On Friday, November 30th, 2012, this is the HNC Birding Report: BLACK VULTURE LEAST SANDPIPER BARN SWALLOW BOHEMIAN WAXWING
Snow Goose Tundra Swan King Eider Harlequin Duck Pied-billed Grebe Black-crowned Night Heron Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Eastern Bluebird Pine Grosbeak White-winged Crossbill Common Redpoll Evening Grosbeak It's been another relatively quiet week here in the Hamilton Study area but the birds at the top of the list give people hope to bump up the winter list with some quality birds tomorrow. A BLACK VULTURE found last week near Sulphur Springs Road was last reported on Tuesday at 878 Sulphur Springs Road. It would be worthy to check this location as likely the bird is still around. Turkey Vultures might also be a good bet here too. Yesterday a LEAST SANDPIPER was photographed at Valley Inn on the extensive mudflat there. This is an extremely late date for this species although Birds of Hamilton shows mid December as our record late date. Nonetheless this is a great winter bird. Also in the high needs category for winter listing is BARN SWALLOW. Three were seen on the Fall Bird Count at the sewage treatment plant behind Joseph Brant Hospital, one of these birds was seen on Monday near the Skyway Bridge. Lastly, BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were seen at the RBG Arboretum off Old Guelph Road and one was seen in a flock of Cedar Waxwings on Concession 1 Puslinch. Winter finches are still in the mix this week with Pine Grosbeak being heard near Carolina Park in Brantford and a possible one being heard at Woodland Cemetery in Burlington. White-winged Crossbills are still around but in reduced numbers with a flock being seen at the yard of the Hamilton Conservation Authority on Mineral Springs Road. Common Redpolls seem to be growing in numbers. Flocks of 23 and then 35 were seen in South Burlington during the week. A sizable flock of 80 Evening Grosbeaks were seen near Green Road in Stoney Creek. The rest of the lot is in the odds and sods. A Snow Goose was photographed near D'Aubigny Sports Field in Brantford. Tundra Swans were seen in good numbers from LaSalle Marina and in Cootes Paradise this week. Two King Eiders were seen near Green Road a first year male and female were reported last weekend from this location. A Pied-billed Grebe has taken up its traditional winter home in the Desjardins Canal. A number of Black-crowned Night Herons (9) were seen in the Red Hill Creek Outlet earlier this week. Two Bald Eagles have been patrolling the Dundas Marsh. A Northern Harrier was seen at Appleby Line and Steeles on Wednesday and Eastern Bluebirds still seem to be about with birds reported from the Arboretum and from Berry Tract. There are plenty of winter listers out there who are anxious to find new birds for their list. If you see anything unusual or that you think should be gone by now, please report your sightings here! Cheers, 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/
