PACIFIC LOON RED PHALAROPE Cackling Goose Tundra Swan Wild Turkey Red-throated Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Great Egret Turkey Vulture Osprey Rough-legged Hawk Greater Yellowlegs Sanderling White-rumped Sandpiper Dunlin Lesser Black-backed Gull Eastern Phoebe Common Raven Barn Swallow Marsh Wren Gray Catbird Orange-crowned Warbler Palm Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Towhee Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow Lincoln's Sparrow Scarlet Tanager Common Redpoll Pine Siskin
Last weekend was the HNC Fall Bird Count. It covers the entire circle so there are lots of nooks and crannies to cover. This year did not disappoint with the discovery of up to 7 and perhaps more PACIFIC LOONS out on the water in front of Hutches and Lakeland along the west end of the lake. Discovered in the morning, the numbers increased in the afternoon with better visibility and more people. Three were reported east of here at Fruitland and Fifty Road but these could have moved east over the course of the day, hard to tell. At least two of the loons stuck around for viewing the next day but the others could have been there as waterfowl moved far out from shore. Also seen out on the lake were many Common Loons (48 at Fifty Point), Red-throated Loons which will continue to grow in number as November passes and Horned Grebes. While looking for the loons, one observer had a RED PHALAROPE briefly touch down on the water and then continue east. Some other highlights of the fall count included Cackling Goose (3 on the Grand River, Brantford), Tundra Swans (Cootes Paradise), Wild Turkey (Saltfleet), Great Egret (Valley Inn), Turkey Vultures (several locations throughout the area), Osprey (3 in total, 1 Wilkes Dam Brantford, 1 North Burlington and 1 near Cambridge), Rough-legged Hawk (Saltfleet), Greater Yellowlegs (Windermere Basin), Sanderling (day after count at Lakeland, a late date for this species), White-rumped Sandpipers and Dunlin (Princess Point), Lesser Black-backed Gull (Northeast Harbour), Eastern Phoebe (Iroquois C.A. and Dundas Marsh), Barn Swallow (Princess Point), Marsh Wren (Barrie's Lake), Gray Catbird (St. Lawrence Cement Pier), Orange-crowned Warbler (Dundas Valley), Palm Warbler (Bronte), Yellow-rumped Warbler (several locations), Common Yellowthroat (2 in Dundas), Eastern Towhee, Chipping Sparrow (McMaster Forest), Field Sparrow (several), Lincoln's Sparrow (Cainsville), a late date Scarlet Tanager in Grimsby and Pine Siskins (Princess Point). A couple of interesting high counts were Ravens (23) some may be recounts but a minimum of 16 seen near Cainsville, Troy, North Burlington, Oakville and Waterdown. Another good number was 18 Fox Sparrows seen in a woodlot near Troy (I have yet to see one!) Results are still coming in but not too bad for a windy, sunny day! In the odds and sods, Snow Buntings and Common Redpolls were seen around the weedy fields at the end of Millen Road. This area has since been manicured. A check of the adjoining fields and area may turn them up again. Have a great weekend, find something rare!!! Cheryl --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. 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
