SWAINSON'S HAWK EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL FISH CROW American Wigeon Blue-winged Teal Green-winged Teal Surf Scoter Black Scoter Red-throated Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Great Egret Black-crowned Night Heron Osprey Broad-winged Hawk Spotted Sandpiper Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Upland Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Dunlin Wilson's Snipe Bonaparte's Gull Little Gull Glaucous Gull Common Tern Forster's Tern Ruby-throated Hummingbird Blue-headed Vireo Purple Martin Bank Swallow Brown Creeper Winter Wren Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Brown Thrasher Louisiana Waterthrush Black-and-white Warbler Hooded Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Towhee American Tree Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Fox Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Rusty Blackbird
Although there hasn't been any huge push of migrants, the list looks a little different this week and birds are making their way through difficult conditions to spend a day or two in the area. Our rarities list is good this week with a SWAINSON'S HAWK being the highlight of the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch Open House last Friday. A keen observer with field experience out west identified the bird high over the tower for several minutes. Broadwings continue to trickle through with a moderate push last Monday down toward the lake. Five Bald Eagles of various ages sailed over a couple of days ago. I am certain that when the winds shift again, things will pick up and we will see more Broad-wings push through. EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILLS are non-existent as breeders here in the Hamilton Study area of late. Most are flushed on migration. Two were flushed this week along the west end of Lake Ontario, one in a woodlot at Lewis Road and one at the end of Kelson Road in Grimsby. Another report of a FISH CROW came from Bayfront park last Sunday, the bird was vocalizing with a few other non-vocal crows and flew down the bay. It has not been reported again. Of interest this week were two record early sightings of HOODED WARBLER. A male was seen at 40 mile Creek in Grimsby last Sunday and another at Erindale Park in Mississauga mid-week. A refreshing sight for sore eyes, hopefully these birds will survive some colder nights. Shorebirds seem to be in the limelight this week. This week saw the return of Upland Sandpipers in Saltfleet. Three birds were present on the Niagara/Grimsby Townline, one road east of 11th Road East between Mud and Highland and another two were out at the traditional spot on 10th Road East. Flooded fields continue to be good for early shorebirds. On 5th Road East between Powerline and Mud street, a whopping 60 Wilson's Snipe were seen on Wednesday evening along with 17 Greater Yellowlegs and 2 Pectoral Sandpipers. Earlier in the week, a potential Dowitcher species was reported but not seen the next day. Another great spot is on 8th Line north of Britannia on the west side of the road. Here on Thursday, 10 Greater Yellowlegs, 2 Lesser Yellowlegs, 30 Pectoral Sandpiper, 1 Dunlin and a handful of Wilson's Snipe were counted. A Rusty Blackbird gave a hearty song to an observer here as well. Red Hill Pond had a Spotted Sandpiper with many more to come. Other migrants seen this week include a continuing parade of Bonaparte's gulls. For the lucky, Little Gulls could be found in the mix with birds being seen off Fifty Road, off Green Road and Bronte Harbour. Common Terns continue to arrive at Windermere Basin. Two Forsters Terns were seen at Fifty Road earlier in the week, one seen flying past Shoreacres in Burlington last Sunday. Our first Ruby-throated Hummingbird was reported at a feeder on Sawmill Road in Ancaster. Blue-headed Vireo made an appearance on the Spencer Creek Trail in Dundas. Swallows are climbing in numbers with large numbers seen today staying out of the cold east winds behind Canada Centre for Inland Waters and at Dundas Marsh. Cliff Swallows were amongst the hoards. Bank Swallows have returned to the colony at Burloak Park. Purple Martins are moving in as well with up to 10 birds seen around at Martin house at 10th Road east south of Ridge Road. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was seen at Shoreacres in Burlington and at Bronte Woods. Louisiana Waterthrush was seen and heard on Artaban Road in the Dundas Valley through the week. A Black-and-White Warbler was a nice surprise at the Beamer Memorial Hawkwatch woodlot in Grimsby. Vesper Sparrows seem to be doing well here as a few were heard on Highland Road just east of 11th Road East. Continuing migrants dwindling in numbers but still moving through the woodlots along the lakeshore include Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, both Kinglets, Hermit Thrush, Brown Thrasher, Yellow-rumped Warbler (though still not in numbers), Eastern Towhee, Chipping, Fox and White-throated Sparrow. A late American Tree Sparrow was seen at Sherwood Forest Park in Burlington. In the odds and sods, Blue-winged Teal was seen in the Red Hill Pond. American Wigeon and Green-winged Teal were seen in the flooded field on 8th Line in Oakville. White-winged Scoters in numbers were seen from Green Road and several Black Scoters were seen from Millen Road early in the week. Horned and Red-necked Grebes are still present in numbers out on the lake. Two Great Egrets were seen in a field out on Lennon Road. Four Black-crowned Night Herons were seen at the back of Bronte Marsh. The Ospreys must have settled their scrap up at the tower at Hwy 6 and the 403 as only a pair are left. Another pair have set up shop in Carlisle. Still another pair have been rebuilding the nest on Curtis Road in Paris. Lastly a Glaucous Gull was seen resting in Cootes Paradise, another seen on the bay in the week, getting late for this species. After this system passes, birds will be on the move again. Get out to your local patches and report your sightings to me. Keep your feeders stocked, birds will need the extra grub to get through some chilly nights. 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. 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