On Friday, December 31st, 2010, this is the HNC Birding Report: PURPLE SANDPIPER BOHEMIAN WAXWING ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER COMMON YELLOWTHROAT
Snow Goose Cackling Goose Tundra Swan Wood Duck Green-winged Teal King Eider Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Black Scoter Ring-necked Pheasant Black-crowned Night Heron Bald Eagle Merlin Iceland Gull Short-eared Owl Belted Kingfisher Northern Flicker Northern Shrike Common Raven Eastern Bluebird Fox Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Lapland Longspur Snow Bunting Pine Grosbeak Common Redpoll Pine Siskin The Christmas Bird Count always brings out some of the goodies in the area with people scouring their given territories. A few good birds were turned up on the count that are worth looking for again in the new year... An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was turned up at Bayfront Park on count day. The bird was found again yesterday just east of the 1000 m mark along the waterfront trail as you head for the High Level Bridge from the parking lot at Bayfront. It was on its own yesterday but was hanging with chickadees and kinglets the day of the count. There is lots of good habitat so patience is necessary. A COMMON YELLOWTHROAT was seen at the RBG Property along the hillside at Lamb's Hollow located off Unsworth Avenue north of Plains Road. A search for this bird on Thursday could not turn it up. BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were found at the gate of the Hidden Valley Golf Club located on Sideroad No 1 accessed from Parkside Drive in Waterdown on count day. A flock of about 35 birds remained there on Tuesday and a Pine Grosbeak flew over while viewing the birds. Another good bird for the week which was not included in the Hamilton CBC circle was a PURPLE SANDPIPER seen on the rocks at Fifty Point on Count Day. This has been a frustrating bird for some birders as a few have passed by Fifty Point but none seem to stick around. On Fallsview Road in Flamborough, the number of Snow Buntings has decreased but there is still a significant flock present along with Horned Larks and a single Lapland Longspur. Waterfowl continue to be prevalent in the Hamilton Study Area. Both Snow Goose and Cackling Goose have been present on and off at Bronte Harbour. Timing is all luck as the birds fly in and out of the harbour at least twice a day. Early morning seems to be more successful. A male King Eider was seen in a raft of ducks off Fifty Point on Wednesday. The bird is almost in adult plumage, stunning. All three scoter species were observed from here too. Tundra Swans can still be found on the bay with several being seen at LaSalle marina. Wood Ducks also seem to be about with one at LaSalle, two at Willow Point and one at the Red Hill Creek outlet off Eastport on count day. Green-winged Teal are also present at the outlet. In the odds and sods from the count and count week Ring-necked Pheasant at Felker's Falls Conservation Area. Black-crowned Night Herons are present at the Red Hill Creek Outlet and at the Desjardins Canal. At least two Bald Eagles were seen on the ice off Caroll's Point yesterday. Two Merlins and an Iceland Gull were seen at Bronte Harbour this morning while on a goose hunt. Short-eared Owl was seen at Grassie on the 26th. There have been reports of individuals at the traditional 10th Road East Spot as well. Belted Kingfishers were seen from Willow Point and off LaSalle on count day. A Northern Flicker was a guest at the suet at a feeder in Greensville. Northern Shrikes have been reported at Felker's Falls Conservation area and down in Caledonia. Common Ravens were seen on count day at Robson Road near Waterdown and over 5th Concession West and Middletown Road in Flamborough on Thursday. Eastern Bluebirds seem to be around at the RBG at the George North Platform, near the Mineral Springs/Slote Road marsh and nine were seen at Taquanyah Conservation Area today. White-crowned Sparrows are present at feeders in Caledonia, on the East Mountain at the Dickenson Road Parking Area and one at Woodland Cemetery. A Fox Sparrow was seen just before the count at a feeder in Dundas. Pine Siskins are still being reported at various feeders and there was a flyover of a Common Redpoll at Confederation Park today. Happy New Year to everyone! All new birds to start the year tomorrow, make sure to send along your sightings. All the best and good birding in 2011. Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Hotline 905-381-0329 _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
