WESTERN GREBE BLACK VULTURE NEOTROPIC CORMORANT FISH CROW Cackling Goose Tundra Swan Wood Duck American Wigeon Blue-winged Teal Northern Pintail King Eider Common Loon Pied-billed Grebe Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Sharp-shinned Hawk Coopers Hawk Red-shouldered Hawk Peregrine Falcon Common Gallinule Greater Yellowlegs Wilson's Snipe American Woodcock Bonaparte's Gull Glaucous Gull Caspian Tern Eastern Phoebe Northern Shrike Common Raven Eastern Bluebird American Pipit Fox Sparrow Eastern Meadowlark Purple Finch Pine Siskin
Well, there is movement of birds here in the Hamilton Study Area. Hopefully the upcoming weather won't be too detrimental to birds which have arrived here. It has been a good week. Last Saturday's WESTERN GREBE off Saddington Park in Mississauga continued on into the week and was last reported on Wednesday. The bird could still be around, any updates would be appreciated. While looking for the Grebe two other notables seen here were a Barn Swallow and an extremely early and daring Cliff Swallow. A BLACK VULTURE was a highlight just before an Easter family gathering on Garth and Twenty Road in Hamilton. With so many vultures passing through at this time, it's worth a look at the rising kettles in the morning to see if there is a stray. A NEOTROPIC CORMORANT was a flyby yesterday at the Green Road location where twice before one has passed in prior years. A scan of the Cormorants at Tollgate Pond could turn this bird up again. To round out the rarities, FISH CROWS seem to be on the move with three sightings this week, one heard last Sunday while on the Boardwalk at the Hendrie Valley, one later seen and heard at Bronte Harbour and another over Rattray Marsh in the week. The Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch has had some steady days over the week. Turkey Vultures seem to be the bulk of the migrants but others include our first of season Ospreys, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned, Coopers, Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks in numbers. A Peregrine also passed by in the late week. Other birds noted on the watch include Wood Ducks, Common Loons, Tree Swallows, Common Raven, Eastern Phoebe and Fox Sparrow. A Peregrine Falcon was a highlight on this birders yard list yesterday. The Peregrine Falcon's at the Sheraton Hotel are incubating eggs as we speak. Ospreys are back on nest at Hwy 403 and Hwy 6. Two were seen yesterday. Many migrants have come into the area this week despite unfavourable winds. Flooded fields in Saltfleet and north Halton have a mix of Wood Duck, American Wigeon, Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal and Northern Pintail. Six Cackling Geese were seen at a flooded field at 8th Line and Britannia. A Pied-billed Grebe was amongst eight Horned Grebes off the docks at LaSalle Marina. Red-necked Grebes continue to grow in numbers along the lakeshore. A nice early migrant was of a Common Gallinule at the back of Mountsberg a couple of days ago. These birds are increasingly harder to find in the Hamilton Study Area. Although not record early, it's pretty close. A Greater Yellowlegs was found near 4th Line and Britannia earlier in the week. Wilson's Snipe can still be found in the furrows in the field on 5th Road East between Powerline and Green Mountain Road in Saltfleet. An American Woodcock was an unexpected guest on a deck near 16 mile creek in Oakville. Others were reported peenting in North Flamborough on Concession 11 East. On Wednesday, our first of season Bonaparte's Gulls were seen on 8th Road East with a flock of Ring-billed Gulls. American Pipits were seen in a field on 3rd Road East on Thursday. Our first of season Caspian Tern was seen on a flypast at Canada Centre for Inland Waters yesterday. Tree Swallows are increasing rapidly with many checking out the boxes at Courtcliffe Park in Carlisle. Eastern Phoebes and Fox Sparrows are growing in numbers with several at Confederation Park yesterday. In the odds and sods, small groups of Tundra Swans are still moving through with reports of birds over 11th Concession East and Centre Road and over the Hendrie Valley. A King Eider was seen off Fifty Point midweek, now is a good time to tick them off your list before they disappear. An adult Glaucous Gull was seen in a field with about 1000 gulls on Thursday at 3rd Road East. A Northern Shrike is still present on 10th Road East. It's getting to the time of year where you can't just pass these birds off as Northern so check any Shrike carefully. Eastern Bluebirds and a vocal Eastern Meadowlark were seen at the Gates of Heaven Cemetery. The boxes were closed up, hopefully opening soon for birds to tuck in during the cold. Pine Siskins and Purple Finches are still being reported although in smaller numbers at feeders. It will be important to keep those feeders stocked as we expect our last (hopefully) round of snow over the next two days. Looking at the ABA rare blog, there are a few interesting birds turning up at our latitude, Ruff, Say's Phoebe, nothing is impossible. Please get out and check your local patch. Stock those feeders! Good Birding, 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
