On Thursday, December 31st, 2009, this is the HNC Birding Report: GYRFALCON YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER WILSON'S WARBLER
Brant Barnacle Goose Wood Duck American Wigeon Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail Green-winged Teal Ring-necked Duck King Eider Barrow's Goldeneye Ruffed Grouse Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Northern Goshawk Rough-legged Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Iceland Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Glaucous Gull Snowy Owl Long-eared Owl Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Pileated Woodpecker Northern Shrike Common Raven Tufted Titmouse Ruby-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Yellow-rumped Warbler Chipping Sparrow Fox Sparrow Snow Bunting It's been a busy two weeks here in the Hamilton Study Area with results in from a few of the Christmas Counts that affect the circle and some goodies which hid until after count week. Nonetheless any unusual bird at this time of year, be it in the count period or not is welcomed. Both of the warblers which showed up in the South Peel Count Area unfortunately missed count period but one may not have been found at all had someone not been looking for another good winter bird. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet was seen at the end of Hixon Road in Oakville. While looking for this winter bird, a WILSON'S WARBLER with no tail was found near the fence on the northeast side of the treatment plant. This bird was last reported a couple of days ago. It does however look like it has a drooping wing so perhaps something has had a chase of it. The Ruby-crowned Kinglet was also located at this same area which is best accessed from Sedgewick Park at the end of Hixon Road in Oakville. A walk around Bronte Harbour on Christmas Eve day brought in another great bird, a YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER which was seen as recently as this morning. Patience is necessary. The bird seems to favour the spaces inbetween the rocks on the pier which you can walk out on the east side of the channel to the inner harbour where the white lighthouse is. Looking down at various intervals along the pier on both sides may give you a chance to see this bird gleaning insects on the wall. A tour of the southern end of the Hamilton Study Area near Cayuga was fruitful for getting a juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker which is overwintering on Irish Line just west of River Road. Throughout this area a number of Rough-legged Hawks and Northern Harriers can be seen cruising the fields. Several small flocks of Snow Buntings were seen in a few spots throughout this area. Also seen at the very edge of the HSA near Bismark was a GYRFALCON. At Ruthven this week a Tufted Titmouse was banded at the banding station. This seems to be a reliable spot for this species. Down at the east end of our area at Saddington Park, four Harlequin Ducks seem fairly reliable at this location just west of the end of Mississauga Road. One very fortunate observer saw a gray phase GYRFALCON flying by over the lake heading west on Monday. Hopefully this bird is relocated on a winter territory within the area. A female Barrow's Goldeneye was reported earlier in the week. Yellow-rumped Warblers were also seen in the park during the past couple of weeks for those winter listers. Another bird causing a stir here is a Barnacle Goose being seen at the base of Forty Mile Creek in Grimsby. Today the bird was located east of here at the foot of Nelles Street. It is always seen with a flock of Canada Geese and travels out in the day to fields up on the escarpment. It can be elusive. There is no way of telling the origin of this bird. A feather analysis of DNA would be the only reliable gauge. A single American Wigeon and a Glaucous Gull were also highlights here at 40 Mile Creek during the past couple of weeks. Gulls are starting to increase in number on the bay. A couple of Iceland Gulls, quite a few Glaucous Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls are best seen late in the day from LaSalle Marina or Bayfront Park in Hamilton. Bald Eagles are becoming more regular out on the bay and two adult birds seem to be holding down housekeeping in Cootes Paradise. Down at the Red Hill Creek Outlet off Eastport, Northern Shoveler, Ring-necked Duck, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal and two Wood Ducks were seen before Christmas. Two Brant continue to be seen at Spencer Smith Park in Burlington. In the odds and sods this week, other highlights of the South Peel and Hamilton Christmas Counts include a female King Eider and Barrow's Goldeneye at the Travelodge in Burlington, a Fox Sparrow in Waterdown near the hydro line just south of Mountain Brow Road at Waterdown Road, Chipping Sparrows seen on Old Waterdown Road and at the end of Smith Road in Ancaster, Long-eared Owls seen at the back of Bronte Creek Provincial Park, Tufted Titmice at the intersection of Brookfield Road and Brookfield Crescent near Dorval Drive in Oakville, Tundra Swans past Arkendo Park in Oakville and a Common Grackle was seen at Parkland Marsh off Parkland Road in Mississauga. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was seen up until Christmas Day in Greensville. A Merlin was seen today near Third Line and Lakeshore Road in Oakville. Snowy Owls seem to be present in the Hamilton Area but remain elusive for some. The Saltfleet area has been a good area with birds being reported along Mud Street and Highland Road at 8th and 11th Road East. One bird was seen at the Stoney Creek Airport. Another bird was reported from the Hagersville area last week. Yet another one was reported the week before last from Fallsview Road, west of Sydenham Road in Flamborough. Ruffed Grouse seem to be still making appearances at feeders in Flamborough. Common Ravens were seen at the intersection of Hwy 8 and Kirkwall Road Christmas Eve Day. A Northern Shrike was seen on First Road West Tuesday and another one was seen on the rail trail at VanWagners Ponds just before Christmas. Behind the Olympic arena the past couple of weeks a Northern Goshawk has been lurking about and Yellow-rumped Warblers were seen there yesterday. It has been a fantastic year of birding here in the Hamilton Study Area. Highlights include Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Painted Bunting, Long-billed Curlew, two Lark Sparrows and Ruff just to name a few. Spectacular views of juvenile and adult Sabine's Gull, up to five Black-legged Kittiwakes and all three Jaeger species at VanWagners Beach were another event that many people enjoyed. I'm sure that the new year will bring many more greats in this amazing birding area. All the best to you in 2010. Happy New Year! Cheers, Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Birding 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/
