At 3:00pm, Thursday, November 13th, 2003, this is the Hamilton Naturalists' Club Birding Hotline Report. The Hotline is normally revised on Thursday, unless an unusual bird turns up in the Hamilton area.
Today's high winds, which closed the Skyway Bridge during this morning's rush hour, should be good for gull-watching on the Niagara River. Strong winds often move more gulls into the Niagara River flyway and very strong winds that align with the axis of Lake Erie will push gulls into the river around the Peace Bridge at Buffalo/Fort Erie. Since last week's report, CALIFORNIA GULL, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, ICELAND GULL, BONAPARTE'S GULL, and LITTLE GULL have all been seen on the Niagara River. This weekend would be a great time to check the Niagara River for FRANKLIN'S GULL, SABINE'S GULL, BLACK-HEADED GULL, ROSS'S GULL, or even jaegers and phalaropes. In other news, this winter could be good for GYRFALCON sightings. A 'dark morph' GYRFALCON was seen late last week at the High Park Hawkwatch in Toronto, and a 'gray morph' GYRFALCON turned up near St. Catharines over the weekend. The observers who found the gray GYR were actually looking for a CATTLE EGRET which was found near the junction of Merrtiville and Holland Roads near St. Catharines. It was first reported last Thursday afternoon but has not been seen since. Other local reports include BRANT, RED-NECKED GREBE, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, and AMERICAN COOT at Bronte Harbour, FOX SPARROW at Shell Park and in a yard on Cedar Springs Road in Burlington, GLAUCOUS GULL and 31 DUNLIN at Christie Conservation Area, PINE SISKIN at Shoreacres/Paletta Park, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE plus all three species of SCOTER off L.P. Sayers Park on the Stoney Creek lakeshore, as well as a BREWER'S BLACKBIRD in Dundas. Out of town, highlights from Selkirk Provincial Park this past week were three SNOWY EGRETS, NORTHERN SHRIKE, TURKEY VULTURE, NORTHERN HARRIER, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, COOPER'S HAWK, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, LONG-EARED OWL, NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, and TUNDRA SWAN. Thousands of TUNDRA SWANS could also be seen at Long Point, along with a few SANDHILL CRANES. That's all for this week, be sure to let us know about your sightings. 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.
