ROSS'S GOOSE GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE EURASIAN WIGEON PARASITIC JAEGER
Snow Goose Cackling Goose Canada Goose Tundra Swan Wood Duck American Wigeon American Black Duck Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail Green-winged Teal Ring-necked Pheasant Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Sharp-shinned Hawk Northern Goshawk Red-shouldered Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Rough-legged Hawk Merlin Sandhill Crane American Woodcock Eastern Screech Owl Common Raven Yellow-rumped Warbler Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle Common Redpoll The weather is not helping the flow of migration these days. Things seem to be a bit behind here in the Hamilton Study Area but hardy birders looking for signs of spring have turned up some good birds. As is always with this time of year, waterfowl is the major focus and is the focus of this week's rarities. On Tuesday a ROSS'S GOOSE was found at Rock Chapel Golf Course on Highway 6 west of Clappison's Corners. The bird appears to be a one day wonder as it has not been seen since. Last week, a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was seen one afternoon at Bayfront Park. Again, it was another one day wonder only being seen last Thursday. Another exciting find was a EURASIAN WIGEON. This bird was originally found a week ago Monday. It was seen briefly at Powerline Road and 5th Road West then disappeared for a few days only to turn up again last weekend at the quarry pond on Green Mountain Road between 10th and 11th Road East. It was refound Sunday on 5th Road East between Green Mountain and Powerline Road assuming there is only one bird. It has not been seen since Monday but still could be hiding amongst waterfowl and corn stalks. The other rarity that was reported this week was a PARASITIC JAEGER seen on high east winds from Green Road in Stoney Creek on Tuesday. Another report of the same bird came from the other shoreline at Shoreacres in Burlington but the sighting was brief to confirm. This would be an exceptional record for this time of year. Continuing with the migrating waterfowl theme, Snow Geese were seen at 8th Line and Britannia in Oakville earlier in the week. Six Snow Geese flew over the hawk tower at Beamer earlier in the week as well. There are thousands of Canada Geese around so sifting through them is time consuming but several Cackling Geese have been reported from Saltfleet over the past two weeks. Tundra Swans continue to be around in force here in the area with over a hundred being seen at Cootes Paradise last weekend and many clusters of birds being seen at various locations throughout Flamborough and Saltfleet. Also seen in the flooded fields are Wood Duck, American Wigeon, American Black Duck, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail and Green-winged Teal. The Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch has been fairly busy this week despite the wrong winds. Turkey Vultures comprise the bulk of what is travelling but other raptors include Bald Eagle (10 yesterday), Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawk. Tomorrow is the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch Open House. Details can be found at http://www.niagarapeninsulahawkwatch.org/. I think the weather is supposed to co-operate and this weekend there could be a good push of raptors. There is good news for the Bald Eagles in Cootes Paradise. After several years of failed nesting two chicks have hatched. The nest is best seen from the marsh boardwalk at the Royal Botanical Gardens or can be scoped from Princess Point. In the odds and sods this week, an early(ish) Osprey was seen on the Grand River just inside the northwest portion of the Hamilton Study area in Cambridge last weekend. Merlins are back on territory on Howe Avenue opposite house number opposite house number 142. Sandhill Cranes have been seen at Beamer over the hawkwatch and one flew past the quarry on 10th Road east while a birder was looking for the Eurasian Wigeon. A Rough-legged Hawk also made an appearance there. An American Woodcock made an excellent yard bird in Oakville this week, probing for food near the warmth of a brick wall of a house. Eastern Screech Owls were seen in the Tuck Creek Area of Burlington. Common Ravens are on nest at the quarry on 10th Road East. A Yellow-rumped Warbler was seen near Spencer Creek in Dundas earlier in the week, likely an overwintering bird moving around. Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles continue to increase in number around the area. Just to let us know that we aren't done with the winter finches, a group of Common Redpolls was seen up in the weedy patch near the railway on 10th Road east, others at a feeder in Hamilton and still others along with a Hoary Redpoll at a feeder in Rock Chapel. That's the news this week. The south winds and sun this weekend should bring a flood of migrants into the area. Keep me posted on what you see! 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/
