On Thursday, December 21st, 2006, this is the HNC Birding report: NORTHERN GANNET TURKEY VULTURE SWALLOW SP. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER NASHVILLE WARBLER (probable female) EASTERN TOWHEE ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK
Canvasback Redhead Greater Scaup Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Red-breasted Merganser Horned Grebe Pied-billed Grebe Great Blue Heron Bald Eagle Merlin American Coot Northern Saw-whet Owl Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Shrike Tufted Titmouse Brown Creeper Carolina Wren American Robin Northern Mockingbird Yellow-rumped Warbler American Tree Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Christmas Bird Count season is a great time of year with many people participating and rooting out goodies. This years warmer weather has encouraged birds to stay around and thrown in a few surprises. The South Peel Bird Count was held last Saturday. Results are always excellent on this count. Some highlights include a NORTHERN GANNET seen at Bronte Harbour on Sunday therefore qualifying as count week. This bird was later seen over the high level bridge at close range. It is likely still on the lake so worth keeping an eye out for. On count day itself, a ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK was found at a cemetery on Clarkson Road just south of Truscott. The bird was seen in the northeast corner of the cemetery and relocated last Sunday in the same general area. No reports since but still worth a check. Another goodie found on the count was an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER. The bird was located north side of the railroad track between Kerr and the railroad bridge in Oakville. The bird was relocated on Monday on a trail paralleling the tracks west of Kerr near an old shack. A TURKEY VULTURE was seen in count week near the QEW and Bronte Road and a Swallow sp. was seen near the barn at Bronte Creek Provincial Park. High totals for the count included Greater Scaup - 6358 (previous 3856 1971), Red-breasted Merganser - 438, Great Blue Heron - 7, Merlin - 3 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 7, American Robin - 2086 (with huge roost 1700 behind Sheridan College,, Yellow-rumped Warbler - 10, and White-throated Sparrow - 48. Another great bird seen today at Princess Point was a probable female Nashville Warbler. There was some question as to whether the bird was an Orange-crowned Warbler since it is extremely dull and very elusive but after research the observer is leaning towards Nashville. The bird was seen in the goldenrod just off the parking lot and near the point associating with a group of Tree Sparrows. Anyone seeing this bird in the next few days be sure to report it as we are approaching the Hamilton CBC Count Week. LaSalle Park produced an EASTERN TOWHEE associating with a number of House Sparrows at the entrance to the trail where the new boat ramp is being built on December 19th. Other birds seen here were Redhead, Bufflehead, Canvasback, American Coot, and Bald Eagle. Another Bald Eagle was seen near the high level bridge this week with a green tag on its right shoulder. Anyone knowing the significance of this green tag please email me privately. Behind Olympic Arena in Dundas this week, a Northern Shrike, Carolina Wren, Brown Creeper, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Flicker, and Yellow-rumped Warbler. A Pied-billed Grebe was seen in the Hydro Pond. A number of entries into the odds and sods this week. Two Horned Grebes were seen at Fifty Point Marina last weekend, a Northern Saw-whet Owl has been present at the RBG for the last week, two Tufted Titmice were reported from the Northshore Trails and Northern Mockingbirds seem to be plentiful with one reported at Central Park and three more in the Lakeshore and Walkers Line area. We are entering count week for the Hamilton CBC and your sightings count! Please email all unusual sightings so that I can advise people covering these areas to check for them on December 26th. Merry Christmas to all. All the best and good birding this holiday season and in the coming New Year!! Cheers, Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Hotline 905-381-0329
