BLACK VULTURE FISH CROW Snow Goose Rosss Goose Cackling Goose Tundra Swan Wood Duck American Wigeon Canvasback Redhead Ring-necked Duck Greater Scaup King Eider Black Scoter White-winged Scoter Surf Scoter Common Goldeneye Hooded Merganser Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Ring-necked Pheasant Ruffed Grouse Pied-billed Grebe Horned Grebe Turkey Vulture Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Red-shouldered Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Golden Eagle Sandhill Crane Killdeer American Woodcock Snowy Owl Northern Shrike Common Raven Horned Lark Red-winged Blackbird Eastern Meadowlark Rusty Blackbird Common Grackle Purple Finch Its finally starting to feel like spring here in the Hamilton Study Area. Despite rugged conditions, birds are starting to push through and hope is high that we will see warm temperatures soon. Two rarities were recorded this week. At 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, a BLACK VULTURE cruised over the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch at Beamer Conservation Area in Grimsby. Yesterday a BLACK VULTURE was seen over Dundas with a kettle of Turkey Vultures and eventually settled into a roost near Tweedsmuir Drive. This is the spot where one roosted a few years ago around the same time. There were two sightings of FISH CROW this week, one from Bronte Harbour mid-week and one from Jack Darling Park yesterday. These are two species that may become a yearly event in the Hamilton Study Area. Migrants arriving this week include three Cackling Geese seen at 40 mile creek in Grimsby yesterday. Flocks of Tundra Swans have been seen and heard over a few locations in the area with some reported over Saltfleet, at Dyments Farm and over Valley Inn. Two Snow Geese were seen flying over 10th Road East in Saltfleet. A migrant Pied-billed Grebe was seen off Grays Road in Stoney Creek. Horned Grebe was also seen at Bronte Harbour. Sandhill Cranes were noted over Valley Inn early in the early week. Killdeer were seen in numbers going over the tower at Beamer Memorial Conservation Area on Wednesday. One of the nicest signs of spring is the peenting of American Woodcock which was late this year. Birds were being heard from the parking lot of the RBG property off York Road. Of course Red-winged Blackbirds and Grackles continue to grow in numbers through the area. Yesterday a Rusty Blackbird was mixed in with a group of blackbirds, cowbirds and starlings on Green Mountain Road between Tapleytown and 5th Road East. An Eastern Meadowlark was heard singing on 10th Road East near the tracks. This could have been an overwintering bird but nice to hear the spring song nonetheless. Other news from the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch includes growing numbers of Turkey Vultures, Bald Eagles, Coopers Hawk, Northern Harrier, Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawk and the seasons first Golden Eagle. Another Golden Eagle passed through and was well photographed yesterday. Turkey Vultures were moving through in numbers over various locations in the area this week. Bronte Harbour seems to be a good place for waterfowl. Up to three King Eider are still present at this location. A number of Athaya ducks are present including Ring-necked Duck, Scaup, Canvasback and Redhead. An interesting find is a Canvasback x Redhead hybrid. On a side note, a Snowy Owl continues to dine on the waterfowl here. Another good place for waterfowl is the Desjardins Canal. Yesterday a small white goose (probable Ross goose) was seen in the morning. Other waterfowl seen here include Wood Duck, American Wigeon, Canvasback, Common Goldeneye, Hooded, Common and Red-breasted Merganser. In the odds and sods this week all three scoter species were seen along the lakeshore with Black Scoter present at Grays Road. A pair of Ring-necked Pheasants and a Northern Shrike were seen on 10th Road East. The dark phase Western Red-tailed Hawk was seen on Mud between 10th and 11th Road East. Another individual seems to be present just west of Brant on the North Service Road. Snowy Owls are still being seen down at Bronte Harbour and up on 8th Road East and on Green Mountain Road between 5th and 6th Road East. Common Ravens were seen over Beamer and another one seen over Hamilton near the escarpment on Inglewood Drive. These could be migrants or could be local birds moving about. Ruffed Grouse have made sporadic appearances at a feeder near Westover and 8th Concession in Flamborough. A Purple Finch was a stop by guest here as well this week.
Things are moving so get out there and let me know what you see. Sorry for the delay on the report. Internet issues! Good birding, Cheryl Edgecombe HNC --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup
