On Friday, November 21st, 2008, this is the HNC Birding report: SNOWY OWL CAVE/CLIFF SWALLOW BLUE HEADED VIREO
Brant Cackling Goose King Eider Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Black Scoter Long-tailed Duck Common x Barrow's Goldeneye Ruffed Grouse Red-throated Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Sandhill Crane Parasitic Jaeger Pomarine Jaeger Bonaparte's Gull Thayer's Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Glaucous Gull Great Black-backed Gull Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush American Pipit Snow Bunting Purple Finch White-winged Crossbill Pine Siskin Its been a quiet week here in Hamilton but the highlights include the sighting of a CLIFF/CAVE SWALLOW at Bronte Pier last Saturday, likely a Cave, a BLUE-HEADED VIREO found at the end of Lemonville Road in Hidden Valley, late for this species, and multiple sightings of SNOWY OWLS. One was present at Canada Centre for Inland Waters on Wednesday, one near Frid Street in Hamilton on Wednesday, one at Bronte Harbour last Saturday and sadly a casualty at the 407 and 403 interchange. I'm sure these won't be the only sightings of this species in the next couple weeks. All of these birds seem to be on the move the next day. A lake watch last weekend and into this week was productive for finding some of the remaining specialties for Hamilton. Northwest winds for a change were no matter for observers who along the west end of Lake Ontario saw Parasitic and Pomarine Jaeger, Bonaparte's Gull, Glaucous Gull, all three scoters, Red-throated and Common Loons in numbers and Horned Grebe. At LP Sayers Park the Barrow's x Common Goldeneye hybrid has returned intermingled with a good number of Common Goldeneye, all three Scoters and Long-tailed Ducks. Out at Millen Road, a female King Eider was seen at a distance. A Brant and a Glaucous Gull were present on Wednesday at Confederation Park. Snow Bunting flocks have traveled along the shore and a Lapland Longspur was spotted in the mix of buntings last Saturday. Throughout the week the Waterdown Garden Supplies site on Hwy 5 west of Peter's Corners has been checked for rare gulls. This week, Thayer's, Lesser Black-backed, Glaucous and Great Black-backed Gull along with American Pipits have been reported from this site. Access into the site can only be gained during the week and at odd hours on Saturday when the office is open. Gulls can be found in the surrounding fields though if there is no access into the property. Please respect the rules that have been set out for this site. Out on Concession 4 W, west of Woodhill Road at the Patterson Tract, a roaming flock of 30 - 35 White-winged Crossbills have been reported in this large tract of land. Patience is necessary. Golden-crowned Kinglet was also reported from here and on Tuesday a flock of 100 or so Sandhill Cranes flew over the property. A spectacular view for a lucky birder as these birds are not often seen in these numbers in the HSA. In the odds and sods, a Hermit Thrush was photographed on the roof of a house in Hamilton, Purple Finches and Pine Siskin, were reported from feeders in Brantford and Dundas. Ruffed Grouse was found in the Red Pine Plantation on the other side of the bridge from the swimming area at Valens Conservation Area and two Cackling Geese were seen at the Quarry Pond up in Saltfleet on Green Mountain Road between 10th and 11th Road East. Winter listing is just around the corner so report your sightings of interesting birds. 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
