PACIFIC LOON (probable) LESSER YELLOWLEGS RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL
Tundra Swan Northern Pintail King Eider Common x Barrow's Goldeneye Red-throated Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Great Blue Heron Turkey Vulture Bald Eagle Merlin Sandhill Crane Killdeer Purple Sandpiper Dunlin Bonaparte's Gull Snowy Owl Northern Shrike Common Raven Tufted Titmouse Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Towhee Fox Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird For the insane, winter listing has started here in the Hamilton Study Area. We have some good birds around the area although I think once the real cold sets in more will show up. A LESSER YELLOWLEGS hangs in at the Red Hill Stormwater Pond along with a Killdeer and a Great Blue Heron. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET and BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER seem to travel as a duo at South Shell Park at the end of Great Lakes Blvd in Oakville. The birds are most often found on the slope north of the gazebo where it is sheltered from the wind from the buildings. Three ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS are present in the area, two at Sedgewick Park in Oakville and one seen along the rail tracks at Bayfront Park. A RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET was also seen along here early last week. Unfortunately no sign of the Black-and-white Warbler (yet). Lastly not a rarity per say but a nice flock of 17 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were reported flying toward Telula Heights in Brantford. Of interest at Sayer's Park last Sunday a observers were fairly confident that a PACIFIC LOON was seen at a distance from this vantage point. There is lots to scan through along here so patience and calm waters are extremely helpful. There are no real hotspots this week save the above but there are a number of good or late birds around. So here is the long winded odds and sods. A flock of Tundra Swans flew into Cootes Paradise on Monday. A sizable flock were also seen on Thursday sitting out on the water but left later on in the morning. A Northern Pintail is present in the Red Hill Creek Outlet. King Eiders are plenty here in the Hamilton Study area with a female seen somewhat consistently near the pier in Burlington. Three were seen at Sayer's Park in Stoney Creek and along the lakeshore 11 have been seen at various access points along this end of the lake. For hybrid enthusiasts The Common x Barrow's Goldeneye was seen at the end of Gray's Road along with all three scoter species on Thursday. Red Throated and Common Loons have been seen from this vantage point at the end of Gray's Road. A Horned Grebe was seen at LaSalle Marina on Thursday. A late Turkey Vulture was seen migrating over Queen and Main in Hamilton last Sunday. A group of 10 were seen yesterday at the Brant Co. line just east of Garden Ave in Brantford. This area is a traditional wintering roost for these birds. Two adults and a juvenile Bald Eagle were seen cruising over the harbour on Thursday. Merlins have set up winter territory in Dundas, at the Valley Inn/Woodland Cemetery and at Bronte Harbour. A group of Sandhill cranes were a yard bird highlight over Westover and 8th Concession West in Flamborough. I don't think these birds have moved south in numbers yet so definitely something to look for. The Purple Sandpiper was seen into Sunday last weekend at Fifty Point. A late Dunlin was an added bonus there near the big Pond. Last report of the Snowy Owl at Tollgate was on Sunday, one (a different bird) flew in off the lake and landed briefly on the wave tower at Van Wagner's Beach only to be driven off by harassing gulls. A Northern Shrike was a highlight up at a quarry near Milton, more of these to come I am sure. Two Common Ravens were seen over the quarry on Brock Road between 4th and 5th concession west in Flamborough. Tufted Titmice are still around although sometimes hard to find. The most consistent pair have been at LaSalle Park in Burlington. A Winter Wren and a few Golden-crowned Kinglets were present at LaSalle as well. Yellow-rumped Warblers are scarce but one was at Lakeside Park this week. Up at the Guelph Arboretum, Eastern Towhee and Fox Sparrow are coming into the feeders here. Lastly, a single Red-winged Blackbird was seen at the Red Hill Stormwater Pond yesterday. That's the news for this week. There are lots of winter listers out there so report your sightings here and please pass them along to Bill Lamond for our Noteworthy Bird Records. [email protected]. Good birding, Cheryl Edgecombe HNC --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - 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 Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
