On Friday, November 25th, 2011, this is the HNC Birding Report: BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE POMARINE JAEGER YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
Cackling Goose Ross Goose Tundra Swan Red-throated Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Turkey Vulture American Coot Sandhill Crane Spotted Sandpiper Dunlin Wilson's Snipe Glaucous Gull Great Black-backed Gull Snowy Owl Northern Shrike Blue-gray Gnatcatcher American Pipit Orange-crowned Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Fox Sparrow Purple Finch White-winged Crossbill Pine Siskin It's been a quiet two weeks here in the Hamilton Study area but winter listing is coming up so in this regard, there are some interesting birds about. This just in: A YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER was just seen this morning gleaning insects off a house in Grimsby. The bird was well seen and flew into the woodlot to the east of Puddicombe Farms. I will post if the bird is refound today. VanWagner's Beach is still a place to look out. Two weeks ago BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE and POMARINE JAEGER were both seen on southwest winds. On Tuesday strong Northeast winds brought hopeful birders out to brave the conditions. Birds were few but a nice dark-morph juvenile POMARINE JAEGER made a close pass up the beach. Red-throated Loons in bigger numbers than Common Loons are still moving through the area with reports from here and from Fifty Point. Great Black-backed Gulls are increasing in number along the lake shore. Tundra Swans and three Dunlin were seen from 50 Point in the last week or so. Also seen along the lake at LP Sayers Park was a Glaucous Gull on Wednesday. The Ross Geese were a one day wonder down at LaSalle. Birds here this week included Horned Grebes and Tundra Swans though. A Cackling Goose flew over Waterdown. This morning I noted a big increase in the number of geese around so any look for non-Canada types would be good. For the winter listers: Besides the Yellow-throated Warbler, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was seen on the Waterfront Trail at Bayfront Park about 300 meters from the gazebo. A Spotted Sandpiper was seen just east of Lakeside Park in Mississauga Monday. On Monday, a great find was a Snowy Owl originally found west of the Suncor Pier at Lakeside Park but then seen east of the Pier at Waters Edge Park in Mississauga. Nine Wilson's Snipe were still present on the east side of 5th Road East north of Powerline as of last Saturday. These warmer conditions should hold them here. A number of Turkey Vultures have been roosting near Patterson Tract which is on 4th Concession West, west of Woodhill Road in Flamborough. Here's hoping that one of the Black Vultures from Niagara join them! A Yellow-rumped Warbler was found on the east side of Port Credit Harbour on Monday. This is a traditional wintering place for this species. There was also a report of a Warbler behind Olympic arena near the first hydro tower which sounded good for an Orange-crowned Warbler. A Fox Sparrow was seen at the Valley Inn yesterday. In the odds and sods, a whopping 560 American Coots were counted at the back of Mountsberg last week. This is a traditional staging area for these. Sandhill Cranes were seen at the Bannister Lake Conservation Area which is on the edge of the circle. Northern Shrikes have been reported from a number of spots including Deer Run Court in Brantford, Fallsview Road and Fifty Point. An American Pipit was seen on Howell Road. Purple Finches and Pine Siskins are still being reported from various places in the Hamilton Study area in loose flocks or at feeders. A flock of White-winged Crossbills were seen at the back of Mountsberg last week. 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/
