GREAT CORMORANT BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE MARSH WREN BLUE-HEADED VIREO RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER PALM WARBLER PINE WARBLER BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER
Snow Goose Wood Duck Ring-necked Duck Harlequin Duck King Eider Wild Turkey Common Loon Red-necked Grebe Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Merlin Peregrine Falcon Sandhill Crane Snowy Owl Pileated Woodpecker Northern Flicker Northern Shrike Common Raven Tufted Titmouse Winter Wren Ruby-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Yellow-rumped Warbler Fox Sparrow White-throated Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird Well the top of the list is packed with punch for the HSA. There are some great rarities and great winter birds lurking in the HSA. We will start with the sighting of a GREAT CORMORANT from atop a condo at the end of Green Road last weekend. The bird was seen around 8:30 am on the 26th and again (more identifiable) at 10:30 a.m. on the same day. The bird appears to be a second winter bird. There are probably more cormorants around this year than most due to the lack of freeze up but this is a bird that is in the area and could turn up anywhere. Also seen on the same day was an immature BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE. The west end of the lake is worth a look as Harlequin Ducks continue to be seen around Crenona Road in Grimsby as of December 24th and King Eiders were seen as recently as today at Fruitland Road. A couple of Wood Ducks were flybys at Green Road on count day on December 26th. Continuing in the winter rarities department, a couple of MARSH WRENS were present at the Dundas Hydro Ponds in the week. These were accessed walking the trail which skirts the Desjardins Canal off Olympic Drive. A BLUE-HEADED VIREO continues at the sewage treatment plant just north of Arkendo Road in Mississauga. At Sedgewick Park in Oakville this week up until today, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, ORANGE-CROWNED AND PALM WARBLER were seen. On the South Peel Count on the 18th, Winter Wren, Hermit Thrush and Yellow-rumped Warbler were noted. A BLUE-HEADED VIREO was seen at Sedgewick on the South Peel Count on December 19th, but not reported since. A PINE WARBLER seems to be a sporadic one-day wonder at a feeder in east Oakville. Another surprise on Christmas Day was a second hand report of a BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER seen in the north end of the HSA in Guelph in the Woodland Glen area of Guelph. This bird has not been reported since. One of the winter hotspots this year is Olympic Arena in Dundas. Two Tufted Titmice continue to be seen coming into feeders along the trail at the second hydro right of way. Also seen this week were Common Grackle, Fox, White-throated and White-crowned Sparrow. If you park behind the arena, turn left and walk east along the hydro right of way and then turn south just before the creek and head through the woodlot, these birds can be seen coming into feeding stations along the route. Another species noted here was Northern Flicker. If you have extra seed, its most appreciated. In the odds and sods this week, a blue Snow Goose has been seen at 50 Point Conservation Area. Wild Turkeys were seen on 2nd Road east south of Ridge Road. A roving mixed flock of Starlings and Brown-headed Cowbirds has been making appearances in this general area as well. Another Harlequin Duck was seen on the South Peel Count near Lorne Park on December 19th. Surely this bird covers a wide area along this lakeshore. Common Loons and Red-necked Grebes were seen in the area of LaSalle Marina. Another Red-necked Grebe was seen from Fifty Road. A Black-crowned Night Heron was seen on the South Peel Count near Bronte Creek. The traditional roost of wintering Turkey Vultures seems to be centred near Jerseyville being seen on Powerline and Field Road over the past two days. Merlins are wintering in the area with birds being seen over Dundas and in Bronte. The Peregrine Falcons are still holding territory at the lift bridge. Sandhill Cranes were a lovely Christmas Day surprise over 11th Concession East in Flamborough. A pure white Snowy Owl was seen on the way home from Christmas festivities at the Centennial exit at the QEW. Pileated Woodpecker was a good count bird at a home in Rock Chapel in Flamborough. These birds have also been reported at the back of Olympic Arena. A Northern Shrike was noted today on 10th Road East between Green Mountain and Ridge Road. Common Ravens were also present in this area and on 5th Road East in Saltfleet. Lastly, a Red-winged Blackbird showed up in Grimsby, I am sure as the cold settles in, more of these will be seen at feeders. It's time to start a new list. Please keep me informed of your sightings! All the best in the 2016. Good birds, health and happiness and for goodness sakes, let's try to keep up with Ottawa!!!!! Happy New Year!! Cheryl Edgecombe HNC --- 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
