WESTERN GREBE FISH CROW Tundra Swan Wood Duck American Wigeon Blue-winged Teal Green-winged Teal King Eider Pied-billed Grebe Horned Grebe Great Egret Turkey Vulture Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper's Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Peregrine Falcon Sora Lesser Yellowlegs Greater Yellowlegs Wilson's Snipe Bonaparte's Gull Iceland Gull Glaucous Gull Caspian Tern Snowy Owl Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Northern Flicker Eastern Phoebe Northern Shrike Common Raven Tree Swallow Cliff Swallow Barn Swallow Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Brown Thrasher Palm Warbler Pine Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Towhee Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Fox Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Eastern Meadowlark Pine Siskin
Migrants continue to seep into the area despite April snows and non-productive winds. Seems like winter has decided to come in April. Our rarities for the week include the WESTERN GREBE which was last reported from Saddington Park on Friday. Four grebes continue to be seen around the area (WESTERN, Red-necked, Horned and Pied-billed). I am sure an Eared Grebe is lurking about somewhere. FISH CROWS seem to be in the area as well. One was heard at Sedgewick Park in Oakville early last week and another one seen and heard over Bronte Bluffs yesterday. The fields in Saltfleet are still holding waterfowl with several species present, Wood Duck, American Wigeon, Green winged and Blue-winged Teal (in numbers). Out on the lake this week, King Eiders numbered ten at the end of Fruitland Road. At the Burlington Ship Canal both Common and Red-throated Loon were present. The Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch has been quiet due to unfavourable winds. The bulk of migrants are Turkey Vultures but Sharp-shinned, Coopers and Red-tailed Hawks are still filtering through as well. Fox Sparrows are scratching at the feeder there to provide entertainment. Finishing up the raptor department, the Peregrine Falcons are on nest at the lift Bridge and at the Sheraton hotel in Hamilton. Three Peregrines were seen at the lift bridge on Friday. Migrants returning this week include Great Egret at Bronte, a Sora at Neibauer's Marsh in Wellington County, Lesser Yellowlegs at Windermere Basin, Greater Yellowlegs in the flooded field on Green Mountain at 6th Road East, Wilson's Snipe at Britannia and 8th Line in North Halton. A couple Caspian Terns were arrivals flying past Canada Centre for Inland Waters this week, once the winds change they will be here in numbers. A Bonaparte's Gull was seen over the tanks at the Dundas Water Treatment plant yesterday, some were seen out on the lake at Saddington and at Bronte. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers seem to be in numbers now with various reports mostly from woodlots around the lake. Northern Flickers can also be seen more regularly picking at things on the green space. Growing numbers of Tree Swallows are arriving, Barn Swallows are also here in minimal numbers and a couple very early Cliff Swallows. Eastern Phoebes seem to be tolerant of these changing temperatures with a number of reports. Four were seen at Sedgewick Park in Oakville. Golden-crowned Kinglets can be seen gleaning insects down at Shoreacres Park in Burlington and Sedgewick Park in Oakville. A Hermit Thrush was a guest in a yard in South Burlington this week, maybe an overwintering bird moving around or an early migrant. A Pine Warbler was a good find at Sedgewick Park in Oakville, likely a resident moving back in. A Brown Thrasher was seen on the same day. Yellow-rumped Warblers have been reported in some increase in the area. Some of these might be overwintering birds just moving around but it won't be long until we see these in numbers. Eastern Towhees were reported at a couple of feeders in the area this week. It will be important once again to put feed out during this hopefully last blast of snow expected today. In the last bout of snow a variety of sparrows were seen gathering along the roadsides. These include Chipping, Field, Vesper and Fox Sparrow. In the odds and sods this week, Tundra Swans were seen off Bronte Harbour. An Iceland Gull and a Glaucous Gull were good late finds at Bronte Harbour another Glaucous Gull was on the break wall at Canada Centre for Inland Waters. It's getting late for Snowy Owl but one was seen at 8th Road East near Green Mountain Road. A couple of Northern Shrikes were noted this week, one at York Road and Olympic Drive, another one on 10th Road East which has overwintered. It's the time of year when every shrike needs to be checked thoroughly for Loggerhead. Common Ravens continue to be seen up in Saltfleet on 10th Road East. The Palm Warbler is still being reported from Sedgewick Park, venturing farther these days in warmer temperatures. These pair are likely on nest in the quarry. A White-crowned Sparrow was a guest at a feeder in Killbride. This is likely an overwintering bird moving around. Eastern Meadowlark continues on 10th Road East and lastly a small flock of Siskins were foraging in the tops of pines near Hatton Drive in Ancaster. Another round of snow is arriving this afternoon. Stock the feeders and know that it will disappear with the rain tomorrow. 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
