On Friday, June 1st, 2012 this is the HNC Birding Report: FISH CROW NELSON'S SPARROW
Wood Duck Blue-winged Teal White-winged Scoter Bufflehead Common Loon Red-shouldered Hawk Broad-winged Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Semipalmated Plover Greater Yellowlegs Whimbrel Marbled Godwit Ruddy Turnstone Red Knot Semipalmated Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Dunlin Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Yellow-throated Vireo Common Raven Tufted Titmouse Golden-crowned Kinglet Swainson's Thrush Golden-winged Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Wilson's Warbler Canada Warbler Pine Siskin It's a quieter week here in the Hamilton Study area with birds settling into the breeding areas and very few migrants. Our resident FISH CROW(S) were seen down at Bronte Harbour again. If anyone is down viewing these crows and notes any evidence of nesting(i.e. adults feeding young), please email me. It would be good to document such breeding evidence. Our other bird of the week was a NELSON'S SPARROW seen at Westover and 6th Concession. Although I am sure that these secretive sparrows pass through the area regularly in spring, they are more inclined to be seen in the fall. This is only the third spring record for this species. It was a one day wonder. Shorebirds are still in the forefront this week. On Monday a flock of 50 - 60 Whimbrel were seen off Burloak Park swirling around, the furthest west these have been reported this year. Out in the Dundas Marsh, a Marbled Godwit made an appearance on Thursday and stayed into Friday much to my delight. This is a rare species for the area and they have been scarce in the past number of years. Best viewed from the platform off the boardwalk at the Marsh Boardwalk trail of the Royal Botanical Gardens, other birds that were present there were Semipalmated Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper and Dunlin. I am sure that given the rain, water levels will be up and smaller shorebirds will have to seek other places. Viewed from Eastport Drive, North Island was host to a Dunlin and Ruddy Turnstone on Friday. A group of a dozen shorebirds were seen swirling near the break wall of Canada Centre for Inland Waters today with at least three probable Red Knots. Others could have been Dunlin or Sanderling, not easy to see in these deteriorating conditions. At the Red Hill Stormwater Pond a dozen Semipalmated Sandpipers and a Semipalmated Plover were seen Friday. At the Great Lakes Stormwater Ponds at Rebecca and Great Lakes Blvd in Oakville last Sunday, Semipalmated, Least Sandpiper and Dunlin were transients there. A check on Tuesday yielded a late Greater Yellowlegs. A trickling of passerine migrants were seen this week. At Shoreacres/Paletta Park in Burlington, Swainson's Thrush, Wilson and Canada Warbler were seen last Sunday. Also on Sunday, a Yellow Bellied Flycatcher and Chestnut-sided Warbler were seen at the Lilac Garden at the Royal Botanical Gardens. A Philadelphia Vireo and Common Nighthawks were seen at a yard near Gage Park in Hamilton in the week There is lots to report in the odds and sods this week. At least ten Wood Ducks and two Blue-winged Teal were present at the Dundas Marsh Thursday evening and Friday morning. White-winged Scoter, Bufflehead and Common Loons were seen off Shoreacres/Paletta in Burlington last Saturday. Three Surf Scoters were seen near Tollgate Ponds. A Red-shouldered and Broad-winged Hawk flew over Dundas within 15 minutes of each other in Dundas. Hard to tell at this point whether they are migrants, breeding or summering birds. Another Broad-winged Hawk was seen over Westover earlier in the week. A Merlin has been reported from Central Park in Burlington with photographs taken, perhaps this species has decided to nest in the area. Common Ravens have fledged young up near Fletchers Creek in Flamborough. A Golden-winged Warbler was an unexpected surprise up in this area although I do not have specifics on location of this sighting. A Tufted Titmouse made a guest appearance at a feeder near Rock Chapel today. Yellow-throated Vireo are on territory at the Millgrove Loam Pits on 5th concession west in Flamborough and at Ruthven. Canada Warblers are back on territory on 10th Concession West in the Beverly Swamp and likely at Lennon Road in north Flamborough. At a field on Valens and 6th Concession In Flamborough, Golden-crowned Kinglet sang from the confers there south of this location, an unusual species for this time of year, Clay-colored and Grasshopper Sparrow were singing in a field on the north side of the road. A Pine Siskin was seen doing a display flight in a yard in Dundas, obvious signs that they have decided to stay in the area for the season. Last but not least the Peregrine Falcon chicks at the Sheraton have been banded this week. Their names correspond with historic Waterfalls in Hamilton, three boys Beckett, Felker and Tiffany. They can be viewed at http://falcons.hamiltonnature.org/ Don't let your guard down, there are still breeding birds and rarities about. Once the rain stops, opportunity knocks to find something good. Please report your sightings here. Good birding, Cheryl Edgecombe HNC _______________________________________________ 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/
