On Friday, December 14th, 2007, this is the HNC Birding Report: KING EIDER HARLEQUIN DUCK NORTHERN HAWK OWL NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH
Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail Green-winged Teal Lesser Scaup Hooded Merganser Ruddy Duck Ruffed Grouse Common Loon Bald Eagle Rough-legged Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Killdeer Great Horned Owl Northern Shrike Brown Creeper Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet American Pipit Bohemian Waxwing Cedar Waxwing Pine Grosbeak Common Redpoll Winter birding is at its best here in the Hamilton Study Area. This weeks star is the NORTHERN HAWK OWL present in Saltfleet on 10th Road East just south of Ridge Road. This bird, discovered last Saturday, was last reported on Wednesday but is likely still in the area. The bird has been well photographed and is a rare treat to this area. Another winter highlight was a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH photographed in the Hendrie Valley last Monday. This has only been seen the one time so far, several birders have been out to look for it since with no success but this is quite a large area and we have had several cold nights since. The easiest way to get to where it was seen is to access the valley through Cherry Hill Gate on Plains Road, proceed down the hill to where the boardwalk is, walk over the iron bridge and turn right on the trail after the bridge and proceed up to where there is another more disheveled boardwalk. It was on this warm slope that the bird was seen. In the winter waterfowl department, a first year male KING EIDER was seen off Sayer's Park in Stoney Creek and at the opposite end of the lake at Saddington Park in Mississauga, a pair of HARLEQUIN DUCKS have been seen a couple of times this week. Another good winter bird found in a couple of spots this week were Killdeer, one on the beach canal at Beachway Park just west of Joseph Brant Hospital along with a couple of American Pipits and another at the Dundas Hydro Ponds. Winter finches and particularly Pine Grosbeaks continue to infiltrate the area. On Walkers Line between 1st Side Road and 2nd Side Road north of Highway 5 at 4250 Walkers Line a group of approximately 30 to as many as 50 have been coming into the very fruit laden trees that are found in this orchard. Other reports of smaller flocks have also been passed on this week from Brantford and Dundas. Common Redpolls seem to be on the increase with sizable flocks reported from Flamborough and Carlisle. Another winter wanderer, two Bohemian Waxwings seem to be lurking about with two reported Wednesday on the Valley Inn Road in amongst Cedar Waxwings and two being reported from the RBG Arboretum near the Swallow Boxes. Northern Shrikes are also on the increase with one being seen at the Valley Inn Road, one near the hawk owl in Saltfleet, one at Martin's Lane and one in North Brantford. For those looking to bump up their winter ducks, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, Hooded Merganser and Ruddy Duck are all present in the Windermere Basin. A Red-necked Grebe was viewed off LaSalle Marina. A Common Loon was seen on the bay off Carroll's Point last weekend. Hawks and eagles have been reported this week with a Rough-legged Hawk seen on the 403 near Hwy 6 north. Merlins were reported from Hamilton Mountain and the Walker's Line and New Street Area. A few Bald Eagles are starting to show up at various spots on the bay and soaring over the Valley Inn and a pair of Peregrine Falcons are being seen regularly at the lift bridge. Just a few odds & sods this week. Golden-crowned Kinglets were seen in the Appleby Creek Valley and at the Valley Inn. Brown Creeper was reported from the Hermitage in the Dundas Valley. Ruffed Grouse were reported coming in at dusk at a feeder in Flamborough and a Great Horned Owl was seen near one of the lookout towers on the RBG property. We have Christmas Counts starting up this weekend with areas including the HSA. Please report your sightings to the me via email. Our phone line with any luck should be set up by this weekend. Thanks and happy winter birding! Cheryl Edgecombe 905-381-0329 HNC Hotline _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
