A Birding Site Guide to Prince Edward County

20 Wormington, A. 1986. Ontario Bird Wormington, A., J.R Nisbet and R.G. Records Committee report for Finlayson. 1986. Some aspects of 1985. Ontario Birds 4:3-18. bird migration at Caribou Island Wormington, A. and RD. James. (Lake Superior), Ontario. 1984. Ontario Bird Records Ontario Birds 4:85-97. Committee, Checklist of the Birds of Ontario. Ontario Birds 2:13-23. A Birding Site Guide 1 "l to Prince Edward County ~ . by Terry Sprague Location and Access the Norris Whitney Bridge into the Prince Edward County lies'just off county, or take the Marysville the north shore ofeastern lake exit and follow Highway 49 near Ontario between Brighton, the east end of the county. Northumberland County and Access is also possible from Napanee, Lennox and Addington Highway 33 at Adolphustown via County. Prior to the construction the Glenora Ferry if travelling of the Murray Canal in 1889, from Kingston. which severed the northwest comer of the county to connect the Habitat and Ornithological Bay of Quinte to Presqu'ile Bay, Significance Prince Edward County was a Much of Prince Edward County is peninsula. It has a total area of composed of shallow soils which 100,000 hectares or 1,000 square result in an extensive hectareage of kilometres. The population of untilled pasture fields, ranging Prince Edward County is about from barren flats to those either 22,000. The largest centre is the sparsely or densely populated with Town of Picton, with a population red cedar. These conditions of4,800. In the Town ofWellington provide excellent habitat for and Village of Bloomfield, there nesting populations of Upland are 1,000 and 750 inhabitants, Sandpipers, Grasshopper Sparrows, respectively. Savannah Sparrows, and Field There are fOUf main access Sparrows, as well as Clay-colored points to the county, three of . Sparrows in specific areas. which are from Highway 401. To Elsewhere there is a mixed the west, follow Highway 33 via the variety of habitat. from cultivated Wooler Road exit to Carrying fields, hardwood forests and Place. At Belleville, take Highway extensive marshlands to scrub 62 (formerly Highway 14) across cover consisting of field invasions Terry Sprague, R.R. #1, Demorestville, Ontario KOK lWO ONTARIO BIRDS APRIL 1987 21 by hawthorn, apple, sumac, prickly establishments. Sandbanks Pro ash, dogwood, alder and low vincial Park offers the only growing varieties ofwillow. provincial park camping facilities Because ofits location in Lake in the county. Ontario, Prince Edward County is a natural "catch basin" for Consecon migratory birds during both spring Commencing at the northwest and fall migrations. Much comer, proceed south on Highway ornithological work has been done 33 to the Village ofConsecon. Take in the area, from small private County Road 29 for 6 km around studies on individual species or the Stinson. Block. The south and r families to more concerted efforts west roads are particularly t such as the 1930 faunal survey productive during the winter conducted by staff members of the months, as they not only follow the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto Lake Ontario shoreline where (Snyder 1941). In more recent years, winter ducks may be found, but two publications, Sprague (1969) pass through a dense hardwood and the revised edition of the same forest with an intermixing of name (Sprague and Weir 1984) mature white cedar. Good birding have been made available to can be had right from the roadside, enlighten birders of the status of but by exploring the interior, each of the 318 species that has wintering populations ofYellow occurred in the county. romped Warblers, American Robins and White-throated Where to Bird Sparrows can often be found in the The description of some of the tangles. Great Horned Owls, choice birding spots in the area is numerous woodpeckers, including presented in the fonn of a tour, Pileated, and other typical winter commencing on Highway 33 in the birds also frequent this woodlot. northwest portion of the county An open silage pit nestled amongst and exiting the county via white cedars often harbour Dark Highway 62 at Belleville (Figure 1). eyed Juncos, American Tree !" The tour is given in a hypothetical Sparrows and Mourning Doves. sense only, as it would require Before crossing the fence, several days ofbirding to cover all however, one must seek permission of the areas described. One must from the owner, McRae Danford, also be conscious of the fact that whose farm house, barns and silos beyond the major centres of are conspicuously located on a Wellington, Picton and sideroad just south of the woods. Bloomfield, service stations may be The road past the Danford home few and far between. Motel eventually ends at the Lake accommodations are available in Ontario shoreline and the extreme several locations including Lake north end ofNorth Beach on-the-Mountain, West Lake, Provincial Park. This road is not Bloomfield, Wellington and ploughed in the winter, but if it is a Picton. In addition, there are mild winter, both dabbler and numerous private campgrounds diving ducks can often be found in and "Bed and Breakfast" adjacent North Bay. Scoters, VOLUME 5 NUMBER 1 22 Oldsquaws, Common Goldeneyes, , the open water will be covered with Common Loons and Double migrant ducks. All three merganser creasted Cormorants can be found species can be depended on, as on the lake, depending on the well as Canada Geese, both diving season. The latter species nests on and dabbling ducks, and Tundra Scotch Bonnet Island, which Swans. appears only as a small lighthouse This is also the extreme on the distant horizon. northwest end of Sandbanks Provincial Park, the largest fresh Wellington water sand dune bar system in the Returning to Consecon, continue world. The sand pit is 8 kIn in south on Highway 33 to the Town length and a walk down the beach ofWellington, tum right at the will yield shorebirds in season, L.c.B.O. building and stop at the especially Ruddy Tumstones. Bank wharf. Here, West Lake empties Swallows nest in the adjacent sand into Lake Ontario and during early dunes. winter much of the water near the Because of its length, it would be wharf remains open. This provides wise to arrange for a vehicle to be good viewing for ducks. It is even waiting in the parking lot at the far more spectacular in spring when end. Although there is an inlet r.........,.. ". "...., 0'- P",~"",(:e . .... "C EJ.w~~d e()~l~ , .... Owcal&. Figure I: Map of Prince Edward County. The described route is indicated with a bold line. Map courtesy ofCounty Magazine. ONTARIO BIRDS APRIL IIJX7 23 separating the sand spit from the Road 12 to the first sharp comer mainland at Wellington, the just beyond the last private channel is narrow and can easily campground on the right, and tum be crossed by either swimming or into the small parking lot. Follow using a canoe. the gravel path (actually an old Proceed east out ofWellington access road) at the base of the on Highway 33 to the Village of dune for a short walking distance Bloomfield. Just a hundred metres until it leads to an open area. This or so past the Bloomfield sign there section ofthe dunes was mined is a well marked sideroad to the more than a decade ago by the south leading to Wesley Acres Lake Ontario Cement Company Church Camp. This dead end road near Picton. The removal of sand passes through an area of marsh in left behind a flooded panne which West Lake where bitterns, rails, attracts numerous shorebird American Coots, Common Moor species during spring and fall hens and Great Blue Herons can migrations. Dowitchers, yellowlegs often be seen from the road. and Spotted Sandpipers are Dabbling ducks are common during common. When water levels are migration and the usual smaller sufficiently high Mallards and marsh birds can also be found. Blue-winged Teal may be seen. Returning to Bloomfield, turn Scan the distant dunes, as Bank right at the Becker's Store and Swallows nest in the area. follow Highway 62-33 a short Follow County Road 12 through distance and tum right again at the the wooded area of the park to the sign pointing toward Sandbanks four-way stop. Thrn right and enter Provincial Park. Follow County the Main Gate of the West Lake Road 12 for 8 km and tum right at Sector. The abundance ofpines the Isaiah Tubbs Resort (one of makes this an excellent area in several overnight accommodations which to find chickadees and in the county). This road leads to kinglets. In fact, it was here that Sheba's Island (Tubbs Island on Prince Edward County's first some maps). The causeway leading nesting record ofa Ruby-crowned to the island passes over a Kinglet was obtained in 1976. The marshland similar to the sideroad parking lot is situated. adjacent to at Bloomfield and where the same an extensive panne area where species ofbirds may be found. ducks, shorebirds and other water birds may be observed in season. Sandbanks Provincial Park As the water recedes in late spring, .Returning to County Road 12, the moist area supports a nesting follow it to the West Lake Sector of population of Mallards, Blue Sandbanks Provincial Park. Do winged Teal, Common Snipe, . not turn on County Road 18 at the Savannah and Field Sparrows. second Sandbanks sign,as this Leaving the West Lake Sector, directs summer traffic to the tum right again at the four-way Administration Office and main stop and follow the dead end road campgrounds at Sandbank's East to West Point, a distance of 1.5 km.

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