On Saturday, May 29th, 2010, this is the HNC Birding Report: Green-winged Teal Surf Scoter Red-throated Loon Common Loon Pied-billed Grebe Horned Grebe American Bittern Common Moorhen Black-bellied Plover Semipalmated Plover Spotted Sandpiper Lesser Yellowlegs Solitary Sandpiper Whimbrel Semipalmated Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Dunlin Wilson's Phalarope Black Tern Yellow-billed Cuckoo Common Nighthawk Whip-poor-will Ruby-throated Hummingbird Willow Flycatcher Philadelphia Vireo Common Raven Gray-cheeked Thrush American Pipit Blue-winged Warbler Palm Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Ovenbird Mourning Warbler Wilson's Warbler Canada Warbler Clay-colored Sparrow Lapland Longspur Orchard Oriole Purple Finch
Things are getting quieter here in the HSA. It appears that this wonky spring migration is winding down with some species not being seen as conditions were right for them to keep going to the breeding grounds. There were a few interesting sightings on this week. The Whimbrel migration had a push last weekend with several flocks being seen from Saddington Park in Mississauga (reported last week). This week there were several smaller flocks seen along the lakeshore including 3 seen off Shoreacres in Burlington today. Other shorebirds in the news include the sighting of a female Wilson's Phalarope on a big day last Sunday in the wet field on Powerline Road in Saltfleet. This bird was not relocated the next day however a pair was found on 5th Road East on Monday along with Least and Solitary Sandpiper and one Green-winged Teal. At the Red Hill Pond, Spotted Sandpipers seem to have a nesting colony there. Semipalmated Plover, Semipalmated and Least Sandpiper were also present. Out at the Dundas Marsh Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Semipalmated and Least Sandpiper and Dunlin were seen on the mud flats. A Lake Ontario pelagic trip this week was interesting for sightings of many Common Loons, a Red-throated Loon and Black Tern. Nightjars are in the news. Two Whip-poor-will were heard calling in the wee hours of the morning Sunday on Kirkwall Road inbetween 6th Concession West and Safari Road. Common Nighthawks have put in regular appearances this week over Grimsby and at the Grimsby Sewage Lagoons. The lakeshore properties have been quiet this week. Migrants seen at Shell Park in Oakville and Shoreacres in Burlington include Willow Flycatcher, Eastern Wood Pewee, Philadelphia Vireo and Orchard Oriole. Warbler species diversity was low with Ovenbird, Palm, Blackpoll, Mourning, Wilson's and Canada Warbler being reported from Shell Park and Shoreacres. Other highlights from a big day done in the Hamilton Study area last Sunday include Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Mourning and Blue-winged Warbler in the Curry Tract. Gray-cheeked Thrush was found at Sherwood Forest Park in Burlington. Red-headed Woodpeckers are back on territory at Sheffield and 5th Concession West in Flamborough. A Common Raven was seen being harassed by crows at this intersection. A great highlight was an American Pipit and 4 female type Lapland Longspurs at a field on Mill borough Line and Campbellville Road. Several species of shorebirds were here in the wet field as well including Least, Semipalmated and Solitary Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs and Semipalmated Plover. American Bittern, Common Moorhen and Pied-billed Grebe are all on territory at Grass Lake near Glen Morris. Sandhill Cranes seem to be missing from this site this year. Clay-colored Sparrow can be heard at the Rockton Sparrow Field on Kirkwall Road just north of Concession 6. Purple Finch was heard singing up on Lennon Road in North Flamborough, a really neat habitat for some of the northern species who chose to stay a bit south in breeding season. On the lake a distant Surf Scoter was seen at Fifty Point and a Horned Grebe was seen from Shoreacres in Burlington. That's the news for this week. Now is not the time for slacking, there could be something lurking out there waiting to be discovered. Some lingering migrants may still be about. 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/
