On Friday, February 18th, 2011, this is the HNC Birding Report: GRAY PARTRIDGE
Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Great Blue Heron Turkey Vulture Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Red-tailed Hawk (dark morph) Rough-legged Hawk Short-eared Owl Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Northern Flicker Northern Shrike Horned Lark Tufted Titmouse Eastern Bluebird White-crowned Sparrow Lapland Longspur Snow Bunting Rusty Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird Common Redpoll Pine Siskin Evening Grosbeak It's been a quiet two weeks here in the Hamilton Study area but maybe this warm trend the past couple of days will turn something up. Every year Southern Ontario birders seek the elusive Gray Partridge covey at the Brantford airport. Every year it's the same story with some thinking they have been extirpated, others who desperately search and find. This year we are happy to report that the covey was found on the Brantford airport property although it is a hit and miss. The birds have been seen off Robinson Road between Potruff and Green Road. Although last seen last weekend they are probably still about and more difficult to locate in disappearing snow and high winds. Up to 15 were seen last weekend. The Haldimand area was the only area really reported from this week for a variety of birds due to an HNC field trip and others who ventured that way. A Great Blue Heron was seen at Taquanyah Conservation area. In the fields down in this area Rough-legged Hawks (First Line Road) and Northern Harriers were seen over fields which run from Hwy 9 south of Hagersville. One nice surprise last Saturday was a dark morph Red-tailed Hawk which was seen over Caledonia. Short-eared Owls can been seen in the Raptor Reserve area near Fisherville which is technically out of our area but worth noting. A Northern Flicker and some Brown-headed Cowbirds were seen on River Road just north of Cayuga. At the feeders on River Road just south of Irish Line Tufted Titmouse and Rusty Blackbirdwere highlights by two different parties. At Ruthven Park Hwy 54 between Hwy 6 and 3 a Northern Shrike was spotted by a keen observer. Another was seen on Townline Road. Ruthven is a nice place to visit this time of year as there is a large feeder set up there. Tufted Titmouse and Common Redpoll were noted. Eastern Bluebirds were reported on the trip but no specific location was given. Along the many crossroads down in the area Horned Larks, Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs can be seen. At a Snow Bunting banding station on 1st line in a triangle field bounded by 1st line, MacKenzie Road and Regional Road nine, Snow Bunting and Lapland Longspurs are present. Horned Larks are on the move now. In the odds and sods, Red-necked and Horned Grebes were seen off Sioux Lookout in Burlington last Monday. Two Horned Grebes were seen off Van Wagners Beach two weeks ago. A Horned Grebe is still present in the Red Hill Outlet in Hamilton. Great Blue Herons are still being reported in the Red Hill Outlet as well. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was seen the week before last on Concession 1 near Puslinch. Turkey Vultures continue to be sporadically reported with one being seen at the entrance to Christie Conservation area and another over the intersection of Scenic and Upper Paradise in the week. The week before a total of 9 were seen between Brantford and Lynden. White-crowned Sparrows were seen on the road into the Brantford dump last Friday. Pine Siskins continue to be reported at feeders throughout the Hamilton Study Area. Two Evening Grosbeaks were seen at the Sudden Tract near Cambridge the Saturday before last. These birds could be on the move north so keep your feeders stocked. That's the news for this week, last week of winter listing. Enjoy! Cheryl Edgecombe Hamilton Naturalists Club _______________________________________________ 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/
