AMHERST ISLAND
Spring: **** Summer: ** Fall: **** Winter: ****
Warning: The owners of a privately-owned portion of the Owl Woods on Amherst Island have provided birders with a heads-up regarding access. They hunt deer on their property during the hunting season, and therefore wish to limit access to the property the week before hunting season and the week of the hunting season. During the year, they allow bird watchers to access their property in the Owl Woods, but have a sign showing where the private property begins on the one side. For the above reasons and in particular for safety concerns, they are placing a sign with the private property sign, stating "No public access beyond this point from Nov. 24 to Dec. 9, 2007 inclusive, during deer hunting, for public safety." They would appreciate it if you would advise your friends and fellow birders accordingly. They hope that it will not cause too much inconvenience and plan to remove the sign immediately after deer hunting is over. They thank you for your consideration. I trust all birders thank them for their consideration, both in granting access for most of the year and for issuing this polite request.
Independent Directions to this Site: Amherst Island is approximately 2.5 hours south of Ottawa and 16 km west of Kingston, Ontario. Take Highway 417 from Ottawa west to Highway 416 (exit 132). Follow 416 SSE 80 km to Highway 401. Turn right onto 401 and go 128 km to exit 593. Exit south on County Road #4 (formerly Highway 133) and proceed 9 km to Millhaven on Lake Ontario. Turn right or west on Hwy 33 (Bath Road), watch for the ferry dock in 200 metres. A round-trip on the ferry costs $8.00. It leaves every hour on the half-hour from 7:30 AM onward. The first ferry in the morning is an exception leaving ten minutes earlier than thereafter, at 6:20 AM. There are no gas stations on the island, so make sure you have enough before crossing.
Map of Amherst Island
Site Description and Birding Information: This small island in the St. Lawrence River is one of the best places anywhere to see owls. Eastern Screech Owl, Great Horned Owl, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl and Northern Saw-whet Owl are all resident and breed on the island. During the winter they are joined by several Snowy Owls and sometimes Boreal Owl. Regarding the latter, it is seen nearly every year. It is possible January through early April, but especially in February. There are distinct peaks here close to their usual four year cycle. The all time peak was in the winter of 1995-96 when the top counts reached 7 birds from March 18-27. Another peak season came five years later in 2000-01, when up to 5 birds were seen from January through early March. In the winter of 2004-05, a bird was found on November 22 and two birds (sometimes 3 in March) were seen regularly from Dec. 20, 2004 to at least Apr. 1, 2005. Numbers of Short-eared Owl are augmented in winter, with up to 30 seen rarely. During migrations Long-eared and Saw-whet Owl numbers increase considerably.
Other raptors congregate here in winter to take advantage of the common and sometimes abundant meadow voles. Rough-legged and Red-tailed Hawks are common, with good vole years bringing 30 or more of each. Northern Harrier and American Kestrel are just slightly less common. A Northern Goshawk sometimes culls the Long-eared Owls. A Red-shouldered Hawk was found here one winter, far north of its usually winter range limits (Massachusetts - Ohio). One or more Northern Shrikes usually winter here.
To get to the "Owl Woods", after getting off the ferry, take the first left (east), drive 3 km along the north shore road (Front Road) to the southbound road called Marshall 40-foot Road (directly across the Front Road from the 2320 sign). Proceed 1.3 km south to the S-curve in this road. Look for a sign, erected by the Kingston Field Naturalists (KFN), here at the beginning of the trails. Walk northeast on the trails. These woods are particularly good for Northern Saw-whet Owl and Long-eared Owl from fall to spring. Be sure to check the large clumps of cedar that you can walk into the centre of, scanning them from the inside looking out. This lets you see the silhouette of the Saw-whet Owls hiding there. Look carefully, they can be hard to see. Christmas Bird Counters here have tallied as many as 8 Saw-whets Owls (in 2000, 7 in 2003) and 20 Long-eared Owls (in 2000 & 2003) in the Owl Woods. A peak of 26 Long-eared Owls was counted on Jan. 21, 2007. In late March and April listen at dusk for American Woodcock. Singing Sedge Wrens have been found along the portion of 40-Foot Road leading to the southern shore, along with Savannah and Vesper Sparrows.
To see Short-eared Owl, turn right when leaving the ferry dock and watch for large open fields. These owls will come out here at dusk, sometimes in good numbers.
The Kingston Field Naturalists (KFN) have a property at the eastern point of the island. Note: Because of liability issues, visitors to the KFN property at the east end of Amherst Island MUST be accompanied by a KFN member. For KFN contact information or how to become a member, please visit the KFN Website. From the ferry, drive 200 metres to the stop sign in Stella, turn left (east) and follow the road to the extreme southeast corner of the island. Park at the cattle corral and enter the KFN property by crossing the fence at the stile. It is good for waterfowl and shorebirds. A late summer visit can produce Lesser Golden Plover, Whimbrel, Baird's, White-rumped and Stilt Sandpipers along with the more regular fare. Later, Long-billed Dowitcher and numerous ducks including Redhead, Northern Pintail, American Wigeon, and Red-breasted Merganser, as well as Lapland Longspur may be found. Rarities such as Snowy Plover, American Avocet, Marbled Godwit, Tricolored Heron and Snowy Egret have occurred here. A Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow was found in the reedy area at the base of the spit of land that separates the second and third ponds (Oct. 7, 2003) and at least 6 were located in the sedge area on the west side of the ponds (Oct. 1, 2004) and 3 on Oct. 3, 2004.
A number of Tundra Swans winter at the northeastern corner of the island, an offshoot of the adjacent Wolfe Island flock of hundreds.
A new resource for Amherst Island is the website of Alex & Karen Scott, longtime resident birders, who have reported many of the sightings used on this page. Click here to access their site.
Rare birds reported from Amherst Island include Tricolored Heron (May 10-17, 1988), Forster's Tern (May 1988), Gyrfalcon (Feb. 1988, Jan. 24-26, 1991, Mar. 19, 2005), King Eider (Dec. 26, 1990), Red-bellied Woodpecker (Feb. 19, 1989), Common Eider (Jan. 8, 1991), Ross's Gull (?2000), Eurasian Wigeon (Apr. 26, 2002, Apr. 23, 2007), Snowy Plover (May 25-27, 2002), American Avocet (Oct. 3-11, 2003), Western Sandpiper (juv. - Oct 1, 2004), Great Gray Owl (40+ birds in the 1996 invasion - to Apr. 29, 1996, one Jan. 14 - Mar. 9, 2005), American White Pelican (May 30, 2005), Cattle Egret (May 5, 2006), Marbled Godwit (May 1-5, 2007), Summer Tanager (May 25, 2007), Lark Bunting (May 27, 2009 - KFN area).
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Ottawa to Amherst Island Map
Long-eared Owl in Owl Woods
Saw-whet Owl Napping in Owl Woods
Snowy Owl along the Road - Feb. 9, 1991
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