Brant
Tundra Swan
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret *
Northern Harrier
Peregrine Falcon
Rough-legged Hawk
Merlin
Virginia Rail *
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs *
Pectoral Sandpiper *
Dunlin
Wilson's Phalarope *
Snowy Owl
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Shrike
Brown Creeper
Winter Wren
Marsh Wren *
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
American Pipit
Tennessee Warbler (correction from previous report_
Orange-crowned Warbler *
Nashville Warbler *
American Redstart *
Northern Parula *
Yellow-rumped Warbler
American Tree Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
It's been a busy week here in the HSA with weather extremes moving the birds
around and making birding challenging in the later week. Those who went out
were rewarded and there are some potential goodies for the winter list to
keep an eye on.
We have a number of birds on the list I have denoted with an asterisk that
are approaching late records or are not expected that this time of year.
Some of these are now gone with water bodies freezing over however, they
could still be about and come back once this rain and warmer temperatures
float in. Lingering birds seen this week include Great Egret (seen until
Wednesday) Greater Yellowlegs (seen last weekend) and Marsh Wren (until
Wednesday)all at the Dundas Hydro Pond in Dundas. A Virginia Rail was
flushed from the weedy area near Canada Centre for Inland Waters last
weekend. At Princess Point and record late for the HSA a Wilson's
Phalarope was last reported on Tuesday, a Pectoral Sandpiper in its company
was last seen on Monday. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet was a good find at Burloak
Park in Oakville. An American Redstart was seen skulking in the bushes at
Arkendo Park near the sewage treatment plant on Monday. At the now infamous
Sedgewick Park in Oakville famous for its wintering warblers, a nice find
was a Northern Parula which continued to be reported till yesterday. At
South Shell Park an Orange-crowned Warbler was hiding in the goldenrod and a
Nashville Warbler was seen at Bronte Bluffs. A correction to the report
from last week is the study of photographs and discovery that the
Orange-crowned Warbler seen at Sedgewick on November 13th was actually a
Tennessee Warbler, an excellent date record.
There are some birds moving in large numbers this week. Sandhill Cranes
decided to head out yesterday with large flocks being seen over Waterdown,
Valley Inn and LaSalle Park. Obviously some of these were same birds just
moving out but numbers at LaSalle recorded were 104 and 28 respectively.
Numbers at Valley in were around 90-100, this could have been the same group
or not. American Pipits also seem to be everywhere with birds reported at
the Coronation Park in Oakville, Bronte Pier, Sedgewick Park, Burloak Park,
and above Fallsview Road in Flamborough. Quite a few Fox Sparrows were seen
in the week as well with birds reported at Sedgewick Park in Oakville, yards
in west Burlington, Hamilton near Dundurn Castle, Dundas, behind Olympic
arena and up in Flamborough.
There are many good places to hunt around this time of year to look for
lingering birds. The woodlot behind Olympic Arena in Dundas is always
fruitful as they maintain feeders behind in the woodlot. This week,
Northern Shrike, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Eastern Bluebirds, White-throated,
White crowned American Tree Sparrow and Red-winged Blackbird were seen among
a grand slam of woodpeckers including Northern Flicker, Yellow-bellied
Sapsucker, Pileated, Red-bellied, Hairy and Downy Woodpecker.
There is lots to report in the odds and sods this week. A Brant continued
to be seen down at Bronte Harbour on the lawn near the Compass restaurant
early in the week and a Snowy Owl, different from the one at the Suncor Pier
the week previous was seen near the lighthouse at Bronte Harbour. A small
group of Tundra Swans were seen over Dundas earlier in the week. A Common
Loon was photographed at LaSalle Marina. Several Horned Grebes were seen at
Canada Centre for inland waters. Great Blue Herons seem to be hardy with
several reported in open waters this week. Northern Harriers were seen at
the Suncor Pier and over Cootes Paradise. Rough-legged Hawks are on the
move yesterday and today with one being seen up in Saltfleet, 8th Road East
and Green Mountain yesterday and three seen at Windermere Basin this
morning. A Merlin was being harassed by a Peregrine Falcon at Burloak Park.
Killdeer are still about, hopefully one staying for the winter list.
Several have been reported along the Oakville/Burlington lakeshore as well
as at Princess Point. A small group of Dunlin was seen up until the freeze
at Princess Point. Brown Creeper and Winter Wren were guests at Sedgewick.
A Hermit Thrush was a yard guest in Oakville, there should be a few of these
kicking around as I see a good crop of fruit around. Feeder birds at a
yard in Aldershot area include White-throated and White-crowned Sparrow,
Red-winged Blackbird and Brown-headed Cowbird. In addition to American
Tree, White-throated and White-crowned Sparrow, Purple Finch was reported at
the feeders at the RBG Arboretum. Lastly a Pine Siskin was still coming
into a feeder on Deer Run Court near Brantford.
It's time to be grateful that the weather wasn't as bad as our neighbours in
the U.S.. Note, No hotline report from Buffalo area this week, all the
birds and birders are buried in snow!!!! Keep your feeders stocked for
changes in this wacky weather. It's an interesting time of year. A
Myiarchus Flycatcher seen up in Barrie during a squall gives proof that
rare birds are around. Please report your sightings here, winter listing is
upon us soon.
Good birding,
Cheryl Edgecombe
HNC.
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