The Blue Bill Quarterly Journal of the Kingston Field Naturalists ISSN 0382-5655 Volume 59, No. 4 December 2012 Contents President’s Page Gaye Beckwith ...................239 Kingston Area Birds Autumn Season 1Aug-30Nov 2012 Mark Andrew Conboy .......240 Kingston Butterfly Summary 2012 John Poland .......................244 Coffee & Conservation Shirley E. French ...............249 Fall Round-up 2012 Nov03-04 Ron D. Weir ......................251 Frontenac’s Gibson Lake Loop: A Must to Hike Terry Sprague ....................255 Odonate Sightings & Yearly List 2012 Kurt Hennige ....................257 KFN Outings Sep-Nov 2012 Jaansalu, Grooms ..................... Robertson, Benderavage ....260 Salamanders of the Kingston Region Matt Ellerbeck ...................265 Local Conservation Concerns Shirley E. French ...............266 Orthoptera in the Kingston Area Paul Mackenzie .................268 Checklist of Orthoptera for the Kingston Area Paul Mackenzie .................278 2012/2013 Officers The Blue Bill is the quarterly journal (published President: Gaye Beckwith March, June, September and December) of the Kingston Field Naturalists, P.O. Box 831, Kingston, 613-376-3716 ON (Canada), K7L 4X6. [email protected] Website: http://www.kingstonfieldnaturalists.org Honorary President vacant Send submissions to the Editor by the 15th of the month prior to the month of publication (i.e. by the 15th of February/May/August/November) to the address above, or to the editor via e-mail to: [email protected] Please include contact phone number. Vice-President: Mark Conboy Submissions should be in MS Word format or in “plain text” format (PC or MacIntosh) or unformatted in the body of an e-mail. [email protected] Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement Past President: Janis Grant #047128 613-548-3668 [email protected] Treasurer: Larry McCurdy 613-389-6427 [email protected] Recording John Cartwright Secretary: 613-766-2896 [email protected] Membership John Critchley Secretary: 613-634-5475 [email protected] Nature Reserves Erwin Batalla 613-542-2048 [email protected] Conservation Chris Hargreaves 613-389-8993 [email protected] Blue Bill Editor Alex Simmons 613-542-2048 [email protected] Junior Naturalists Anne Robertson 613-389-6742 [email protected] Education Shirley French 613-548-8617 [email protected] Field Trips Kurt Hennige 613-386-1772 [email protected] Bird Sightings Mark Conboy [email protected] Bird Records Ron Weir 613-549-5274 [email protected] Speakers Gaye Beckwith 613-376-3716 [email protected] Newsletter Connie Gardiner 613-545-2354 [email protected] Publicity/Website Chris Grooms 613-386-7969 [email protected] Slideshow Gaye Beckwith 613-376-3716 [email protected] Ontario Nature Janis Grant 613-548-3668 [email protected] Member-at-large Darren Rayner 613-766-2210 [email protected]. Member-at-large Ken Robinson [email protected] Member-at-large Rose-marie Burke 613-549-7583 [email protected] Archives Peter McIntyre 613-548-4738 [email protected] The Blue Bill Volume 59, No. 4 Page 239 President’s Page Gaye Beckwith In September the KFN executive offered working for environmental members an opportunity to give causes suggestions pertaining to the operation birding trips and information on of the club. A survey with 9 questions rare or good birds in the area was distributed in the newsletter and an electronic version was made available on the KFN website. Eighteen responses have been received: 12 via the website and 6 on paper. Below is a summary of the key points of the respondents. Members were asked to indicate the number of years they have been with the KFN and their age category. We had a wide distribution in both of these questions from new members to over 40 years and from young to old. the diversity of interests of members Interests was the next category surveyed. appeal to youth To no one’s surprise, an interest in Birds the depth of knowledge within was listed by 82% of the respondents. the club Our club, during its six-plus decades of reading about the club's existence, has had a strong enthusiasm activities for birding and been a provincial leader a good healthy membership for the protection of bird species. A knowledgeable group of people significant percentage of members chose willing to teach and share Conservation, and Butterflies/Insects as information high on their interest list. Field Trips, strong support for local land Rambles and Hiking remain an important conservation initiatives (e.g. aspect of the club, with Astronomy, acquisition & monitoring) Botany, Geology, and Aquatic Life also no pressure to participate selected. Some indicated that our Educational Workshops are important. We also received a variety of suggestions which will be considered by Respondents were positive towards the executive and implemented where what the KFN is presently offering: applicable: high quality of speakers, some more social interaction at the with challenging content meetings to ensure everyone camaraderie with people from feels welcome many walks of life Page 240 December 2012 project voices in meetings to examples of club activities which need ensure everyone hears questions volunteers to make them successful. and answers occasional trips further afield Hopefully the responses are attract more young members via representative of members’ feelings. The social media (Facebook, Twitter, executive appreciates the positive Blog etc.) feedback, a salute to the many people a succession plan for our junior who have built this club during the past and teen program six decades. It’s up to the current and help new members “break into” future executives to continue with the the group ‘good things’ and to improve in the more events geared to working areas that we can. At our last general people, (evenings, summer) meeting, we stressed welcoming people more information re natural and will strive to ensure that we are history and about invertebrates inclusive with all members. and other lesser-known species a permanent location to house Perhaps the greatest impact the club will club records, and materials see in the future is the continued use of fund-raising using the website. technology to support us. Bird records are now being added to eBird on the Results indicated a willingness from internet, allowing the world to see members to contribute their expertise to what’s being seen in the Kingston the club by leading outdoor sessions, Region. At a recent executive meeting, presenting at a monthly meeting or several members used smart phones writing an article for the Blue Bill. and tablets to look up information to Others are willing to sit on the answer or clarify queries. executive, help with research and conservation committees and to help Thank you to those members who filled when needed. The Short-Eared Owl out the survey. You have given your Survey, the Bioblitz, membership executive much ‘food for thought’, activities, Youth program, refreshments which will help keep the KFN a vibrant at meetings, clean-ups, bird roundups and significant organization. and Christmas Bird Counts are Kingston Region Birds Autumn Season 1Aug to 30Nov 2012 Mark Andrew Conboy The most exciting birding this autumn species, but nothing like was seen came in late October and early elsewhere on Lake Ontario and Lake November as Hurricane Sandy sent a Erie. Winter finches began to move into host of interesting birds to the Great our region from the north and Cave Lakes region. Observers in our region Swallows appeared from the south. were lucky enough to locate a few good The Blue Bill Volume 59, No. 4 Page 241 Here are the highlights from the autumn Biological Stn. (Conboy) 7-9Sep; 4 at season. Chaffey’s Lock Rd. (Conboy) 12Nov. Snow Goose: Highest count and first Upland Sandpiper: 2 at Amherst Isl. migrants were 5 at Bath (O’Toole) 6Oct. (North Leeds Birders) 3Aug. The latest migrant was 1 at Bath (Hennige) 6Nov. The only other sighting Ruddy Turnstone: 2 at Amherst Isl. was 1 at Wolfe Isl. (Hennige) 2Nov. (North Leeds Birders) 3Aug; 4 at Salmon Isl. (Mackenzie) 8Aug. Brant: The only observations were of 450 off Patterson Park in Kingston White-rumped Sandpiper: A fairly late (Martin) 30Oct and 6 off the El Dorado migrant was 1 at Amherst Isl. (O’Toole) Beach Preserve (Shrimpton) 2Nov. 24Nov. Trumpeter Swan: Widespread sightings Baird’s Sandpiper: A handful of records from north of the city and the islands from Amherst Isl. and the Amherstview beginning 17Oct (Conboy), except for Sewage Lagoons (KFN) 30Aug-13Sep. one injured bird which over-summered on Lake Opinicon (Conboy). The highest Purple Sandpiper: 3 at Wolfe Isl. count was 13 at Charleston Lake (Martin) 1Nov. Provincial Park (Robinson) 14Nov. Red-necked Phalarope: 1 at Tundra Swan: Highest count was 120 at Amherstview Sewage Lagoons Prince Edward Pt. (Keen) 16Nov. The (Mackenzie) 28Aug. first migrants were 10 at Amherst Isl. (Grooms & Hennige) 3Nov. Red Phalarope: 1 at Bath (Hennige) 13Oct. American Black Duck/Mallard Hybrid: 1 at Patterson Park (Martin) 30Oct. Black-legged Kittiwake: 1 at Wolfe Isl. (Martin); 1 at Bath (Hennige) 6Nov Canvasback: 3 at Wolfe Isl. (Hennige) 27Oct. Little Gull: 1 at Prince Edward Pt. (Hennige) 16Nov; 1 near Waupoos Red-throated Loon: 1 at Prince Edward (Hoar) 18Nov. Pt. (Vandermeulen) 19Nov. Iceland Gull: 1 at Bath (Hennige) 6Nov. Golden Eagle: 1 at Henderson Bay (Shrimpton) 2Nov; 1 at Amherst Isl. Lesser Black-backed Gull: 1 at Amherst (Hennige) 19Nov. Isl. (Conboy) 28Aug. Sandhill Crane: 2 near Elgin (Burns) Glaucous Gull: 1 at Amherst Isl. 10Aug; 1 at Queen’s University (Grooms & Hennige) 3Nov. Page 242 December 2012 Jaeger sp.: 1 at Amherst Isl. (Hennige) Common Redpoll: widespread 29Oct. observations 4Nov onward (KFN). Red-headed Woodpecker: 1 at Prince Hoary Redpoll: 1 at Amherstview Edward Pt. (Blancher) 16Sep. Sewage Lagoons (Hennige) 15Nov. Olive-sided Flycatcher: 1 at Prince Evening Grosbeak: widespread Edward Pt.