On Saturday, December 15th, 2012, this is the HNC Birding report:
WESTERN/CLARK'S AECHMORPHORUS SP. BARN SWALLOW RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET BROWN THRASHER ORANG-CROWNED WARBLER NASHVILLE WARBLER CAPE MAY WARBLER King Eider Wild Turkey Red-throated Loon Horned Grebe Northern Harrier Northern Shrike Common Raven Brown Creeper Golden-crowned Kinglet Yellow-rumped Warbler White-crowned Sparrow Common Redpoll Pine Siskin It's all about quality this week with the top of the list looking like May again, a repeat of Bayfront Park last year. Yesterday 2 BARN SWALLOWS were seen over the tanks at the sewage treatment plant located on Lakeshore Road in Burlington. These two birds are probably the same as were seen on the fall count and at various times throughout November. A report two days ago sent this birder out holding vigil again for these birds and after dipping yesterday, today the two birds were seen flying over the tanks directly across from the Beachway Pavillion. Along with them were 7 Yellow-rumped Warblers in the trees and bushes at the fence line, something to watch for other warblers joining this group. Our Patagonia Picnic spot this year is Sedgewick Park at the extreme end of Hixon Road in Oakville. Last Friday, I was happy to find a single Ruby-throated Kinglet before it went dark. A return trip on Sunday, turned up not only the kinglet but 2 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS and a CAPE MAY WARBLER. A birder looking for these great winter birds turned up a NASHVILLE WARBLER on Tuesday. Not only one but up to 3 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS and some Golden-crowned Kinglets are now present. Patience is necessary as these birds are keeping low and out of sight. Of note yesterday though was what seemed to be a fresh midge hatch, there were bugs everywhere. This is encouraging news for the South Peel Christmas Count tomorrow. This morning a WESTERN/CLARK'S GREBE AECHMORPHORUS SP. was seen at a distance from a keen birder on a balcony of his condo at Green Road in Stoney Creek. Just a reminder that lakewatching is a 365 day event! Lastly of note a BROWN THRASHER was seen and photographed at the Windermere Basin Thursday. There are other good birds in the odds and sods. Thirty Wild Turkeys were seen on the east side of Hwy 6 just north of Parkside Drive but south of Terra Nurseries.A couple of Red-throated Loons were seen again at Bayfront Park and from Princess Point. A Horned Grebe was present out on the lake a distance from the Beachway Pavillion where the Barn Swallows were on Thursday. A Northern Harrier was present at Bronte Creek Provincial Park. Northern Shrike is up in the traditional finding spot for these in winter, 10th Road east. Another Northern Shrike was seen on east side of Winston Churchill 200 m north of Deer Run drive north from Lakeshore Road Wednesday. A Common Raven flew over Preservation Park in Guelph. Two more Ravens were seen at the Southeast corner of Rock Chapel. Yellow-rumped Warblers are present at Saddington Park in Mississauga along with Pine Siskins and Common Redpolls. An immature White-crowned Sparrow was seen at a feeder up in Flamborough for a day. Common Redpolls and Pine Siskins were also seen at a feeder in Oakville this week. The South Peel Count is today. If you have any sightings for this area or for the Hamilton Area, please email me. Have a great week. Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Sorry for the delay in report, total computer meltdown last night. _______________________________________________ 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/
