On Friday, October 23, 2009, this is the HNC Birding report: LARK SPARROW
Brant Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Long-tailed Duck Red-throated Loon Common Loon Great Egret Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Merlin Peregrine Falcon Black-bellied Plover American Golden Plover Spotted Sandpiper Solitary Sandpiper Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Least Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Dunlin Stilt Sandpiper Bonaparte's Gull Common Tern Pomarine Jaeger Parasitic Jaeger Chimney Swift Eastern Phoebe Common Raven House Wren Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Yellow-rumped Warbler Common Yellowthroat Eastern Towhee American Tree Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Fox Sparrow Song Sparrow Lincoln's Sparrow Swamp Sparrow White-throated Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Purple Finch The list is a little shorter this week. The straggling warblers seem to have been replaced by numbers of sparrows. A surprise this week came on Sunday when many birds, mainly sparrows were found along the western edge of the lake. While looking at a sizable group of Chipping Sparrows at Baraga's volleyball court located just east of the famous Hutches Restaurant, an immature LARK SPARROW was spotted feeding in the grass next to the court. This bird was seen up until Wednesday but had moved west on Tuesday and Wednesday to the courts located near the Lakeland Centre. Other birds seen with it and around VanWagners Ponds and Confederation Park which are in the immediate vicinity included Eastern Phoebe, House and Winter Wren, Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglet (in great numbers!), Hermit Thrush, Yellow-rumped Warbler, American Tree, Chipping, Field, Vesper, Fox, Song, Swamp, White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows and many Dark-eyed Juncos. Today east winds favoured those brave enough to stand at the beach at Hutches. Both Parasitic and Pomarine Jaegers were seen along with flocks of Brant, White-winged and Surf Scoter, Long-tailed Ducks, Common and Red-throated Loons, Bonaparte's Gulls in numbers and a passing late Common Tern. During the week a Northern Harrier was seen flying over the lake and a Merlin made a pass early this afternoon. Shorebirds are still in the news this week. Birds seen on the mud flat at Dundas Marsh include Black-bellied Plover, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, White-rumped and Baird's Sandpiper and a sizable flock of Dunlin. An adult Bald Eagle was seen in the vicinity of McMaster Hospital. Another place for shorebirds is the pond viewed from the on ramp to the Red Hill Expressway from the QEW. Here this week were American Golden Plover, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Pectoral and Least Sandpiper. Two Great Egrets were also present. Best viewed from the bridge on Plains Road west of the Royal Botanical Gardens looking into the mud flat at Valley Inn, Great Egret, Solitary, Spotted and Stilt Sandpiper were all noted this week. Another great spot for sparrows is behind the Rona in Waterdown just east of Clappison's Corner. Here near the ponds House Wren, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Field, American Tree, Lincolns, Swamp and Song Sparrows were seen. In the odds and sods, an Eastern Towhee was seen at Woodland Cemetery. Several Purple Finches were seen on the trail at the back of Christie Conservation Area. A Common Raven was seen and heard just west of Woodhill Road on Hwy 5 in Flamborough. That's the news this week. Next Sunday is the Hamilton Fall Bird Count. If you are out in the area, please forward your sightings. Every little bit helps and there are many areas uncovered. Cheers, 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 information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
