At 9:00pm, Thursday, May 8th, 2003, this is the Hamilton Naturalists' Club Birding Hotline Report. The Hotline is normally revised on Thursday nights, unless an unusual bird turns up in the Hamilton area.
Spring migration is in full swing. Birders at Shell Park reported no less than 18 species of warbler this past week. Highlights were CERULEAN WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH. Also seen at Shell Park were BROWN THRASHER, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, GRAY CATBIRD, BLUE-HEADED VIREO, WOOD THRUSH, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER, and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. In and around the RBG, a SOLITARY SANDPIPER was seen at Cootes Paradise, a PARASITIC JAEGER was harrassing gulls at the Carp Barrier, and a VEERY was spotted at Rock Chapel. Reports from the Hopkins tract include BLACK & WHITE WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, PRAIRIE WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTART, and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, while on the North Shore Trails, NASHVILLE WARBLER, PINE WARBLER, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, HOUSE WREN, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, and PILEATED WOODPECKER were sighted. A trip to the Willows yielded seven species of warbler, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, CAROLINA WREN, SORA RAIL, and VIRGINIA RAIL. Wrapping up the RBG sightings, PALM WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, YELLOW WARBLER, CASPIAN TERN, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, GREEN HERON, and LESSER YELLOWLEGS were seen in the Hendrie Valley. Other local reports include RING-NECKED PHEASANT at Albion Hills, 12 species of warbler at Bronte Provincial Park, six WILLETS at LaSalle Marina, RED-THROATED LOON at Shoreacres/Paletta Park, a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW behind Olympic Arena in Dundas, BROAD-WINGED HAWK and BALTIMORE ORIOLE at the Dundas Hydro Station, and a CHIMNEY SWIFT over downtown Hamilton. Finally, LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, YELLOW WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, PINE WARBLER, BLACK & WHITE WARBLER, HERMIT THRUSH, WARBLING VIREO, and WHITE-EYED VIREO were seen at the Waterdown North Wetland Trails. Lots of migrants turned up in local yards this past week, including BALTIMORE ORIOLE and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK in Caledonia, DARK-EYED JUNCO and WHITE-THROATED SPARROW near the Kenilworth access, HERMIT THRUSH in central Hamilton, INDIGO BUNTING, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, TURKEY VULTURE and LEAST FLYCATCHER in Oakville, BALTIMORE ORIOLES on the west mountain, in downtown Hamilton, and near the Hendrie Valley, and last but not least ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK and BLACK & WHITE WARBLER in Burlington. Further afield, a trip to Rock Point Provincial Park turned up 7 species of warbler, and at Vinemount Quarry, PIED-BILLED GREBE, RING-NECKED DUCK, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, NORTHERN HARRIER, GOLDEN EAGLE and GREEN HERON were reported. Elsewhere in Ontario, highlights from Point Pelee this past week were HERMIT WARBLER, LARK SPARROW, MISSISSIPPI KITE, WHITE-FACED IBIS, SUMMER TANAGER, and CHUCK-WILL'S WIDOW. EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE, KENTUCKY WARBLER, WORM-EATING WARBLER, and PROTHONOTARY WARBLER were seen at Rondeau, a RUFF turned up at Wheatley, and the YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD made another appearance near Bismark/St. Ann's. Be sure to let us know about your sightings this week. Leave your name, telephone number, as well as the time and date of your call. Sightings can also be reported by e-mail. GOOD BIRDING! Keith Dieroff C/O Hamilton Naturalists' Club Birding Hotline Report Hamilton, Ontario [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hamilton Naturalists' Club Tel: (905) 381-0329 www.hamiltonnature.org ______________________________________________________________________ Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca Keith Dieroff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.

