What Bird Species can we Expect to see in April?

We always say that winter will continue, until it decides that it is finished. Certainly, that can be true as occasional flurries, cold temperatures and bitter winds persist right though until almost the end of March, and even a bit into April. Some migrants like RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, COMMON GRACKLES, SONG SPARROWS, EASTERN MEADOWLARKS, KILLDEERS and AMERICAN WOODCOCK returned as usual last month, as is their custom, regardless of the weather. April is usually the month when the spring migration begins to get into full swing. This is also the month of sparrows with FIELD, VESPER, SAVANNAH and FOX all in full song as the weather becomes warmer (hopefully).

Migrating waterfowl, although peaking late last month will still be around in good numbers and representing several species as some continue to pass through on their way to more northern nesting grounds. You may, however, have to search for some of these as they will be widely dispersed, but one area worth visiting is the Glendon Green Boat Launch adjacent to Sandbanks Provincial Park, just off County Road 18 across from Log Cabin Point. Another location which can produce waterfowl well into May is the Kaiser Crossroad flooded fields in the Cressy area. Here, waterfowl can number in the thousands if the fields contain lots of water. If the weather remains favourable, many of the inhabitants of the cattail marshes around the county will trickle in throughout the month, beginning with an increasing number of those that are already here, including, AMERICAN BITTERNS, GREAT BLUE HERONS, NORTHERN HARRIERS and, in a few days, some returning SWAMP SPARROWS, and ending the month with the later arriving VIRGINIA RAILS, SORAS and MARSH WRENS.

If the weather is exceptionally fine, look forward to the rollicking song of the BOBOLINK over the meadows, and the rich notes of the BALTIMORE ORIOLE by the last week of this month. While May is often thought of as the month we traditionally begin to search for warblers, there are many species who put in an appearance by mid to late April, depending, of course, on how the month shapes up weather-wise, including YELLOW-RUMPED, NASHVILLE, PINE, PALM, BLACK-AND-WHITE. If the weather is really good, we can also expect to see some early YELLOWS, BLACK-THROATED GREENS, and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH. TREE SWALLOWS and BARN SWALLOWS are a certainty, with NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED, BANK and CLIFF also a good possibility. TREE SWALLOWS some years arrive in mid-March, really early for them, but unexpected drops in temperature and snow storms can result in the death of some of those optimistic early arrivals, until there are sufficient flying insects to sustain them. Ospreys though are starting to trickle in now and will soon be checking out their nest platforms preparatory to nesting.  

Expect to see HERMIT THRUSH and BROWN THRASHER this month, and listen for the rusty door hinge notes of RUSTY BLACKBIRDS as they too arrive and migrate through. Although Prince Edward County is not as conducive to shorebirds as nearby Presqu’ile Provincial Park, most species do touch down and feed along the beaches and in other suitable areas around the county during the spring migration. SPOTTED SANDPIPER, of course, is an obvious one to start looking for as well as GREATER YELLOWLEGS, along with WILSON’S SNIPE winnowing over the wetlands and the twittering nuptials of the AMERICAN WOODCOCK in woodland areas, and UPLAND SANDPIPERS in open meadows. Woodcocks will continue to display well into April. An early LESSER YELLOWLEGS arrived at Black Road this year on March 22^nd, the earliest ever arrival date for Prince Edward County.

For the most part, one doesn’t need to travel far for some of these migrants. Your own backyard, as I mentioned in the first paragraph, will often produce some amazing discoveries. Prince Edward Point, West Point, Charwell Point and Presqu’ile Park are a given, of course. Any of the numerous wetlands around the Bay of Quinte area will produce the marsh dwelling birds, but the Big Island Marsh, Sawguin Marsh, Bloomfield Marsh and the South Shore Important Bird Area are probably your best bet.

Outside the County, Presqu’ile Park will provide you with a hefty list of species for the day. Other good areas are the Menzel Nature Reserve (north of Deseronto), Vanderwater Conservation Area at Thomasburg, Potter’s Creek Conservation Area at Belleville, and Goodrich-Loomis Conservation Area north of Brighton.  

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