On Friday, November 14th, 2008 this is the HNC Birding Report: KING EIDER NORTHERN GANNET POMARINE JAEGER SABINE'S GULL SNOWY OWL WOOD THRUSH WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL
American Wigeon Green-winged Teal Brant Cackling Goose Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Black Scoter Long-tailed Duck Red-breasted Merganser Red-throated Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Black-crowned Night Heron Merlin Greater Yellowlegs Dunlin Bonaparte's Gull Thayer's Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Glaucous Gull Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Northern Shrike Marsh Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Gray Catbird Yellow-rumped Warbler Palm Warbler Common Yellowthroat Fox Sparrow Snow Bunting Purple Finch Many of the highlights in the Hamilton Study Area this week centered around Van Wagner's Beach and the Stoney Creek/Grimsby lakeshore. A NORTHERN GANNET was a highlight this week being spotted just offshore on Sunday at Fifty Point C.A.. The bird was seen a short time later down the lakeshore at L.P. Sayers Park being harassed by a POMARINE JAEGER (also seen from Fifty Point C.A.). During the week, this Gannet was seen in various feeding frenzies on the Burlington, Stoney Creek lakeshore along but has not been reported the past couple of days but could still be out there. On Wednesday after seeing the Gannet offshore from Lakeland Community Centre, an observer viewed two SABINE'S GULLS flying past Hutches Restaurant. Other birds reported this week on the lake and in spots along the lakeshore include Brant, a female KING EIDER off Millen Road, all three Scoter species, Red-throated and Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Glaucous and Bonaparte's Gull. A pair of Merlins were seen along Beach Road. A flock of 20+ WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS and forty Snow Buntings flew over Fruitland Road on Sunday. Dunlin and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker were seen at Fifty Point Conservation Area. A search for elusive Cave Swallows this week has come up short. In the meantime searching these areas sometimes results in other goodies arising. On Wednesday, a search of Saddington Park in Mississauga yielded a very feisty Common Yellowthroat. At the Dundas Hydro Ponds, American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, a late Greater Yellowlegs and a Marsh Wren were seen. At Princess Point, two juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons and a Dunlin were birds of interest here. Many places in the HSA could be harboring Cave Swallows. If you see any, please notify via email! Other birds of interest this week include a late WOOD THRUSH (second latest date for the Hamilton Study Area) found in the Patterson Tract on 4th Concession West just west of Woodhill Road. Also here was a very quiet and single WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL along with Golden-crowned Kinglet and Fox Sparrow. At Mount Albion Conservation Area today, Palm and Yellow-rumped Warbler and Purple Finch were highlights. A sad ending to a rescue story this week. A SNOWY OWL was found near Fruitland Road and the QEW in heavy fog last Thursday. On Friday, the same bird was found alive by the side of the road. Great effort was made to capture the bird and take it to the Owl Foundation. Upon examination, the owl was damaged beyond repair due to a collision with a vehicle and had to be put down. Another SNOWY OWL was seen in the wee hours of the morning on the weekend near the lift bridge and another was reported in the Hamilton Spectator this week, found atop a hydro pole near Rockton. At Waterdown Garden Supplies located on Hwy 5 west of Peter's Corners, Thayer's and Lesser Black-backed Gull were reported for those who have the patience to sift through the thousands of gulls present there. Highlights from the Fall Bird Count that were missed from last week include a pair of Cackling Geese found on Woolverton Road up on the mountain, a Gray Catbird and Northern Shrike in the King Road/Kerns Road area. That's the news for this week. An abrupt change in the weather could drive birds into feeders and turn something up. Good birding! Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Hotline 905-381-0329 _______________________________________________ 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
