On Friday, March 26th, 2010, this is the HNC Birding Report: WESTERN GREBE BLACK VULTURE Harlequin Ducks Common Loon Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Turkey Vulture Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Northern Goshawk Red-shouldered Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Rough-legged Hawk Golden Eagle Killdeer American Woodcock Eastern Phoebe Tree Swallow Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Eastern Bluebird Yellow-rumped Warbler Fox Sparrow Lapland Longspur Eastern Meadowlark
Spring has halfway sprung here in the Hamilton Area. A small rush of migrants that slowed late week due to cold temperatures has brought some but not all early migrants into this area. The two rarities WESTERN GREBE and BLACK VULTURE have not been reported since last weekend. The BLACK VULTURE was last seen flying out in Flamborough after spending the night roosting on Tweedsmuir Drive in Dundas with a flock of Turkey Vultures. The bird was seen in the conifers until about 9:15 a.m on Saturday when it took flight and flew over Fallsview Road and then over Millgrove Road in Waterdown. Some who were looking for the Lapland Longspur flock on Fallsview were fortunate enough to get the bird over their heads. An Eastern Meadowlark was also calling from this area. The WESTERN GREBE was last seen on Sunday at Saddington Park in Mississauga along with Common Loon, Horned and Red-necked Grebes. A search for the bird yesterday didn't turn up anything but the two other species of grebe and a single Tree Swallow. The Harlequin Ducks, 1 male and two females are always a treat to see. A Yellow-rumped Warbler was seen near the shoreline on the east side. The Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch has been a little slow this week due to wind direction however Red-tailed, Red-shouldered Hawk, Northern Harrier, Rough-legged Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle were all counted this week. Two Fox Sparrows were seen today in the shrub pile. Other early migrants seen this week include Tree Swallows seen at Windermere Basin and the Dundas Hydro Ponds on Wednesday. An Eastern Phoebe was seen near Brantford Thursday morning. Killdeer continue to increase in numbers and American Woodcock can still be hear peenting despite cold temperatures off York Road and Lower Lions Club Road. A Great Horned Owl was also heard at the Lions Club Road location. Eastern Bluebirds have returned to the Carlisle Area. Ruby and Golden-crowned Kinglets were seen near Glen Morris. Yellow-rumped Warblers were seen in the Dundas Marsh area but they are likely overwintering birds at this point. That's the news for this week, short and sweet. Hopefully warmer temperatures will bring more migrants during this coming week. 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 information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
