On Thursday, March 15th, 2007, this is the HNC Birding Report:
CACKLING GOOSE SANDHILL CRANE Tundra Swan Wood Duck American Wigeon Green-winged Teal Lesser Scaup Harlequin Duck Ruddy Duck Wild Turkey Red-throated Loon Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Turkey Vulture Bald Eagle Rough-legged Hawk Golden Eagle Peregrine Falcon Killdeer Glaucous Gull Long-eared Owl Northern Saw-Whet Owl Northern Shrike Brown Creeper Brown Thrasher Savannah Sparrow Eastern Towhee Red-winged Blackbird Eastern Meadowlark Common Grackle What a nice change this week in reportable birds in the Hamilton Study Area. As with other areas, temperatures have warmed up and early migrants are flooding in to greet us. Extra daylight savings time gives us more time to be out looking! This week has seen the return of many Tundra Swans, Turkey Vultures, Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Killdeer and even Eastern Meadowlark. A great place to view all these species this week has been Woodland Cemetery but these birds have been pretty widespread throughout the week. Ducks are also coming in this week. The Hamilton Bay is opening up daily. However, almost each day this week, a whopping 11-16 Bald Eagles have been seen sitting on the ice on the bay shattering previous records. Also reported from the open waters around the high level bridge are American Wigeon, Green Winged Teal, and Wood Duck. At Windermere Basin a CACKLING GOOSE was seen earlier in the week amongst the many Lesser Scaup and Ruddy Ducks in the basin. Out in Lake Ontario, Red-necked Grebes and Horned Grebes have been seen along with Red-throated Loons which have likely overwintered here. The female Harlequin Duck has been seen off of Gray's Road last Sunday. Of interest today down in this area was the sighting of a large gray falcon, possibly a Gyrfalcon. The bird was seen flying away from Grays Road and could possibly still be in the area. Any further reports should be reported to the hotline or email me privately. The Peregrine Falcon is still lurking about the lift bridge area being seen over Joseph Brant Hospital and then later at Canada Centre for Inland Waters. Two Peregrine Falcons were reported earlier in the week. An immature Glaucous Gull flew past CCIW this afternoon. The hawk migration from Beamer Conservation Area has been consisting of mostly Red-tailed and Coopers Hawks this week with the occasional Rough-legged Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk and Turkey Vulture being reported. A Golden Eagle was reported over Spencers Gorge, mixed in with a number of Red-tails and a Rough-legged Hawk. A SANDHILL CRANE, possibly the same one as reported last time near the Hamilton Airport has been making its rounds through the Hamilton Area. A bird was reported last week between Pritchard and Mount Albion Road and today a Sandhill Crane was seen on the far east side of the Satellite Golf Centre, which is at the corner of Mud Street and Upper Centennial Parkway in the Stoney Creek area of Hamilton. Maybe there is more than one in the area. Reports from Fifty Point Conservation Area include Eastern Meadowlarks along with a Northern Saw-whet Owl and Horned Grebe in the marina. In the odds and sods, Wild Turkeys were seen in the field north of highway 6 just as it joins 403 about 100 yards from the road. A Group of 14 Wild Turkeys were seen at Book Road and Hwy 6 along with a flock of 30 Tundra Swans. Forty to fifty Tundra Swans were seen over White Swan Road in Alberton (how appropriate!). Long-eared Owls are still being reported from the west side of Bronte Creek Provincial Park. Northern Shrikes were reported from the Hopkins Tract on York Road and from Brock Road South of Concession 5 and on Concession 4 east of Brock Road. A Brown Creeper was seen behind Olympic Arena and a sure sign of things to come was a singing Savannah Sparrow located on Thirty Road south of Beamsville, possibly an overwintering bird but nonetheless a treat to hear one singing in the warmer temperatures we have had this week. A little chilly over the weekend but no excuses! Get out there and find the migrants, there could be something good! Report your sightings to the hotline. Thanks for all the reports! Good birding, Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Hotline 905-381-0329
