On Thursday, October 5th, 2006, this is the HNC Birding Report: WESTERN KINGBIRD LITTLE GULL NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW
Wood Duck American Wigeon Northern Pintail Green-winged Teal Redhead Greater Scaup Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Red-breasted Merganser Red-throated Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Great Blue Heron Great Egret Green Heron Black-crowned Night Heron Osprey Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper's Hawk Broad-winged Hawk American Coot Bonaparte's Gull Red-eyed Vireo Blue-headed Vireo Northern Rough-winged Swallow Marsh Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Swainson's Thrush Hermit Thrush American Pipit Nashville Warbler Magnolia Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Palm Warbler American Redstart Field Sparrow Fox Sparrow Swamp Sparrow White-throated Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Rusty Blackbird Purple Finch Another plug for the Birds of Hamilton and Surrounding Areas by Bob Curry. The book launch is October 12th from 7 - 9 p.m. at the Burlington Art Centre on Lakeshore Road just west of Brant Street. Please come and help us celebrate this momentous occasion. Another great week of birding in the HSA. This week saw a turnover again of species which are passing through the area with an increase in waterfowl on the lake and yes the return of the Purple Finch and Dark-eyed Junco!!!! The Dundas Marsh has once again been a stopping place for the NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW. This week a few individuals were seen although they remain extremely secretive. A word of caution today, the water levels are up and even with rubber boots in spots the water is extremely high. Another word of caution on the route to get to the marsh. For those who exited the 403 at HWY 6 and then turned onto York Road and followed to Cootes Drive to get into Dundas, this turn is now closed. Now to get to the marsh, the best route is 403 to Main St. West and follow signs toward McMaster. Just past the University hospital you will see a sign for Cootes Drive. Turn onto Cootes Drive and follow about a kilometer. The parking is on the opposite side of the road from the entrance marsh however the median present prevents a turn around on the road. You have to go to the next light where Cootes meets Olympic Drive and drive past this and make a turnaround somewhere and then come back down along Cootes Drive toward the University. Anyhow, back to my point, other birds seen in the marsh this week included a couple of LITTLE GULLS mixed in with a flock of Bonaparte's Gulls seen Sunday, Ruddy Duck, Wood Duck, Green-winged Teal, American Coot, Bald Eagle, Osprey, Sharp-shinned and Coopers Hawk, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Marsh Wren, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Song and Swamp Sparrow. The other goodie in Hamilton this week was the WESTERN KINGBIRD last seen Saturday morning at the Dry Lake Road location. Unfortunately it looks like this bird has moved on. VanWagners Beach was once again hopping today in North to Northeast winds. Many species of waterfowls were present today including American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Greater Scaup, Surf Scoter, many White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-throated Loon and Common Loon. A Parasitic Jaeger was seen at a reasonable distance going after some Bonaparte's Gulls. Migrating overhead were two Northern Harriers and a late Broad-winged Hawk. Along the shoreline today were many Dark-eyed Juncos, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets. On the bay this week Horned Grebe, American Coot, Redhead and Greater Scaup were reported on Monday. At Paletta/Shoreacres in Burlington this week Swainson's Thrush, American Redstart, Magnolia Warbler and a late Blue-gray Gnatcatcher were reported. At Kerncliffe Park in North Burlington this week, Hermit Thrush, Red eyed Vireo, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Palm Warbler and Field Sparrow were among birds seen. In the odds & sods this week, out at 5th Concession and Middletown Road, feeders were alive this weekend with a first of fall Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows and Purple Finch. A flock of Rusty Blackbirds also flew over making the week's yard list better than most! In Dundas another 12 Rusty Blackbirds and 1 American Pipit were added to the yard list. At the Valley Inn Blue-headed Vireo and Nashville Warbler were reported. A Fox Sparrow popped up in a yard in Oakville today, still another sign of a changing landscape. That's the news of the week. Have a great Thanksgiving!!!! Make sure to report your sightings! Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Hotline 905-381-0329
