At 9:00 p.m.on Thursday November 18th, 2004, this is the HNC Birding Report:
PACIFIC LOON KING EIDER HARLEQUIN DUCK Common Loon Red-throated Loon Red-necked Grebe Snow Goose Tundra Swan Greater Scaup White-winged Scoter Surf Scoter Black Scoter Long-tailed Duck Common Goldeneye Red-breasted Merganser Peregrine Falcon Black-legged Kittiwake Northern Shrike Golden-crowned Kinglet American Tree Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Purple Finch Pine Siskin Short list means you don't have to put up with my windy reports Few birds of note this week however there are some good birds still around. On Wednesday PACIFIC LOON, KING EIDER and HARLEQUIN DUCK were all spotted at Fifty Point. Earlier in the week, Snow Geese were seen in the pond in the conservation area flying out to the lake as well. An injured Black-legged Kittiwake was seen on the rocks at Fifty Point last Friday, the bird was not seen on Saturday. Red-necked Grebes continue to be on the lake at Shoreacres/Paletta and Bronte Harbour. The lake is filling up with the usual mix of ducks and scoters mentioned above. A Tundra Swan flew over the Skyway bridge the other day, distracting my attention from the road. Passerine migration is at a slow, too much nice balmy weather I suppose. This week at McCormack Trail in Dundas Northern Shrike, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Tree, White-throated, Song and Swamp Sparrow were all present along Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch and Pine Siskin. This area also had a number of Robins. Feeder reports this week included a Tufted Titmouse in Hamilton and Pine Siskin in Dundas. Peregrine Falcons seem to be in the news this week. One observer added a Peregrine to his yard list on Hixon Road in Oakville as one was perched in a tree three doors down from the house. A trip to the grocery store at Westcliffe Mall near Chedoke hospital on Hamilton Mountain proved to be a special event for Hamilton birder Angus MacMillan. At noontime yesterday, Nov. 15, 2004, Angus noticed a young Peregrine Falcon feeding on a downed pigeon in a corner of the sidewalk, less than three metres from passing shoppers. With help from binoculars provided by a local hunter who happened to be there at the same time, Angus was able to read the plastic band on the bird's left leg. The young falcon has been identified as Dundas, the lone male of this year's brood of four Peregrines hatched in and fledged from the now 10 year-old nest on the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel. What a great record to find a successful Peregrine ten years later. That's the news for the week. I hope to get out tomorrow to find some goodies before the wet weekend comes. If you're interested in a study of hummingbirds, check out the Selasphorous Hummer in Niagara Falls! Good birding, Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Hotline 905-381-0329
