Luckily the rain cleared just prior to dawn leaving a calm cloudy morning as the front moved off northeast. As the nets were opened it was obvious that new birds were around with many Juncos and Kinglets. The radar websites suggests that thousands of birds were on the move last night behind the weather system. The nets seemed busy all morning with 40 Juncos, 33 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 19
Brown Creepers as well as 2 Swamp Sparrows, retrap Northern Cardinal and a pair of Cedar Waxwings. A spring record was smashed as 13 Pine Siskins were banded bringing the total to 27 beating the previous of 16. A grand total of 158 birds were banded of 22 species.
Since the weather was now glorious with sunny spells we made a return trip to Amherst Island just to see how much difference a week makes. After 1.5 hours we made it to the island with a plan to count every Rough-legged Hawk and to find as many Snowies as possible (5 reported to days earlier). For a change we went clockwise around the island first passing the hotspot that held 7 owls last week but nothing was to be seen. Not to worry as just a little further on a white blob was sitting in full view on a fence post across the first field. Carrying on we kept an eye out for all birds seen previously with no luck as we arrived at the southwest corner with no more sightings. As for Rough-legged Hawks numbers seemed less from last week but we kept a tally. Half way up the west side and a scan produced a very distant Snowy owl at least seven fields away. Deciding we needed to get closer we dropped of the slight rise as a harrier drifted in front and from behind a tree on the right appeared another owl peached on a roadside fence post. Edging closer the bird seemed oblivious to our presence or more likely just didn’t care! We pulled up level with the immature male and he did not even move his head. Allowing close views of 10m or less he continued to watch/listen to something before flying a few post further away.
Happy with our views we continued in which time the other bird was now perched up with 3 Short-eared Owls swooping over her head. Further up the road heading to the centre of the island a bird was spotted feeding on some prey, followed by another just south of the ferry port. Heading west along the north coast road we came to an area that held birds last time and there straight away was a cracking adult male sat on top of a tree, half a kilometre further and a distant owl jumped up to a tree as well. It was now time to head back to the ferry so we spun the car around to find one on the 2nd telegraph pole in front, laughing that we had missed one less than 10 more poles down the road sat yet another bird! Yet again Amherst Island produced a great days birding as 9 Snowy Owls were seen (just how long will they stay?), what seemed to be less Rough-legged Hawks actually reached 134 (how much did we under estimate by last time?), 5 Short-eared Owls and 2 Ravens.
20th April
An overcast morning with a brisk easterly wind resulted in the nets being very quiet and due to the imminent rain forecasted we closed early. Highlight of the morning was an easterly movement of birds offshore including the first Black Scoters (62), White-winged Scoter (c.200) and Bonaparte’s Gull (c.400). The afternoon was a wash out.
19th April
Not surprisingly the rain had cleared to leave a sunny day but a cool wind brought the temperature plummeting to just 2oC. Banding seemed slow but steady with a couple late American Tree Sparrows being caught as were 9 Pine Siskin. A second Ruby-crowned Kinglet was trapped with a Myrtle Warbler being seen. An afternoon walk was quiet but as the temp increased the first clouds of midges (non biting) were seen with Golden-crowned Kinglets stuffing themselves as were everything else.
18th April
Awoke to see clouds for the first time today as the morning started with a female Merlin just after the nets were opened. Many birds were still around with our catch total falling just short of 100, the best by far being a stonking male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. The afternoon was spent walking around the area of the lighthouse checking the lake along with wooded areas. The lake seems to be bustling with Long-tailed Ducks and Buffleheads all the time. In addition there was a pair of Lesser Scaup along with an eastly movement of 50 White-winged Scoters, 45+ Double-crested Cormorants and a Common Tern. Heading back into the swampy woods there were 4 Rusty Blackbirds along side the deafening frogs. At the obs a Savannah Sparrow dropped in to feed on the corn. Shortly after dark the heavens opened, briefly anyway!
Trip Total – 100 (10 lifers)
17th April
Birds birds everywhere. A very calm morning meant the nets were filling up nicely with lots of Golden-crowned Kinglets (54 to be exact). A White-throated Sparrow was new in but only seen briefly in the garden. Out of the 129 birds banded two were year ticks in the form of a male Myrtle (Yellow-rumped) Warbler and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.
During the afternoon we headed across the county for some shopping and general jobs picking up several Purple Martins on route as temperatures soared to 19oC (great contrast from the start of the week). Back at the point and 3 Northern Rough-winged Swallows were feeding around the harbour. As the sun set the two American Woodcocks started their nightly routines. The birds start calling (short, explosive nasal call) from an open bit of rough ground surrounded by scattered cedar trees. Then after a while he takes to the air climbing to great heights swirling around making a strange twittering noise before plummeting back to his faithful spot on the ground.
16th April
I was trusted to carry out the morning census today counting any birds I could find on the set route. Well I reached a respectable total of 31 species with Hairy Woodpecker and Winter Wren being new whilst a Ruffed Grouse drummed in the background. A much quieter morning followed with less than 50 birds banded and no banding ticks! An evening walk saw the first Cliff Swallows circling the old lighthouse. Mammal highlights were a Raccoon that slept for the whole day in a large tree across the road. But the most thrilling sight was at dusk when 4 Beavers were seen in the harbour fresh out of hibernation.
15th April
The weather remained similar with just a slight decrease in the wind and straight away 2 American Tree Sparrows found themselves into my hands. Shortly followed by a Chipping Sparrow and then just prior to 9 o’clock Slate-coloured Juncos appeared on mass with 47 being banded, bringing the mornings total to 113 birds. The only other bird seen of note for the day was a White-breasted Nuthatch.
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