I have tried to post this to Ontbirds twice and with the list of the many birds seen this week, it's too long and won't go through. I have only included the text for now.
SNOWY EGRET SUMMER TANAGER This week has been very busy here in the Hamilton Study area. For lack of a better term we hit the mother lode here last Monday when rain in the early morning brought down a ton of birds. Two of the rarities found this week include a SNOWY EGRET which sat on Bronte Beach for all of 5 minutes, enough to be photographed and then took off never to be seen again. On Tuesday, another excellent find was a SUMMER TANGER at Edgelake Park. Some other notables which are great birds for the Hamilton Study area include 3 Prairie Warblers (1 at Edgelake on Monday and 2 at Confederation Park today), Golden-winged Warbler (Confederation Park on Monday) and Hooded Warbler (one at Edgelake on Monday). Without a doubt, Edgelake Park was the place to be on Monday when 24 species of Warbler, 5 species of Vireos and 5 species of Thrush were all seen. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Yellow-bellied and er Least and Great Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-throated, Blue-headed, Warbling Philadelphia and Red-eyed Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Gray-cheeked Swainson's Hermit Wood Thrush and Veery, Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush Black-and-white Tennessee Orange-crowned Nashville Mourning Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Hooded Warbler, American Redstart, Cape May Warbler, Northern Parula, Magnolia Bay-breasted Blackburnian Yellow Chestnut-sided Blackpoll Black-throated Blue, Palm Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green and Wilson's Warbler, Lincoln's and White-crowned Sparrow, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting and Baltimore Oriole. Similar species but not in such numbers were reported at Sedgewick and Shell Park in Oakville and Shoreacres in Burlington. Shorebirds are coming in good numbers now. At Windermere Basin, Semipalmated Plover, Solitary Sandpiper, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Semipalmated and Least Sandpiper and Dunlin have been present. Today saw the first Short-billed Dowitcher. An American Woodcock made an unexpected drop in the basin today. Semipalmated Plover, Least Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs and Dunlin have all been present at Red Hill Stormwater Pond. Another good spot is the back of Christie Conservation Area on Middletown Road just south of Highway 5 were up to 62 Least Sandpipers, a Solitary Sandpiper and a Dunlin were seen in the week. Three Ruddy Turnstones were crawling along the rocks at Bronte Harbour last Saturday. In the odds and sods this week, Horned Grebes are still on the lake, getting later for them, good for a birdathon. Virginia Rails can be found at Grass Lake, Kerncliffe Park and Waterdown Wetlands. Sandhill Cranes (up to 11) were seen at Grass Lake in Glen Morris this week, one seen today. A Sandhill Crane also was seen at the Safari Road Wetland in the week, a new location for this species. A Bonaparte's Gull was seen poking around at the mouth of the creek at Shoreacres in Burlington. Red-headed Woodpeckers were seen at Bronte Bluffs last Saturday and at 40 Mile Creek in Grimsby. Black-billed Cuckoos were seen at a number of locations this week, Jo Sam's Park in Waterdown, McMaster Forest and Shell Park. Eastern Kingbirds have been seen in a number of city locations and up to 6 were seen at Windermere Basin. Clay-colored Sparrows were seen at City View Park in north Burlington and out in Flamborough in their traditional areas. Bobolinks seem to be doing extremely well, birds were seen in several fields in Flamborough today and at Windermere Basin in the week. Lastly Pine Siskins still seem to be around in numbers with 3 at a feeder in east Hamilton and 17 at a feeder on Deer Run Court in Brant County in the week. This week has been very busy here in the Hamilton Study area. For lack of a better term we hit the mother lode here last Monday when rain in the early morning brought down a ton of birds. Two of the rarities found this week include a SNOWY EGRET which sat on Bronte Beach for all of 5 minutes, enough to be photographed and then took off never to be seen again. On Tuesday, another excellent find was a SUMMER TANGER at Edgelake Park. Some other notables which are great birds for the Hamilton Study area include 3 Prairie Warblers (1 at Edgelake on Monday and 2 at Confederation Park today), Golden-winged Warbler (Confederation Park on Monday) and Hooded Warbler (one at Edgelake on Monday). Without a doubt, Edgelake Park was the place to be on Monday when 24 species of Warbler, 5 species of Vireos and 5 species of Thrush were all seen. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Yellow-bellied, Least and Great Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-throated, Blue-headed, Warbling, Philadelphia and Red-eyed Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Gray-cheeked, Swainson's, Hermit, Wood Thrush and Veery, Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush Black-and-white, Tennessee, Orange-crowned, Nashville, Mourning Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Hooded Warbler, American Redstart, Cape May Warbler, Northern Parula, Magnolia, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Blackpoll, Black-throated Blue, Palm, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green and Wilson's Warbler, Lincoln's and White-crowned Sparrow, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting and Baltimore Oriole. Similar species but not in such numbers were reported at Sedgewick and Shell Park in Oakville and Shoreacres in Burlington. Shorebirds are coming in good numbers now. At Windermere Basin, Semipalmated Plover, Solitary Sandpiper, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Semipalmated and Least Sandpiper and Dunlin have been present. Today saw the first Short-billed Dowitcher. An American Woodcock made an unexpected drop in the basin today. Semipalmated Plover, Least Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs and Dunlin have all been present at Red Hill Stormwater Pond. Another good spot is the back of Christie Conservation Area on Middletown Road just south of Highway 5 were up to 62 Least Sandpipers, a Solitary Sandpiper and a Dunlin were seen in the week. Three Ruddy Turnstones were crawling along the rocks at Bronte Harbour last Saturday. In the odds and sods this week, Horned Grebes are still on the lake, getting later for them, good for a Birdathon. Virginia Rails can be found at Grass Lake, Kerncliffe Park and Waterdown Wetlands. Sandhill Cranes (up to 11) were seen at Grass Lake in Glen Morris this week, one seen today. A Sandhill Crane also was seen at the Safari Road Wetland in the week, a new location for this species. A Bonaparte's Gull was seen poking around at the mouth of the creek at Shoreacres in Burlington. Red-headed Woodpeckers were seen at Bronte Bluffs last Saturday and at 40 Mile Creek in Grimsby. Black-billed Cuckoos were seen at a number of locations this week, Jo Sam's Park in Waterdown, McMaster Forest and Shell Park. Blue-winged Warblers are back on territory in Berry Tract off Patterson Road. Eastern Kingbirds have been seen in a growing number of city locations and up to 6 were seen at Windermere Basin. Clay-colored Sparrows were seen at City View Park in north Burlington and out in Flamborough in their traditional areas. Bobolinks seem to be doing extremely well, birds were seen in several fields in Flamborough today and at Windermere Basin in the week. Lastly Pine Siskins still seem to be around in numbers with 3 at a feeder in east Hamilton and 17 at a feeder on Deer Run Court in Brant County in the week. That's the news for this week. Thanks to all who sent in their sightings for the report. Please keep them coming! Enjoy your long weekend. 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 Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
