At 5:30 p.m. this is the Hamilton Naturalists Club Birding Report for June 3, 2004
CATTLE EGRET YELLOW CROWNED NIGHT HERON Least Bittern Virginia Rail Semipalmated Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper Dunlin Black-billed Cuckoo Yellow-billed Cuckoo Common Nighthawk Ruby-throated Hummingbird Eastern Wood Pewee Alder Flycatcher Willow Flycatcher Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird Sedge Wren Cedar Waxwing Warbling Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Mourning Warbler Common Yellowthroat Blue-winged Warbler Black & White Warbler Ovenbird Vesper Sparrow Eastern Meadowlark Orchard Oriole Baltimore Oriole Herons and egrets are the stars of this weeks rarities report. On Sunday, 3 CATTLE EGRETS were seen off of Eastport Drive in Burlington, on the second island going south towards Canadian Centre for Inland Waters. By the time a phone was reached to call and alert me they had flown. They were however seen shortly after this in the Mud Street/Mt Albion Road Area. They have not been seen since but one is hopeful they will turn up again. Subsequent to this, on Wednesday there was a report of a small white heron/egret bird flying in the east end of Hamilton Harbour. The bird was not positively identified due to poor visibility but one should be wary of this sighting as well. The most spectacular sighting this week came when somebody knocked on a local birders door in an apartment complex in Bronte. Apparently a bird was seen standing for about half an hour on the 6th floor terrace of the building about 8:30 - 9:00 p.m. last night. It turned out to be an adult YELLOW CROWNED NIGHT HERON. Imagine that one on your yard list!!!!. A search for the bird this morning did not turn it up however there may be more success in the evenings when the night herons are flying about. The bird was perched on 2511 Lakeshore Road but Bronte Harbour and Bronte Marsh should be checked. This bird was reported on Monday May 31st in the Guelph Line and Woodward Area of Burlington coming down to someone's pool (I only check messages once a week so didn't get this until today...ARGGGHHH!!!) Shorebird sightings this week at Tollgate Ponds off of Eastport Drive in Hamilton include White-rumped Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper and Dunlin. Migrants are still trickling through although seeing them is a challenge. At Paletta/Shoreacres Park (located on Lakeshore between Appleby and Walkers Line) this week I had Willow Flycatcher, Alder Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Eastern Wood Pewee, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Mourning Warbler and Common Yellowthroat. Birds nesting there include Red-eyed Vireo, Warbling Vireo, and Baltimore Oriole. Cedar Waxwings have been seen in several areas this week in small flocks. Kerncliffe Park on Kerns Road in Burlington is home to nesting Virginia Rails. Other nesting birds and or paired birds seen this week were Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Meadowlark and Black-billed Cuckoos in the Red Hill Valley. An Orchard Oriole was noted here as well. Yellow-billed Cuckoos have been reported from various locations this week including the 8th concession in Flamborough, Waterdown Wetlands and Southshore Trails at the back of McMaster University. On a sad note this week a Least Bittern was found on Safari Road near Kirkwall Road. Other birds in this area at Hyde Tract include Blue-winged Warbler, Black & White Warbler and Ovenbird. Other odds and sods were Common Nighthawks were seen at the above location as well as the Red Hill Valley and Vesper Sparrow at Courtcliff Park on Carlisle Road in Carlisle. Sedge Wrens were heard in the Powerline Road and Paddy Green area of Ancaster. That's the scoop for this week, keep the sightings coming. Hopefully the egrets and herons turn back up this week. Cheers, Cheryl Edgecombe
