On Friday, September 16, 2011, this is the HNC Birding Report: SABINES GULL PARASITIC JAEGER LONG-TAILED JAEGER
American Wigeon Northern Pintail Green-winged Teal Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Long-tailed Duck Red-breasted Merganser Common Loon Great Blue Heron Great Egret Green Heron Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Sharp-shinned Hawk American Kestrel Merlin Peregrine Falcon Black-bellied Plover American Golden-Plover Semipalmated Plover Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Whimbrel Ruddy Turnstone Red Knot Sanderling Semipalmated Sandpiper Least Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Buff-breasted Sandpiper Wilsons Phalarope Common Tern Northern Saw-whet Owl Common Nighthawk Chimney Swift Yellow-throated Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Gray-cheeked Thrush Swainson's Thrush Magnolia Warbler Prairie Warbler Black-and-white Warbler American Redstart Common Yellowthroat Connecticut Warbler Wilson's Warbler Its been another busy week here in Hamilton. Last weekend on east winds, birders were not disappointed again with sightings of LONG-TAILED and PARASITIC JAEGERS. On Sunday, winds were not as strong but the SABINES GULLS did not care as good numbers were recorded. A flock of 13 landed behind a zodiac early in the day and later on another 16 were seen around the zodiac within viewing distance of the Lakeland tower. An adult bird was present in this flocks In the late afternoon, the 16 birds arose from the water and flew inland. Another report from out on the water turned up more birds including some adults. Other birds seen at the beach were American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Surf and White-winged Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Loon, Whimbrel, Red Knot, White-rumped Sandpiper, Sanderling(in good numbers) Common Tern, Osprey, Merlin and Chimney Swift. The Windermere Basin is still a good area for shorebirds. American Golden, Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plover, Least, Semipalmated and Bairds Sandpiper were present this week. A nice treat were three Buff-breasted Sandpipers still present as of today. At the Red Hill Stormwater Pond, Semipalmated Plover, Wilsons Phalarope, Lesser Yellowlegs, and Semipalmated Sandpiper were seen this week. There is also some edging along Tollgate ponds where Sanderling, White-rumped and Semipalmated Sandpiper were seen. Out in the Dundas Marsh a large mud flat is emerging. This mudflat can be seen from the marsh boardwalk at the Northshore trails of the Royal Botanical Gardens. Here this week was a sizable flock of 24 White-rumped Sandpipers. Other birds seen here were Great Blue Heron, Great Egrets (10), Black-crowned Night Heron, Green Heron, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted, Solitary, Least and Semipalmated Sandpiper. Down at the Suncor Pier in Bronte, an area west of the pier had sufficient algae to hold Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Spotted and Semipalmated Sandpiper. There is also a thick mat of algae at the east end of Bronte Harbour in front of the apartment buildings on the shore, worth checking for drop ins. Another event happening this week was the migration of hawks. Yesterday on northwest winds birds were reported first over Dundas and then along the Oakville/Burlington Lakeshore. Hundreds of Broad-winged Hawks were seen migrating along the shore of the lake. With them Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned and Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon. Passerine migration continues as well. One of the hotspots this week was Ruthven Banding Station at Ruthven Conservation Area. Yellow-throated Vireo, Prairie and Connecticut Warbler were banded during the week. If you are looking for a fun event, the Ruthven Birding Festival is on this weekend. http://www.ruthvenpark.ca Down at Shoreacres in Burlington this week, Black-bellied Plover, Gray-cheeked and Swainsons Thrush, Red-eyed Vireo, Magnolia, Black-and-white and Wilsons Warbler and Common Yellowthroat were seen. In the odds and sods, three types of herons were seen at VanWagners Ponds, Great Blue, Black-crowned Night Heron and Green Heron. Its always good at this time of year to check out the Black-crowneds for a lurking Yellow-crowned Night Heron. A Red-shouldered Hawk was seen going south along the shore of Grimsby. Common Nighthawks were seen over the Valley Inn one evening mid-week. A Northern Saw-whet Owl was an unexpected guest in a yard in Dundas. Thats the news for this week. Should be a nice weekend for the OFO Conference at Pelee and the Ruthven Birding Festival. Good birding, Cheryl Edgecombe _______________________________________________ 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/
