BLACK VULTURE ROSS' GOOSE Snow Goose Cackling Goose Canada Goose Tundra Swan Wood Duck American Wigeon King Eider Ring-necked Pheasant Ruffed Grouse Common Loon Pied-billed Grebe Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Sharp=shinned Hawk Red-shouldered Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Golden Eagle Merlin Peregrine Falcon Sandhill Crane Killdeer American Woodcock Iceland Gull Snowy Owl Eastern Phoebe Northern Shrike Eastern Meadowlark Purple Finch
Things are looking more promising this week as the temperatures rise, the snow melts and the winds start to turn more southerly. More birds have been seen this past week than in the entire winter it seems. There is hope! This week's features include another BLACK VULTURE over the tower at Beamer Memorial Conservations Area on Wednesday. Another sailed over the tower last Saturday making it a total of three in the area this season so far with likely more to come. The week has been busy here with the passing of hawks above and below the escarpment depending on the winds along the Grimsby and Stoney Creek Lakeshore. Many Vultures, a good showing of Red-shouldered Hawks, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned, Red-tailed Hawks, Peregrine Falcon, Merlin and Golden Eagle have all been part of the picture at the Hawkwatch this week. This coming week bodes well for another good push of birds. Other birds seen there include Sandhill Crane, Killdeer and American Woodcock which was probing around the bird feeder. The other big story of the week is the geese. A single ROSS'S GOOSE has been a highlight being seen at the Rock Chapel Gold Course just west of Clappison's Corners. This course is now off limits to birders with no trespassing allowed. Geese can be viewed from the side of Hwy 5 but this is a busy corridor so make sure to take caution. Hope is not all lost as this goose was found yesterday at the Dundas Hydro Pond and viewed from Olympic Drive in Dundas where the Desjardins Canal crosses or from behind Olympic arena. Also present there and at the fields near the course were two Snow Geese with one being seen in the Dundas Hydro Ponds . Cackling Geese seem to be a big story with birds seen at the Desjardins Canal, Bronte Harbour and up in the fields in Saltfleet south of Green Mountain Road between 5th and 6th Road East. A single bird was seen in a large flock of Canada Geese moving along the Stoney Creek lakeshore yesterday. Migrants continue to filter in with things catching up. Today a surprise found was an Osprey sitting on the cell tower at Hwy 6 and the 403 this afternoon. Two Eastern Phoebes were a promising sign of spring today at the Desjardins Canal. Another good place for American Woodcock is the west side of Bronte Creek Park. Killdeer continue to grow in numbers as do Eastern Meadowlarks. Meadowlarks were seen at the Gates of Heaven Cemetery, along Old Lions Club Road and up on 10th Road east in Saltfleet. Two Purple Finches were seen at a feeder in Flamborough. These birds should be increasing in number as they return north. In the odds and sods, Tundra Swans were seen at Bronte Harbour. Up to five King Eiders can be found at Bronte Harbour three immature males and two females. A male Wood Duck was seen at Confederation in the middle of a pack of Mallards. American Wigeon were moving in numbers up on the mountain in Saltfleet today. This will be a good weekend to search all fields in Saltfleet and Flamborough as the ice melts and the fields become more enticing for the waterfowl. Ring-necked Pheasants were seen at 3rd Road East in Saltfleet. Ruffed Grouse are coming into a feeder near Westover and 8th Concession West in Flamborough. A Common Loon flew over Walkers Line and New Street area yesterday. Pied-billed Grebe was a short stayed migrant in the Desjardins Canal last Sunday. An immature Bald Eagle flew over LaSalle Marina today. Eagles are moving around more now that there is no ice on the harbour. More Sandhill Cranes were seen over East Hamilton a couple of days ago. Snowy Owls are still around with birds being seen at Bronte Harbour, Port Credit Harbour and at the 403 and 407 intersection. Two different Iceland Gulls were seen at Bronte Harbour mid week. That's the news for this week and this weekend should bring in more birds. Please get out there and finally enjoy temperatures above zero! Send me your sightings. Good Spring 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
