POMARINE JAEGER WHITE-EYED VIREO Brant Tundra Swan Black Scoter Red-throated Loon Common Loon Pied-billed Grebe Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Greater Yellowlegs Red Knot Sanderling Dunlin Wilson’s Phalarope Thayer’s Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Snowy Owl Red-headed Woodpecker Common Raven Ruby-crowned Kinglet Snow Bunting Orange-crowned Warbler Nashville Warbler Pine Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Fox Sparrow Rose-breasted Grosbeak Rusty Blackbird Purple Finch Pine Siskin Evening Grosbeak This week the list is a little shorter as fewer birders were out braving the cold however those who did venture out in the field were rewarded as there are still some good birds around and as we look to winter listing time in a couple of weeks, these late birds may stick around. The find of the week on Monday was a WHITE-EYED VIREO found in a group of Ruby-crowned Kinglets at Fifty Point Conservation area. The bird was well photographed but elusive later on in the day. It was not reported the following day. Another bird at the top of the list was seen just east of the Suncor Pier in Oakville. An adult POMARINE JAEGER was seen sitting in a flock of Long-tailed Ducks. It took off the water a couple of times for some short flights but settled back in, once the waters became choppy, I am sure it moved on. There are some notable shorebird records around. A Wilson’s Phalarope was seen up to today at Princess Point at the end of Longwood in Hamilton, this is a record late date for the Hamilton Study Area. Greater Yellowlegs and Dunlin joined the Phalarope at this location. Another notable late shorebird was a Red Knot which was seen up until Wednesday at the Red Hill Stormwater Pond. A growing group of Dunlin was also present there. A Sanderling was seen along the beach midweek. There were some late passerine migrants noted this week. Sedgewick Park in Oakville is always good in a coldsnap as the warm water tanks at the sewage treatment plant holds many midges. This week at Sedgewick, Nashville, Orange-crowned, Pine and Yellow-rumped Warbler were good finds. Three Fox Sparrows were also present. At the sewage treatment plant at Arkendo in Oakville, another Orange-crowned Warbler was present. At other locations, a Nashville Warbler was seen at Bronte Bluffs in Oakville and a late female Rose-breasted Grosbeak was seen at Valley Inn last Sunday. The lake has been active this week with an increasing number of waterfowl around. A Brant was seen on the lawn at Bronte Harbour. Over 60 Tundra Swans were seen in Cootes Paradise. A count of 240 Black Scoters off Green Road was notable. Red-throated and Common Loons still seem to be moving through seen at various locations around the lake. Horned Grebes are in good supply still. Red-necked Grebe was seen from Burloak Park in Oakville last weekend and one flying past Gray’s Road yesterday. In the odds and sods this week, a Pied-billed Grebe was seen at the Desjardins Canal, this is a good spot for these birds to winter. A late Great Egret was still being seen today at West Pond in Dundas. A juvenile Thayer’s Gull was seen at Tollgate Pond on Wednesday. A juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull was studied at Windermere basin yesterday. A Snowy Owl was seen at the Suncor Pier in Oakville, perhaps we will have another flight this winter with a few birds being reported already. A Red-headed Woodpecker was a great yard bird reported near Brant Road 22 and Sawmill Road. Common Raven and Rusty Blackbirds were seen at the Beverly Swamp. Snow Buntings were seen flying along the lake at the Suncor Pier and at Fifty Point Conservation Area. To top off the week, keep those feeders stocked! A beautiful male Evening Grosbeak made a one day appearance at a feeder on Seneca on the upper mountain in Hamilton. Purple Finch and Pine Siskin were present at a feeder on Deer Run Court near Brantford. This cold weather will drive birds in for food at feeders and you never know what will show up. Report your sightings here! 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 including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
