MERLIN is back at a nesting site in the Trenton area where it had nested last year. EASTERN PHOEBES were seen at Hay Bay, Prince Edward Point, Big Island and Harbard Road at Gardenville. Two COMMON RAVENS continue to be seen at Cape Vesey where they might be nesting. An early WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was present at Kaiser Crossroad on April 5th.

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks Bill Burns, Joanne Dewey, Bill Leet, Donna Fano, Heather Heron, John & Janet Foster, Doris Lane, Donn Legate, David Bree, Norma Broadbear, Michael Jaques, Jess Chambers, Kathleen Rankine, Pamela Stagg, Frank Artes & Carolyn Barnes, Bill Hogg, Nick Quickert, Henri Garand, Ted Cullin, Beth McPherson, Myrna Wood, Bruce Ripley, Fred Helleiner, Ron Weir, Kathy Felkar, Anne Potter, Fred Chandler, and Eric Caley for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, April 17th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the 6:00 p.m. Thursday deadline. Featured photos on the Main Birding Page and in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report are all by John & Janet Foster of the Tweed area.

Once again, it has been an interesting mix of spring birds and typically winter birds, as spring forges bravely ahead. Warmer weather brought in a stream of new migrants during the past week including the first FOX SPARROWS of the season yesterday and today with three being found in one tight cluster in the Point Traverse Woods, one on Ventress Road in Cramahe Township, and another near Tweed. The season's first SWAMP SPARROW turned up in the Sawguin Marsh near Horse Point in the Massassauga area on the 31st, and two EASTERN PHOEBES were at the Dunes Beach area in Sandbanks yesterday. EASTERN MEADOWLARKS were singing at 23 Sprague Road late this afternoon, and another turned up today at Ridge Road. Two AMERICAN WOODCOCKS showed up along Maitland Drive north of Belleville this morning, certainly a more sensible pair than the bizarre early bird near Green Point way back on February 19th. The first YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was seen at Point Traverse this morning, and six GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS at Massassauga is an indication that the spring migration of this species is also under way. And in Trenton, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES are joyfully engaged in nest building in one backyard nest box bordering a wooded area. NORTHERN HARRIERS can be found across the region, and TURKEY VULTURES are being largely ignored as there are so many of them, with one pair scouting out a possible nesting site in a barn west of Consecon. Sightings of TREE SWALLOWS are increasing as temperatures rise. There were 5 skimming over the water at Glen Miller on March 28th, 25 were spotted the same day just south of there near the former Lower Trent Conservation building, and another seen early this morning near Tweed. An early GREEN HERON was also seen in the Trenton area on Friday. Several sightings of AMERICAN KESTRELS indicate some sort of passage of this species with one seen yesterday on Kelly Road, with others seen during the week at Picton's Delhi Park, Victoria Road and Highway 62, and one along County Road 1. BELTED KINGFISHERS were seen yesterday at Log Cabin Point and Prince Edward Point.

Meanwhile, flocks of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and COMMON GRACKLES, augmented by newly arrived BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS just continue to grow in size. GREAT BLUE HERONS are pretty much established now at their favourite haunts and CANADA GEESE is one subject about which the less said the better as they are absolutely everywhere, both on the ground and above it. An estimated 800 were at West Lake on the 28th, and more than 2,000 created an infernal din as they fed in the now flooded corn fields along Kaiser Crossroad, where other species noted both yesterday and today included WOOD DUCK, TUNDRA SWAN, MALLARDS, AMERICAN WIGEON, NORTHERN PINTAILS, WOOD DUCK and one SNOW GOOSE.

Another good waterfowl viewing area along Wesley Acres Road this week contained CANADA GEESE, NORTHERN PINTAILS, MALLARDS AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS and HOODED MERGANSER. At the headwaters of the Outlet River at Log Cabin Point, there was a mixture of MUTE SWANS, MALLARDS, NORTHERN PINTAILS, COMMON MERGANSER, BUFFLEHEAD, REDHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE, GREATER SCAUP, RING-NECKED DUCKS and both COMMON and HOODED MERGANSER yesteray. As the waters in local creeks and other waterways commence to surrender to the weather, it is a case of keeping a sharp eye out for new arrivals. Two observers with keen eyesight spotted a small conference of 20 HOODED MERGANSERS as they displayed for a handful of females in Black River off County Road 13 at the cheese factory. South Bay remains frozen, but from Prince Edward Bay down to Prince Edward Point, the waters are alive with the musical conversations of LONG-TAILED DUCKS interspersed with all three merganser species, WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, BUFFLEHEADS, GREATER SCAUP, RING-NECKED DUCKS and COMMON GOLDENEYE. Did I mention CANADA GEESE?

Still there are signs of winter, beyond the heavy morning frosts. There was a surprise visit of 2 RED CROSSBILLS at a feeder east of Lake on the Mountain on March 30th, and 7 PINE GROSBEAKS were found near the Picton Health Unit yesterday. Two hundred waxwings with over 90 per cent of them being BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS dropped in at Prince Edward Point on the 30th as they alternated between red cedars and the road side, gradually making their way in front of one motorist as he slowly inched his way toward the Point Traverse corner. Fifteen COMMON REDPOLLS are still coming to a feeder in Bloomfield, and a Stirling feeder continues to host about 50. Feeders are still busy, but with different clientel these days, and several still have RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS. NORTHERN SHRIKES were seen during the week at the west end of Big Island and at Green Point. A western "Oregon" form of the DARK-EYED JUNCO turned up this morning in a Salem area yard.

Spring is on its way! And it was the sighting of the year's first MOURNING CLOAK BUTTERFLY on the 28th in Bloomfield that told us so.

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte Area.Our thanks to Paul Thompson, Ted Cullin, Rosemary Smith, Michael Tumpane, Donn Legate, John Charlton, Cathie Stewart, Pamela Stagg, Vince & Kerry Politi, Owen Weir, Heather Heron, Yvette Bree, Brock Burr, Judy & Dave Bell, Kathy Felkar, Janet Foster, Chesia Livingston, Sophia Huyer, Nancy Smits, Frank Artes & Carolyn Barnes, Joanne Dewey, Bill Hogg, Beth McPerson and Henri Garand for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, April 10th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the 6:00 p.m. deadline. Featured photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report include WILD TURKEYS by Don Carr of Belleville and TUNDRA SWANS by Susan Shipman of Wellington. Photo of two amorous MOURNING DOVES on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website is by Sydney Smith of Wellington.

It was minus 13 degrees at 4:30 a.m. on March 25th when I stepped outside and heard my first "spring" WILSON'S SNIPE winnowing in the dark sky above me. Despite the winter hanging on, birds continue to make their spring debut. A TREE SWALLOW along Glenora Road yesterday is in addition to the very early one on the 19th that showed up along County Road 1. SONG SPARROWS are increasing in numbers, and both COMMON GRACKLES and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS are everywhere right now in growing numbers. An optimistic well formed skein of over 90 CANADA GEESE was seen heading due north at Sandbanks on March 25th, likely the same flock that passed over 23 Sprague Road a few minutes later, and no doubt the same flock that was seen during the same time period over Glenora Road. TURKEY VULTURES in small numbers have been seen across the region this past week, and several have been noted again roosting in trees in downtown Picton. A WINTER WREN was at 2800 County Road 1 today, and the second WILSON'S SNIPE of the spring season showed up there this morning.

Meanwhile signs of winter still linger on with numerous sightings of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, including 40 today stripping a highbush cranberry bare of fruit near Trenton, 30 in the Stirling area on the 21st. COMMON REDPOLLS have disappeared from many feeders, but are still present in large numbers at others. There are 60 at feeders at Allisonville, 30 at two feeding locations along Glenora Road and along County Road 1, 22 at a Trenton feeder, 20 at a feeder at the west end of Big Island and along George's Road, and lesser numbers at other feeders in the area. At least 10 PINE SISKINS continue to visit a feeder along Glenora Road, and PINE GROSBEAKS during the week were seen in Napanee and Trenton. CEDAR WAXWINGS this week were found along George's Road (10), Waupoos (30), Trenton (20). One Trenton area resident, while cleaning out his nest boxes, found one box containing five FLYING SQUIRRELS, and another containing a black morph GREY SQUIRREL with 3 one-week old babies (squirrelettes?).

CANADA GEESE and TUNDRA SWANS are poised and ready at the flooded corn fields along Kaiser Road. There were 200 of the former and 25 of the latter there today, but nary a drop of water yet in which to dabble. This popular "wetland" harbours thousands of geese and ducks when conditions are at their peak. CANADA GEESE, MUTE SWANS and COMMON GOLDENEYE were present this week at the east end of Adolphus Reach. CANADA GEESE continue to search in vain for open water with at least 20 landing on the still solid ice last weekend on Muscote Bay.

A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was north of Stirling on Wellman's Road on Friday. BALD EAGLES turned up in several locations during the week including the Bay of Quinte near the Quinte Skyway Bridge, and a number of other single sightings at Prince Edward Point, South Bay, Adolphus Reach and one in the Belleville area. The dark morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK is still present at the west end of Big Island where it has been for most of the winter, and 2 RED-TAILED HAWKS were seen in the Jackson's Falls area this week. An AMERICAN KESTREL was surveying traffic along Highway 62 early this morning by Victoria Road. NORTHERN HARRIERS are becoming increasingly common over meadows and wetlands as the spring, albeit late, continues to arrive in spurts as though unsure of its welcome.

Several PILEATED WOODPECKERS were reported during the week, with at least two expressing considerable exuberance over the arrival of spring by eviscerating a number of trees in the area. A hydro pole near Glenora was worked on by one individual, likely misinterpreting the hum of the lines for burrowing insects, and a large white pine across from Whattam's Funeral Home in Picton was girdled by at least 20 holes. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS were reported at feeders along Glenora Road, Adolphustown, and along County Road 1 in the county.

Our roving reporter at the H.R. Frink Centre says feeder birds there are preparing for this Sunday's MapleFest with at least a half dozen BLUE JAYS present, along with 2 pairs of NORTHERN CARDINALS, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS and both RED and WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES. Three TURKEY VULTURE sightings have been made there over the last several days. A pair of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS was seen on Sunday at the corner of Blessington Road and Lazier Road, and a NORTHERN SHRIKE is a regular along Bronk Road, Blessington Road and Lazier Road. And at least a few SNOW BUNTINGS are still around in that area as they prepare for the possible arrival of even more snow as spring continues to dawdle.

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Jess Chambers, Doris Lane, Cheryl Anderson, Myrna Wood, Heatherjoy Fraser-Kirby, Pamela Stagg, Brian Durell, Evelyn Sloane, Paul Taylor, Kathleen Rankine, Henri Garand, Jenny Goodall, Frank Artes & Carolyn Barnes, Albert Boisvert, Bill Hogg, Nancy Fox, Rosemary Smith, Donna Fano, Laura Pierce, Silvia Botnick, and John Charlton for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, April 3rd, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the 6:00 p.m. Thursday deadline. Featured photos in the online edition are all by Susan Shipman of Wellington, and include a rather defiant BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website, with the Quinte Area Birding Report featuring two common feeder residents this winter in much of the Quinte region.

Except for warmer temperatures - and that's about to change - there's not a whole to suggest that today is the first day of Spring. Birds, however, are celebrating its arrival with wild abandon, as AMERICAN ROBINS (60 at Ridge Road), RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and COMMON GRACKLES continue to increase in numbers. The first COMMON GRACKLE turned up in Belleville on the 14th. The first KILLDEER of the season passed noisily over No Frills in Picton on March 14th, and another was spotted near Prince Edward Point the following day, with reports of these so-called harbingers flooding in Tuesday and Wednesday. SONG SPARROWS, likely spring migrants rather than wintering individuals, have also shown up across the region, and a very early, overly optimistic TREE SWALLOW passed over 2800 County Road 1 on March 19th. GREAT BLUE HERONS have also shown up, and four were puzzling over the hardness of the water along the shore of the Bay of Quinte off George's Road, east of Northport on Wednesday. Along that same road, 20 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS turned up together, foraging in a roadside bush, presumably migrants, but a week early for this species to be normally arriving in such numbers. Single TURKEY VULTURES were seen during the week over Picton and at Lake on the Mountain, and 10 were seen late this afternoon along a stretch of County Road 1 known locally as Sandy Hook Road, near Picton. AMERICAN CROWS are also increasing and 40 in west Trenton drew the attention of a resident there. A flock of over 70 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS at 23 Sprague Road today contained one female bird.

Birders are eagerly awaiting favourite nooks and crannies in the county to open to improve viewing conditions for waterfowl. Kaiser Crossroad was examined today by a resident down that way, but it will be a few days yet before any actions begins, although 100 hopeful CANADA GEESE were standing at the ready.

Meanwhile at feeders, COMMON REDPOLLS are hanging in there and 25 are coming to a South Bay feeder, and 40 to a feeder in the Melville area of Consecon Lake, and an incredible 75 at a feeder in Bloomfield. PILEATED WOODPECKERS were seen visiting feeders in both the Stanley Park area of Trenton and along County Road 1 in Prince Edward County. Elsewhere, most feeder regulars are maintaining their winter numbers despite the snow gradually disappearing, although AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS have decreased in population at many feeding stations in the area.

BARRED OWLS haven't quite given up their role as the star attraction this winter. One was spotted in a backyard tree in downtown Belleville on March 13th, and another was quite obvious as it perched in a large tree yesterday on the west side of Highway 49, about two kilometres south of Fish Lake Road. A grey morph EASTERN SCREECH OWL was photographed on Saturday, peering out of a wood duck nesting box along Kelly Road in the East Lake area.

In the Consecon area, the attention of one resident there was drawn to a ruckus in the backyard where a RED-TAILED HAWK had a COMMON CROW pinned to the ground. Meanwhile, the crow's mate was going crazy above where the pair is believed to have a nest. The hawk eventually released its hold with the crow's mate in hot pursuit of the hawk. The downed injured crow was able to get airborne and ignominiously flew off in a different direction.

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Gerry Fraiberg, Eve Ticknor, Bill Hill, Heather Heron, Patrick Davies, Pamela Stagg, Judy Kent, Rosemary Kent, John Charlton, Nancy Fox, Glenn Helm, Mike Burge & Kathy Felkar, Joanne Dewey, Donn Legate, Paul Kenny, Kathleen Rankine, Frank Artes & Carolyn Barnes, Bill Leet and Nancy Smitts for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, March 27th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the 6:00 p.m Thursday deadline. Featured photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report include Two CANADA GEESE at Barcovan, one of which putting on a peculiar performance, taken by Susan Shipman and an EASTERN SCREECH OWL peering out of a nest box, photographed by Paul Kenny. Photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website is of a single CANADA GOOSE performing for photographer Susan Shipman of Wellington.

A rather interesting week with a nice blend of some new arrivals, a few old standbys and some rather bizarre behaviour. EUROPEAN STARLINGS were certainly in the news as many operators of bird feeders are starting to see increased numbers of these birds in their backyards as early migrants join those that wintered in the area. Flocks of 50 and more were routinely reported this week. In the Milford area, one resident there was surprised to see one starling snatch a stunned BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE that had flown against a window, then fly off with it, presumably to consume it.

Saturday's snowfall resulted in lots of increased activity at local feeders. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS by now have likely regretted their early arrival in the county, but this hardy species is showing no indication of that as many dozens take advantage of offerings in local backyards. Another early arrival, the HORNED LARK, is also extending its search for food as deep snow all but covers most food sources. One west Big Island resident was both pleased and surprised to see 5 last week at his feeders beside the house, which have since decided that this is where it's at, feeding alternately on niger seed and cracked corn every day. Elsewhere in the county, HORNED LARKS are doing well, apparent by over 300 seen by one birder during the course of his travels yesterday. A flock of 80 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS arrived on Ridge Road this week and eagerly consumed a crop of highbush cranberries, a food source usually reserved for desperate times, and this was obviously it. At the same address there was an EASTERN BLUEBIRD where individuals have appeared off an on all winter. At Cape Vesey, a resident pair of COMMON RAVENS routinely visit a backyard compost pile.

A sign that winter has a way to go yet was reflected in a flock of over 100 SNOW BUNTINGS seen yesterday along County Road 5 near Bethel Road. And lots of smaller groups reported across the region. CEDAR WAXWINGS (32) turned up along County Road 3 in the Albury area. One designated feeding area, some distance from a house at South Bay, for obvious reasons, is regularly visited by a group of 49 WILD TURKEYS who come daily, and after filling their bellies, leave in single file. COMMON REDPOLLS have decreased in numbers at most feeders, although 50 were at a feeder along County Road 12 at Sandbanks today, and 20 are still coming to a feeder along Glenora Road where a PINE SISKIN also showed up yesterday. Along County Road 1 at Consecon Lake, a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW is visiting a feeder there and a NORTHERN FLICKER was seen Tuesday along County Road 12 at West Lake.

Four BALD EAGLES were spotted during the week over Adolphus Reach, east of Lake on the Mountain, and a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, uncommon in these parts during winter, was seen yesterday along a portion of County Road 5, known locally as Yerexville in the area of County Road 34. Near Tweed, a female NORTHERN GOSHAWK spent over a half hour pursuing 4 uncooperative red squirrels, before finally capturing one unwary individual who had appeared from the nearby woods to see what all the excitement was about. There was the usual complement of SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS and COOPER'S HAWKS at feeeders, and one feeder south of Stirling had a NORTHERN SHRIKE. On Ridge Road, a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK there caught and consumed a EUROPEAN STARLING, perhaps a little too far away for it to be the same starling that consumed the chickadee!

Waterfowl watching continues to be difficult due to ice conditions at favourite viewing areas, and has been furthered hampered at Wellington Harbour by construction work on a new wharf - the same wharf that normally holds spotting scopes! However, other areas have fared better. Three TRUMPETER SWANS unexpectedly turned up at Consecon Lake today, but were too far away to read the tag numbers. A pair of HOODED MERGANSERS was also present. Barcovan is also experiencing noise, with dredging work on its channel but doesn't appear to be affecting the waterfowl present there. Today, there were mostly MUTE SWANS and CANADA GEESE, interspersed with GREATER SCAUP, RING-NECKED DUCKS, REDHEADS, 1 WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE, AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, MALLARDS, a male NORTHERN PINTAIL and both COMMON and HOODED MERGANSERS. Yesterday, there was a GREEN-WINGED TEAL present. What were probably two MUTE SWANS passed over the Queensboro Road area north of Madoc this week as two had been reported in the area all last summer. Waterfowl are scattered at Prince Edward Point with COMMON GOLDENEYE, BUFFLEHEAD and WHITE-WINGED SCOTER present yesterday. Three HOODED MERGANSER were seen in the Outlet River at Sandbanks and 20 CANADA GEESE were counted sitting on a large ice island near Kaiser Crossroad. In Prince Edward Bay at Cape Vesey, GREATER SCAUP and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS have been noted. Two MUTE SWANS checked out the frozen wetlands on Friday at Adolphustown Park. Until the water softens up a bit more, life ain't easy for waterfowl these days.

An interesting sighting from the Glendon Green boat launch in East Lake at the Outlet River yesterday involved two TRUMPETER SWANS #s 052 and #952 with one taking off way out over East Lake, and then returning to land, all the time calling back and forth with the one left on the river. When it landed again a MUTE SWAN immediately charged after it across the water. The TRUMPETER SWAN completely ignored the charge and the MUTE SWAN just slowed, stopped, and then swam away. "I would have at least flinched!" said the observer.

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte Area. Our thanks to Pamela Stagg, Janet Mooney, Joanne Dewey, Cheryl Anderson, Ken & Shirley Joyce, Henri Garand, Donn Legate, Bill Leet, Carol Ward, Frank Artes & Carolyn Barnes, Silvia Botnick, Jess Chambers, Marilyn Holland-Foster, Bill Hogg, John Charlton, John & Janet Foster and David Bree for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, March 20th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the 6:00 p.m. Thursday deadline. Featured photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report include a COOPER'S HAWK by Donna Fano and an AMERICAN CROW by Dave Bell, both of Belleville. Photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website of a spring arrival of AMERICAN ROBINS in South Glenns Falls, NY is by Sandra Morgan.

There may be 1,000 TUNDRA SWANS at Long Point in Lake Erie, and KILLDEERS and 40 GREAT BLUE HERONS in the Windsor area right now, but it's still primarily grosbeaks, redpolls and waxwings in the Quinte area. Winter is just not letting up this month with the promise of even more snow in the days ahead. Even for a winter enthusiast like myself, I am ready for swallows flitting around the nest boxes and woodcock nuptials. However, the one positive sign that spring is on its way was the overnight appearance of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS at numerous locations. A sprinkling at my feeders this morning soon expanded into over 20 by late afternoon, and similar reports came in from seven other locations in the county. Small groups of AMERICAN ROBINS have also been noted, but these could still be representatives from local wintering populations.

BARRED OWLS in the area are almost "dirt birds" now as reports of them showing up in both rural and urban backyards continue. There is still one along Mitchells Crossroad where one has been hunting rabbits since early winter, and one showed up on Saturday at Point Traverse. There was another at a Bradley Crossroad backyard at Lake on the Mountain on Sunday. An adult BALD EAGLE on Sunday flew from the shoreline of Prince Edward Point and landed on the ice between there and Timber Island, a former nesting site for this species prior to the 1950s. Three (2 adults and one immature) were seen Sunday soaring over the junction of Rock Crossroad and County Road 7. Both COOPER'S HAWKS and SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS are still regulars at many feeding stations across the region, and one feeding area east of Lake on the Mountain had both species as well as a RED-TAILED HAWK surveying the backyard for a quick meal.

BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS took a back seat to other winter sightings for a few weeks, but seem to have returned for an encore. East of Wellington on February 29th, there was a flock of fully 300 birds, and 50 were seen March 1st along Point Petre Road between Simpson Road and Army Reserve Road. PINE GROSBEAKS are also back for a return engagement. Seven were seen during the week on the east side of Trenton, another 13 turned up in Trenton near the former Lower Trent Conservation office, and yet another one in the Barry Heights area of the same town, and eight were noted in Belleville. A lone PINE SISKIN showed up with a flock of AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES on the 2nd east of Lake on the Mountain, and small flock of EVENING GROSBEAKS made a brief visit to a feeder along Vanderwater Road at Thomasburg during the week. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES are still being reported, the most recent being at a feeder along Harmony Road in Thurlow north of Belleville where two have been for much of the winter. A NORTHERN SHRIKE on Huyck's Point Road on the 1st, and at least three LAPLAND LONGSPURS seen feeding in company with SNOW BUNTINGS, HORNED LARKS and CANADA GEESE in a corn field on Huyck's Point Road are all reminders that winter is not quite through with us yet.

COMMON RAVENS (2) were seen again at Cape Vesey flying at tree top height, where they seem to be residents now as they have been present at this location for more than a year. A PILEATED WOODPECKER was seen along Loyalist Parkway (Highway 33) just west of Bloomfield, and two are still regulars in a backyard in Trenton. A NORTHERN FLICKER, first spotted at Point Petre on February 27th was still present there on the 29th.

Waterfowl watchers are still hard pressed in Prince Edward County to find many convenient places to check out species and numbers. However, at Prince Edward Point, waterfowl numbers there are in the thousands with WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS making up about half the numbers that are in close enough to be identified. Present also are COMMON GOLDENEYE, LONG-TAILED DUCKS and GREATER SCAUP. Similar numbers are present in Prince Edward Bay off Cape Vesey where several thousand scaup were seen flying by one day. A favourite observation point along Lakeshore Lodge Road at Sandbanks is still disappointing and is solid pack ice as far as the eye can see. However, the Outlet River at Log Cabin Point offers a variety of waterfowl, depending on the day, it seems. Between 30 and 60 MUTE SWANS are often congregated here and this week the same four tagged TRUMPETER SWANS mentioned in last week's report, were still present, along with a sprinkling of CANADA GEESE and COMMON GOLDENEYE. This area bears watching as conditions will improve quickly when the headwaters here at East Lake begin to open. Access is via County Road 18, just east of the four-way stop at Sandbanks. Wellers Bay at Barcovan today had lots of scaup and MUTE SWANS, and the NORTHERN PINTAIL is still there.

An interesting e-mail came in from Kitchener this week of five COMMON REDPOLLS that have turned up dead during the winter at one feeder. The resident is curious as to what might have caused the deaths of these birds which otherwise looked perfectly healthy. He is wondering if anyone else has noticed anything unusual about the redpoll population this winter, other than the fact they seem to be given to landing on your arms and head as feeders are being filled!

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to David Bree, Fred Chandler, Bon Betteley, John Charlton, Serge de Sousa, John Blaney, Pamela Stagg, Pamela Martin, Donna Fano, Ken & Shirley Joyce, Wayne McNulty, Kathleen Rankine, Janet Mooney, Fiona King, Jenny Goodall, Judy Kent, Margaret Kirk, Lyle Anderson and Marilyn Holland-Foster for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, March 13th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the 6:00 p.m. Thursday deadline. Featured photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report this week include a CEDAR WAXWING and HORNED LARK. Photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuiff website could be titled "Wishful Thinking" as it shows a SNOWY OWL which didn't appear in the county this winter that has been edited into a photo taken at Consecon's Stinson Block. All photos were taken by Susan Shipman of Wellington.

Well, it has been quite a week, what with vultures, the solitaire, flocks of barred owls and woodpeckers turning trees inside out! The TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, discovered February 16th at the corner of Point Petre Road and Simpson Road, could now be best described as "somewhere in the Point Petre area." It was last seen on Saturday and appears to be taking in a much wider area now. Certainly worth taking a spin down there this weekend as observers this past week have found no fewer than 5 COMMON RAVENS, 100 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, 130 CEDAR WAXWINGS, 2 optimistic TURKEY VULTURES, a NORTHERN FLICKER, PILEATED WOODPECKER and a half dozen or so EASTERN BLUEBIRDS. If you find the solitaire, then it will just be icing on the cake.

BARRED OWLS might not be appearing in flocks in the Quinte area, but there certainly have been enough of them around to suggest more than the occasional individual. In the Belleville area, there were several sightings of BARRED OWLS, perhaps the same individual involved in at least a few of the sightings. One was seen on Avonlough Road in Belleville during the week, and in the same city, one flew across the driveway of one surprised resident missing him by scant inches. One was seen at Bayside, between Belleville and Trenton, hunting in a backyard there, and what was probably a BARRED flew across Ben Gill Road just south of the Big Swamp near Picton. The BARRED OWL seen at South Bay last week, was present in the same area again on Saturday with a second individual which flew off into the nearby woods, while the other one remained long enough on a hydro wire to be photographed. Another BARRED OWL near Trenton tried several times at one home to reach a pet cockatiel which it spied through the window. In Belleville, shovelling the snow from one walkway had to be postponed in order to allow a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL to continue its siesta in the sun as it perched on the blade of the shovel.

A WINTER WREN turned up at the outflow of the Brighton Constructed Wetland yesterday, and last week there was a NORTHERN FLICKER hanging around at one address east of Elmbrook, likely the same individual that was reported there earlier this winter. To prove that birds are where you find them, one cross-country skier in the Bay of Quinte at the mouth of Sawguin Creek, scared up a RUFFED GROUSE along the shoreline that had found some shelter against a tree and some cattails. More COMMON RAVENS were seen during the week at Cape Vesey (2), Consecon (2), Belleville (2) and singles at South Bay and along Melville Road. The flock of 60 CEDAR WAXWINGS that has been present all month in the Stinson Block area west of Consecon is still there feeding on the bountiful crop of red cedar berries. Both BOHEMIANS and CEDARS were noted along Glenora Road during the week, and a nice flock of 30 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS was reported by several observers at the Glendon Green Boat Launch at Sandbanks. EASTERN BLUEBIRDS have showed up at several areas, mainly south of Cherry Valley, appearing along Royal Road, Point Petre and at Salmon Point Road, with a few also being noted at Bayside near Trenton.

A single PINE GROSBEAK continues to sing periodically from an apple tree in a field west of 23 Sprague Road where it has been for more than a week. One appeared at a Barry Heights feeder in Trenton during the week and 8 appeared one day at the H.R. Frink Centre at Plainfield. A well disciplined RUFFED GROUSE appears at one of the platform feeders at the Frink Centre most mornings to get its fill of feed well before the school groups arrive. A PILEATED WOODPECKER is a regular in the silver maple swamp there, and not far away a NORTHERN SHRIKE is seen most mornings on Bronk Road between Harmony and Blessington Road. Two NORTHERN SHRIKES are also present around County Road 13 and Babylon Road in the Prince Edward Point area.

An over zealous PILEATED WOODPECKER in last week's report did more than just set a suet feeder swinging at a residence near Tweed. Owners John and Janet Foster were surprised to find one of their young maples - for lack of a more descriptive term - turned inside out. One cavity measured 27 inches in length with a depth of 24 inches. Another cavity in the same tree was 12 inches in length with a depth of 10 inches. The big mystery to the property owners is why this woodpecker would excavate an obviously healthy tree with little sign of insects present in the core? Another tree at Carrying Place was similarly excavated this week.

A MERLIN turned up at a Trenton area backyard during the week, an immature BALD EAGLE was seen at Cape Vesey, and a NORTHERN GOSHAWK was just an interested "observer" near a feeder in the same backyard where the PILEATED WOODPECKER had worked on the tree near Tweed. Other feeders in the Quinte area had more routine guests, among them 100 COMMON REDPOLLS along County Road 1 northwest of Bloomfield, and another 100 at a feeder at Cape Vesey, and 60 at a feeder on Tripp Road. One feeder at Horse Point in the Massassauga area boasts 12 WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, 10 DARK-EYED JUNCOS and 2 COMMON CROWS. No less impressive is the County Road 1 feeder that has 7 HAIRY WOODPECKERS and 5 DOWNY WOODPECKERS. Also present here, 30 HOUSE SPARROWS - something of a rarity at most feeders these days in the county.

Few reports of waterfowl as many of the prime focal points are still pretty hard. In the open waters of Prince Edward Bay, there are thousands of ducks congregating according to one observer, but the best place to go this weekend is probably Log Cabin Point in East Lake at the headwaters of the Outlet River. Access is via County Road 18, exactly 1.2 km east of the 4-way stop (at the Sandbanks entrance). Three species of swans are present including upwards of 60 MUTE SWANS, and more than a dozen TUNDRA SWANS, and at least four tagged TRUMPETER SWANS, all of the latter initially released at Big Island and Huff's Island in June of 2006. The make-up of species there varies from day to day, but also present this week were CANADA GEESE, GREATER SCAUP, and COMMON GOLDENEYE. And if the presence of AMERICAN ROBINS means anything, there were numerous little gatherings of them across the county involving up to a couple dozen in each case. But winter is still here, evidenced by a flock of 200 SNOW BUNTINGS in a weedy field east of Wellers Bay.

And feeders attract more than just birds. One address near Bloomfield had a FISHER dart by their property, perhaps attracted to the area by the activity, and hoof prints at a Low Street residence on the east side of Picton indicated that several WHITE-TAILED DEER had a midnight snack at the bird feeders there, followed by a water chaser from the heated bird bath!

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Joanne Dewey, David Bree, Albert Boisvert, Bruce Parker, Sergio de Sousa, Gerry Fraiberg, Donna Fano, John Charlton, Donna Spencer, Nina Throop, Paul Taylor, Pamela Stagg, Ted Cullin, Nancy Fox, Rosemary Smith, Doris Lane, Chesia Livingston, Frank Artes & Carolyn Barnes, Myrna Wood, Kathleen Rankine, Cheryl Anderson, John & Janet Foster, Bruce Ripley, Brock Burr, Fred Chandler, Paul Thompson, John Vierira and Doug McRae for their contributions. This report will be updated on Thursday, March 6th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the 6:00 p.m. Thursday deadline. Featured photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report include the amazing PILEATED WOODPECKER excavations at Tweed, and a BARRED OWL in flight near South Bay by John Vieira. Photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website is by Donna Spencer of a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL perched on a snow shovel in the Belleville area.

The big news this week in Prince Edward County was the appearance of a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE near the junction of County Road 24 and Simpson Road. The bird was discovered on February 16th by members of the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists and was still there as of Thursday at noon. Despite its name, the bird is associating with a small group of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, the solitaire attracted by a crop of berries on the red cedars. Also showing up at the same site on Saturday was a dark morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. Another dark morph was seen Monday along County Road 14 near Ebber's Lane, likely the same bird that was present earlier this winter on Big Island. What was probably the Quinte area's only SNOWY OWL to be seen this winter was observed on the west side of Belleville in the Colonial Road area on the 17th.

It has been a good week for birds of prey. A photographer taking a leisurely drive in the South Bay area on the 15th, came across a BARRED OWL on a limb along the roadside which later flew to a sunny location in a tree against the side of a barn where it became this week's featured photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website. Another BARRED OWL was seen along Harmony Road in Thurlow, north of Belleville. Yet another BARRED OWL was spotted at the west end of Ridge Road on the 17th as it hunted in a rural garden. A BALD EAGLE was seen on Huff's Island on the 15th, and an immature was spotted at Prince Edward Point on the 21st, along with 2 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS. At nearby Massassauga, 2 EASTERN SCREECH OWLS - one a grey morph and the other a red morph, have been taking turns at a wood duck nesting box, seemingly keeping guard at the opening. A big surprise for one pair of birders out for the day on the 16th was a TURKEY VULTURE at the corner of County Road 10 and Royal Road in the Milford area. Presumably the same bird was seen again further north between Cherry Valley and Milford on the 21st. Three NORTHERN HARRIERS along South Big Island Road all this week would seem to suggest early migrants.

It is not certain if an AMERICAN WOODCOCK though found under some bushes near the Quinte Skyway Bridge was a tardy migrant, an ornery winter resident, or just an overly optimistic spring migrant, likely the latter. Considerable snow still in the fields and some 20 or 30 cm more in snow squalls Tuesday in parts of the county, has forced HORNED LARKS out to the roadside where they are more easily observed these days. And of the over 125 seen at various point on the 17th by one observer, one flock contained a single LAPLAND LONGSPUR, along Huyck's Point Road.

Other birds seen during the week were more in keeping with the season. A PINE GROSBEAK remained in one tree in Bloomfield, singing for a full 30 minutes, before heading off. Another was encountered by a Big Island resident as he was out snowshoeing. Numerous flocks of SNOW BUNTINGS are still cartwheeling over snow covered meadows across the region, and while most feeders are reporting a drop in COMMON REDPOLLS, one Allisonville resident still has between 80 and 100 coming to her feeders every day, where a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW is also a regular.

A wait for the Glenora Ferry on the Adolphustown side proved profitable for one birder when both a HOARY REDPOLL and an EASTERN TOWHEE were found. At Milford, one birder there saw some activity on a large tree and discovered not only 2 PILEATED WOODPECKERS working away, but a HAIRY WOODPECKER as well. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS continue to appeared at feeders, and there was a new occurrence of one at a feeder at South Bay. This species will soon be as common as both Downies and Hairys in a few years. It is not known if a new shipment of AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS arrived in the Quinte area recently, but numerous operators of feeders this past week noted a marked increase in their numbers with the highest number being 30 at a feeder north of Stirling. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, a species not that common usually at feeders in this area during winter, seem to be everywhere with up to two coming to some feeders. A PILEATED WOODPECKER, seen winging past one home, near Tweed was presumed responsible for a suet feeder swinging madly by itself in one backyard. A truly amazing feeder, located where it is near the edge of a woods, and which might explain why they have no fewer than 22 RED SQUIRRELS. A BROWN CREEPER was present in a Barry Heights, Trenton backyard this week.

Waterfowl observing continues to be poor at Wellington Harbour where everything remains iced in. From the Glendon Green boat launch at Log Cabin Point the available water there in East Lake hosted 50 MUTE SWANS on Saturday. Four wing tagged TRUMPETER SWANS were among them this morning - numbers #954, #052 and #952, and one other whose numbers were indiscernible. In the open waters of Prince Edward Bay and Lake Ontario at Prince Edward Point, prospects for waterfowl are somewhat better where COMMON GOLDENEYE, GREATER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON MERGANSER, LONG-TAILED DUCK, BLACK SCOTER, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER and REDHEAD were all present on the 16th. Among the sprinkling of ducks in Consecon Creek within that village on the 17th were 2 MUTE SWANS, a pair of HOODED MERGANSERS and a male REDHEAD, as well as a HERRING GULL munching down a dead carp, according to one observer who checked out that area. At Barcovan in the Wellers Bay area, 2 NORTHERN PINTAILS were present on Thursday.

And if you want to believe that spring is around the corner, A Napanee area resident found a flock of 30 AMERICAN ROBINS last Thursday. While warming the cockles of anyone's heart at this time of the year, it probably is as much a harbinger of spring as the PINE WARBLER that spent much of the winter at a feeder in Trenton this year.

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Gloria Durell, Albert Boisvert, Doug McRae, Fiona King, Susan Shipman, Mike Burge & Kathy Felkar, Joanne Dewey, Stephanie Collins, John Hatfield, Owen Weir, Wendy Sharpe, David Bree, Nicole McKinnon, Hugh Sharpe, Bob Culp, John Charlton, Fred Helleiner, John & Janet Foster, Ted Cullin, Debbie Burns, Carolyn Barnes, Borys Holowacz, and Henri Garand for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, February 28th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the 6:00 p.m. Thursday deadline. Featured photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report include a HAIRY WOODPECKER by Sydney Smith of Wellington and a NORTHERN CARDINAL by Laura Pierce of Waupoos. Photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website is of a BARRED OWL at South Bay by Susan Shipman of Wellington.

Vera Lynn and Kate Smith both made a hit of the war time song, "There Will be Bluebirds Over the White Cliffs of Dover, Just You Wait and See." Birders over there are still waiting, as this species never occurred during the war and likely will not anytime soon. However, in Prince Edward County, EASTERN BLUEBIRDS are showing up on the white cliffs of snow around the area. Among the sightings of this species to come in this winter, were another three observed this past week along Kleinsteuber/Parks Road in the East Lake area. Although advised that the three visitors are likely finding wild berries to feed on in as much as they have survived okay to date, the observers still drove into Picton and purchased a bag of freeze dried meal worms. Birders in Prince Edward County are very dedicated to their hobby.

With the added quantity of snow on the ground this month, and the promise of still more to come this week, feeders across the region are reporting a booming business, particularly involving sparrows and finches. Most observers still have 50 or more COMMON REDPOLLS as regulars, and a feeder along County Road 1 has more than 100 at niger feeders there. At that feeder, the observer noted that the redpolls were landing on her head and camera as she watched her feeders from a distance of less than a metre. A Barry Heights host in Trenton has 28 HOUSE FINCHES, a species either in very low numbers or entirely absent at many feeders in the area this winter. Two PILEATED WOODPECKERS and 2 COMMON CROWS are also regulars there. Near Jericho Road in Prince Edward County, a flock of 30 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES are regulars at a feeder there, and a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW is coming to a feeder at Allisonville. Yet another RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER has turned up at a feeder in the county, this one at a residence on Mosquito Lane east of Lake on the Mountain. An overall decline in the HOUSE SPARROW population is reflected in the few to none at many feeders in the county, a trend often viewed as a mixed blessing. However 30 are coming to a feeder near Bloomfield.

Hawks, mainly Accipiters, continue to appear at feeders, and today a RED-TAILED HAWK showed up not more than three metres from a window, snagging a MOURNING DOVE. An hour later, a COOPER'S HAWK looked over what was left of the doves from atop a flag pole. If Accipiters enjoy the taste of EUROPEAN STARLINGS, they should do well at a feeder east of Picton where a flock of 200 have been known to turn up. BALD EAGLES continue to be seen here and there in the county, especially between Glenora and Prinyer's Cove, and are a regular sight along the Prince Edward Bay shoreline near Cape Vesey where as many as five have been observed at once. BARRED OWLS are still in the news. On Harmony Road in Thurlow, north of Belleville, one resident there watched a BARRED OWL with a rabbit that it had caught, later drifting off on a branch beside a house as it digested its meal. NORTHERN SHRIKES are commonly seen this winter in Prince Edward County, and five were seen one day at various points from the South Bay Mariner's Museum to Prince Edward Point, a distance of 17 kilometres.

Prince Edward Point this week also produced a mixed flock of 50 BOHEMIAN and CEDAR WAXWINGS on the 12th, and 9 PINE GROSBEAKS on Babylon Road. A flock of 30 PINE GROSBEAKS was seen earlier in the month on Edgewood Drive in Napanee. Also reminding us that winter is still here were 120 SNOW BUNTINGS seen a week ago along Highway 62 and Victoria Road, 30 on Wesley Acres Road, and another flock in the Prince Edward Point area. Begging to disagree are GREAT HORNED OWLS calling at night as they prepare to nest, and the increasing numbers of HORNED LARKS, one of our earliest "spring" migrants, many seen along roadsides in areas scraped bare by the snowplow. AMERICAN ROBINS are few in number this winter due to a poor food crop for them, but 15 were seen in Allisonville this week.

At East Lake, open water off the Glendon Green Boat Launch across from Log Cabin Point produced three species of swans among them a few wing tagged TRUMPETER SWANS. Unfortunately, only #052 (formerly of Wellington) and #295 could be read clearly. MUTE SWANS were also among them, and the numbers commonly seen at Wellington tend to fluctuate with 20 being present on the 10th, along with a number of MALLARDS.

While today saw Valentine cards and flowers being purchased for loved ones, on the Bay of Quinte ice at the Glenora Ferry crossing, two coyotes were giving passerbys an eyeful as they showed how Valentine's Day is celebrated in the real world. One ferry attendant said motorists on the ferry got more than they bargained for as they leaned over the railing to take in the sights on the regular crossing from Adolphustown to Prince Edward County. "This was definitely an X-rated crossing today" he quipped.

And on that note, that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Beth McPherson, Gloria Durell, Marion Duff, John Vieira, Doris Lane, Silvia Botnick, Fred Chandler, Sergio de Sousa, Bill Leet, Shirley Laundry, Judy Bell, Angela Mantle, Fiona King, Brock Burr, Paul Kenny, John Charlton, Donald McClure, Marilyn Holland-Foster, and Gavin Christie for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, February 21st, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the 6:00 p.m. Thursday deadline. Featured photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report include a NORTHERN CARDINAL by Dave Bell and TRUMPETER SWAN #052 by Paul Kenny. Photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website of a group of ROYAL TERNS on a beach in Florida is by Bill Leet.

All it takes is a little bit of snow - well, actually, quite a bit, if we are referencing yesterday's and last night's snowfall, to increase activity at bird feeders. Absolute mayhem is the best term to describe the activity at one feeding station on Sprague Road, increased somewhat by the fact that a large ground area is kept free of snow. Close to 60 MOURNING DOVES, 30 COMMON REDPOLLS, 20 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS and over 30 BLUE JAYS were all feeding happily together on the ground just after daybreak this morning while some 25 hanging feeders were merrily swinging with activity. At Allisonville, an estimated 100 COMMON REDPOLLS are coming to a feeder there. One feeder along County Road 1 in the Bloomfield area had an estimated 150 finches comprising 90 percent COMMON REDPOLLS and 10 percent AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES. Another feeder on the western outskirts of Picton was grey with some 30 DARK-EYED JUNCOS. Marked increases in AMERICAN GOLDFINCH numbers were also noted at many locations in the area. If you like snow, which I do for a number of reasons, it has been a good winter thus far.

RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES continue to appear at many feeders across the region, a species we normally don't see in such numbers, usually appearing in singles, but doubles showing up at some feeders in Picton and Thurlow. The NORTHERN FLICKER on the east side of Picton is still coming to a feeder there, and a FOX SPARROW has been noted visiting at least two separate feeders on the west side of Belleville in the Avonlough Road area. Sixty COMMON REDPOLLS are regulars on Tripp Road, and among the clientel at one County Road #1 feeder are 5 NORTHERN CARDINALS, 7 HAIRY WOODPECKERS and 4 DOWNIES along with 2 female PURPLE FINCHES. And if any Wellington area residents have lost their RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS, they may very well find them all at a feeder at the west end of Wilson Road where a resident there counted no fewer than five! But wild foods are attracting a few other species as noted by the presence of 60 CEDAR WAXWINGS for the past two weeks seen feeding on red cedar berries near Consecon, a crop that is not particularly abundant elsewhere this year in Prince Edward County. At Barry Heights north of Trenton, a large maple tree that died two years ago and left to decay naturally has proved to be very popular to woodpeckers. Two days ago, there were two DOWNY WOODPECKERS, three HAIRY WOODPECKERS and a PILEATED WOODPECKER, all on the tree at the same time, underscoring the importance of unmanaged woodlots. PILEATED WOODPECKERS were also reported from Ridge Road near Bloomfield, and near Stirling as well as two in the Trenton area.

Paul Taylor, Outdoor Education Coordinator at the H.R. Frink Centre says, by comparison, things have been a bit quiet at the feeders there, and the BARRED OWL that spent two weeks perched atop a platform feeder at Christmas, has left to find food away from the heavy activity at this education centre north of Belleville. BLUE JAYS, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES and DARK-EYED JUNCOES are among the regular guests there. The Frink Centre will be holding its annual Activity Day this Sunday and I have the pleasure of leading a guided hike as we search for the BARRED OWL and any other predators that may come our way. The focus is on Winged Hunters of the Winter. As part of the festivities, there will be a live hawk presentation, and I will be discussing birds of prey using the Frink's collection of mounted specimens.

Another species not in short supply this winter is the NORTHERN SHRIKE. One was spotted during the week at the Harmony Road and Blessington Road area north of Belleville, one was seen near the window of a home at Perch Cove in the Hay Bay area, and also in the Adolphustown area, an EASTERN SCREECH OWL made one resident uneasy as it appeared to be watching part of the Super Bowl pre-game show with the resident as it perched in an oak tree not far from the living room window. A MERLIN turned up during the week just west of Picton's Canadian Tire store, and a BARRED OWL was in a back yard on Old Hungerford Road in the Roslin area, north of Belleville. One motorist travelling through Shannonville was surprised to see a NORTHERN GOSHAWK pass over the windshield of her car, but no more surprised than a Big Island resident when a COOPER'S HAWK pursuing a MOURNING DOVE passed within inches of the binoculars as it followed its prey determinedly across the yard and out of sight. A BALD EAGLE was seen Monday along Highway 33 near Bath, and 60 BALD EAGLES were seen a few days ago at Sheffield Mills in the Annapolis Valley by nature film makers John and Janet Foster who just returned from Nova Scotia last night.

With the arrival of snow, comes an increase in SNOW BUNTINGS. Near Campbellford yesterday, there was a flock of well over 100 individuals, and a large flock was also seen along County Road 2, north of Wellington, one of the more dependable areas to see this species in the county. As if defying the wintry conditions and depth of snow across the region, HORNED LARKS have increased in numbers along roadsides since last week's report. AMERICAN ROBINS, albeit in small numbers, were reported at several locations, and a 3 km snowshoe hike across one farm by a Big Island resident to an open spring beside a butternut tree and flanked on three sides by a hedgerow of red cedars, resulted in the sighting of about 25 AMERICAN ROBINS as they splashed and cavorted in the open water as though having just discovered an oasis. A large flock was also seen this week at Ox Point along the Bay of Quinte east of Belleville. And WILD TURKEYS everywhere including the rafter of 50 north of Belleville off Sidney Street.

Few ducks were reported this week, but what did come in were noteworthy. Two AMERICAN WIGEONS were seen at Barcovan (Wellers Bay) yesterday afternoon, and at Belleville, a NORTHERN PINTAIL has joined a flock of MALLARDS in the west Belleville area.

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Dave Bell, Brenda & Tony Deans, Linda Yorke, Cheryl Anderson, Doris Lane, Brian Durell, Paul Taylor, Chesia Livingston, Nancy Fox, Suzanne Pierson & Tom Higginbottom, Anne Potter, Janet Mooney, Bob & Mary Kay Morris, Judy Kent, Monica Mills, Bill Hogg, Russ Williams, Fred Helleiner, Angela Mantle, Ove & Mary-Anne Ojaste, John Charlton, Donald McClure, Fiona King, Shirley Laundry, John & Janet Foster, Cathie Stewart, and Brock Burr for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, February 14th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the 6:00 p.m. Thursday deadline. Feature photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report this week include a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER by Carol Perlberg and the Belleville NORTHERN PINTAIL by Shirley Laundry. Photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website of a NORTHERN SHRIKE is by Lloyd Hanna of Oshawa.

While sightings of more summery type birds this past week suggests warmer weather in the offing, tomorrow's predicted weather could very well put a damper on their premature enthusiasm. A FOX SPARROW turned up at a feeder during the week in the west end of Belleville, and at Cape Vesey in Prince Edward County, a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW has been heard singing at least twice this past week. A YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER is still making periodic visits to a feeder in Wooler, appropriately enough, at The Birdhouse store operated by Connie Crowe. NORTHERN FLICKERS (2) were seen January 26th along County Road 13 in the South Bay area and another has been visiting a feeder at the east end of Picton. HORNED LARKS (12) were seen along Wesley Acres Road on the 22nd, probably the only real true harbinger of spring since they are expected to arrive anyway in about two weeks as one of our earlier spring migrants.

Meanwhile, it's business as usual at bird feeders and beyond. COMMON REDPOLLS are still holding their own at local feeders with 50 being the norm, while at Stirling a flock of 200 continues to pillage the countryside as it has since early in the season. Six BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS stopped briefly at 23 Sprague Road, seemingly interested in the action below at the feeders, but continuing on their way. Another 25 showed on Saturday, near the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory. BLUE JAYS have been reported in high numbers at some feeders with 23 at a feeding station on Green Point Road beside the Quinte Skyway Bridge, and more than 30 most days at a Big Island feeder. One feeder at Allisonville is enjoying good numbers from several species including up to 20 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, 4 NORTHERN CARDINALS, at least 4 DOWNY WOODPECKERS, 30 or more DARK-EYED JUNCOS, 50 COMMON REDPOLLS and a half dozen HOUSE FINCHES, the latter species absent at many locations this winter. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, a species more common than usual at local bird feeders this winter, have been reported at a Low Street feeder in Picton, Consecon Lake area, Harmony Road at Thurlow, and one is coming to a feeder on Ventress Road in Salem, west of Brighton. Also at Salem, a BARRED OWL flew across the bottom of Little Lake Road.

With feeder success, also comes the success of hawks lurking not far away. One Ridge Road resident near Bloomfield had a bitter sweet experience when all three members of the Accipiter family dropped in for a visit - SHARP-SHINNED, COOPER'S and a NORTHERN GOSHAWK, as well as RED-TAILED HAWK that perched in a cherry tree for two hours while BLUE JAYS gathered on branches above it. What was probably a NORTHERN GOSHAWK also showed up not far away, on May Road. A RED-TAILED HAWK was also seen along County Road 2 during the week. NORTHERN HARRIERS, a species rather rare in the region during winter months in former years, seem to be turning up more frequently with each passing winter. In addition to an individual which is more or less a regular in the Big Island area, one was seen on Wesley Acres Road in the Bloomfield area on the 22nd, and another west of Brighton. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen on the 26th just past the Ducks Dive Charters and Cottages on Long Point Road, and a BALD EAGLE was seen today flying along the shore of Prince Edward Bay.

High winds (clocked at 120 km/h. at Point Petre) yesterday were a bit too much for an 18-wheeler that flipped on its side on the Norris Whitney Bridge, at Belleville, closing the bridge for two hours. However, 50 WILD TURKEYS at their usual stomping grounds at the Sidney Street location north of the 401 at Belleville, braved the high winds, although keeping close to the shelter of the woods. One BLUE JAY in difficulty at a Sprague Road feeder was observed attempting to fly off, only to be caught up in the wind and was instantly spread-eagled against the house. After falling ignominiously to the ground, the bird recovered and disappeared into the howling gales.

While gale force winds may have loosened up some of the ice, colder weather kept much of it intact over the past week. Wellington Harbour fluctuates according to the whims of winter. Last week, the harbour was completely frozen over except for the cove in behind the restaurant beside the government wharf. Consequently, numbers were but a fraction of what they would otherwise be, but in amongst the singles of COMMON GOLDENEYE, CANADA GOOSE, MALLARD and 45 or so MUTE SWANS were the two TRUMPETER SWANS - Numbers 044 and 052 that have apparently settled in for the winter. In spite of total ice cover on Adolphus Reach at Adolphustown, 2 MUTE SWANS nevertheless landed on the ice near Bayshore Road there this week.

And as if to remind us that winter is still here, several reports of SNOW BUNTINGS came in with two of the larger flocks involving 25 individuals along Gardenville Road south of Carrying Place and 30 along County Road 2, north of Wellington.

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Donald McClure, Brian & Gloria Durell, Connie Crowe, Fred Chandler, Kathy Felkar, Brenda Deans, Doug & Evelyn Sloane, Cathie Stewart, Cheryl Anderson, Sophia Huyer, Ted Cullin, David Bree, Fiona King, Bill Hogg and Donn Legate for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated on Thursday, February 7th, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the 6:00 p.m. Thursday deadline. Featured photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report include the Belleville FOX SPARROW courtesy of Brenda & Tony Deans, and a head and shoulders shot of a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH by Dave Bell of Belleville. Photo on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website of the flock of 200 COMMON REDPOLLS in Stirling is by Cathie Stewart.

There is a glimmer of hope that one day TRUMPETER SWANS may nest in Prince Edward County. Number 044, a male, who arrived at Wellington on December 8th of last year, was joined today by a female, Number 052. While 044 has travelled from Big Island where it was initially released, to Connecticut and back, there is no current information on 052, released in June of 2006 at Huff's Island, and where it has spent its time. While no visits were made to Wellington Harbour this week to check out the waterfowl, one resident there says the number of CANADA GEESE fluctuates from a few dozen to in excess of 1,000. On Consecon Lake, temperatures dictate where open water will prevail, beyond what is normally open near the Norris Whitney Dam at Highway 33. This past week, there was some open water just east of the Millennium Trail causeway where 25 MUTE SWANS had taken advantage of the open conditions. In Prince Edward Bay, along Cressy Lakeside Road, open conditions there this week revealed a few hundred MALLARDS, and CANADA GEESE.

Tweed area residents, John and Janet Foster peeked out their window early one morning this week and noted the pale blur of an owl perched on a limb in a hedgerow near their home. Turning on the outside lights, the silhouette revealed itself as a BARRED OWL, which stayed for about 20 minutes. Wildlife sleuths along Fry Road determined that the perfect imprints of wings on either side of where a meadow vole once ventured, probably belonged to an EASTERN SCREECH OWL. SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS appeared at feeders in the Barry Heights area of Trenton and at a feeder along Ridge Road where a NORTHERN SHRIKE also made an appearance this week. A BALD EAGLE was seen at Campbellford on the 22nd, and another near Cape Vesey today. At South Bay, one resident there was surprised last week to see five BALD EAGLES (2 adults and 3 juveniles) lumbering along the edge of the ice only 12 metres or so from their window. A NORTHERN HARRIER continues to patrol the open meadows at the west end of Big Island where it has been present all winter.

With the arrival of fresh snow during the week, bird feeders took off once again with renewed enthusiasm, although many feeder operators are reporting a drop in numbers that never recovered. COMMON REDPOLL numbers across the region remain stable, with 30 to 60 at a feeder at Sprague Road, and even higher numbers at a few other feeders, while others have reported a drop. A HOARY REDPOLL was identified at a feeder on Big Island, west of Caughey Road, and 20 SNOW BUNTINGS were present there today. PINE GROSBEAKS continue to appear in small numbers. One was present at a feeder last weekend near Shannonville, and three were at a feeder this week in Trenton, where other guests there during the week included a female PILEATED WOODPECKER, 2 AMERICAN CROWS, and a respectable flock of 21 DARK-EYED JUNCOS, and 23 HOUSE FINCHES, the latter representing one of the higher numbers of this species reported to date this winter, quite unlike the 1980s when flocks of 80 or more at all feeders was average. A SONG SPARROW is a now and again guest at a Big Island feeder, and a NORTHERN FLICKER continues to visit a feeder in east Picton where it has been present all winter. Three BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS were at a South Bay feeder again this week, where 10 were present nine days ago. A few feeders in the area still have RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES as regulars.

In the interesting and unusual department this week, the silhouette of a MOURNING DOVE was spotted this morning in the pre-dawn, comfortably perched on a rock in a heated bird bath on Low Street in Picton, presumably enjoying the warmer temperatures. From 150 to 200 AMERICAN CROWS were seen in flight over the Millennium Trail near Lake Street on Tuesday. And while certainly not unusual, six WILD TURKEYS were seen on Wednesday on County Road 7 near Rock Crossroad, and 12 AMERICAN ROBINS were seen on Bethesda Road today.

With the Quinte Area Bird Report now being e-mailed to over 2,000 subscribers (both OntBirds and privately) and present on two websites weekly, it is not the policy of this report to reveal homeowners' addresses.To protect the privacy of those reporting birds at their feeders, directions to specific addresses will be provided only upon request. Those wishing to view feeders mentioned in this report will need to contact the owners themselves once this information has been sent. E-mail requests are answered the same day, and often within moments of arrival.

And that's it for this week from Prince Edward county and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Russ Williams,Janet Foster, Henri Garand, Fred Chandler, Jane Hill, Jack Roscoe, Myrna Wood, John & Margaret Moore, Tom Higginbottom, Wayne McNulty, Bill Leet, Cheryl Anderson, Donn Legate, Joanne Dewey, Janet Mooney and John Charlton for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated On Thursday, January 31st, but sightings can be e-mailed any time before the 6:00 p.m. Thursday deadline. Featured photos in the online edition of the Quinte Area Bird Report include a male MALLARD at Wellington Harbour by Donald McClure of Bloomfield, and the NORTHERN FLICKER by Russ Williams that has been visiting a feeder in Picton since early winter. The HERRING GULL portrait by Belleville photographer Dave Bell is featured this week on the Main Birding Page of the NatureStuff website.

Although a few evenings have been bitterly cold, consistently mild days this past week have resulted in a drop of action at both feeders and in the field. The open condition of several lakes and bays has driven waterfowl beyond viewing range of even those with spotting scopes. Wellington, for example, paled in comparison to one week earlier with a mere 100 MALLARDS on Sunday, and only 10 MUTE SWANS (compared to 92 a week earlier), and one lone brown-hooded kayaker. A probable male KING EIDER was identified in Lake Ontario, out from the west jetty of the channel, but viewing conditions were less than conducive for a 100% identification. One AMERICAN COOT was still present at the harbour on Sunday, but three were present a day earlier. It's always the luck of the draw whenever one visits this popular viewing area as water birds come and go. Open water has appeared in East Lake at the headwaters of the Outlet River, but the only thing present there on Sunday was the MUTE SWAN, 23 in total. A gaggle of 300 CANADA GEESE, which quickly became a skein upon taking flight, was noted near the junction of County Roads 18 and 10, at Sandbanks. The HORNED GREBE, seen a week ago at Prince Edward Point, was still present on Saturday, just off the south shore. And the GLAUCOUS GULL, spotted in the Bay of Quinte off the Norris Whitney Bridge at Belleville on December 28th, was still around on Saturday, and may be viewed from the Meyer's Pier at the foot of South Front Street.

For bird feeders, it depends on where you are. While the action at some feeders is so slow that even the neighbourhood cat has stopped watching what few birds turn up daily, others feeders have seen little, or no change. The feeder along Glenora Road, east of Picton continues to have between 80 and 100 COMMON REDPOLLS, and 25 PINE SISKINS were noted there by a passer-by on the 12th. At most feeders, populations of COMMON REDPOLLS are holding up well with 60 at a Big Island feeder, 50 at a feeder on Tripp Road and 30 at a feeder along Highway 62 near Jericho Road. And if you think you have only 5 or 6 chickadees at your feeder, it might be wise to count again. A bird bander in the Elmbrook area of Prince Edward County set up her nets on Sunday and by the end of day, had banded no fewer than 35 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES! Also receiving bands that day were 2 PURPLE FINCHES and 59 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES. Meanwhile, at the end of her driveway the same day while all this was going on were 300 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, 7 PINE GROSBEAKS and one CEDAR WAXWING. At the west end of Trenton there is a CHIPPING SPARROW visiting a feeder there, and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES were reported at a feeder in the Consecon Lake area. A flock of 10 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS stopped briefly at a South Bay feeder, then carried on. Other feeders have been slow during the week, but hawks drop in anyway at some to check things over. One feeder east of Lake on the Mountain was visited last weekend by a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, A COOPER'S HAWK and a RED-TAILED HAWK. Even a circling BALD EAGLE took some interest in the hawk activity below. An AMERICAN KESTREL was seen on the front lawn of one residence in Wellington today.

Proving that birds of prey often show an interest in carrion, a RED-TAILED HAWK was observed investigating a road killed raccoon on County Road 13 near the rock cut at South Bay today. In Belleville, another RED-TAILED HAWK was seen perched atop a lamp post along the Parrott Riverside Trail in midtown Belleville at Bridge Street. In a rather interesting observation near Lake on the Mountain, interpreted through tracks and other marks in the snow, it appears that one hawk took on a bit more than it could handle when it grabbed a rabbit in one backyard. There were wing marks on either side of the rabbit tracks, indicating that the rabbit had even managed to drag the hawk for a few feet. After an intense struggle, judging by the wing marks and marks from the rabbit's body, the rabbit succumbed to its injuries. The hawk then attempted to airlift the rabbit, lifting it off the ground, but the rabbit weighed the hawk down so much that the best the hawk could do was to drag the rabbit about five feet before abandoning the lifeless carcass.

In other bird news, a PILEATED WOODPECKER was seen in one backyard in the Barry Heights area of Trenton, reportedly the only activity of interest since the snow all but disappeared. EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were seen at Morrison's Point Road, Bond R