PACIFIC LOON BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE SABINE"S GULL POMARINE JAEGER PARASITIC JAEGER LONG-TAILED JAEGER
Brant Green-winged Teal Greater Scaup Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Black Scoter Long-tailed Duck Red-throated Loon Common Loon Great Egret Green Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Broad-winged Hawk Greater Yellowlegs Hudsonian Godwit Bonaparte's Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Common Tern Short-eared Owl Ruby-throated Hummingbird Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Blue-headed Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Common Raven Brown Creeper Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Veery Swainson's Thrush Hermit Thrush Wood Thrush Ovenbird Orange-crowned Warbler American Redstart Northern Parula Magnolia Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Towhee Chipping Sparrow Grasshopper Sparrow Fox Sparrow White-throated Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Scarlet Tanager Pine Siskin The list is unusually long this week as a mix of migrants move through the area with winds from just about every direction bringing things in, holding things here making it interesting here in the Hamilton Study Area. As usual for this area at this time of year, east winds have favoured us again bringing in a host of rarities. On Wednesday and Thursday, strong east winds brought in PACIFIC LOON, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE (juv), SABINE'S GULL, POMARINE, PARASITIC AND LONG-TAILED JAEGER. On Wednesday at one time in the scope a group of at least 10 jaegers were seen from just east of the lift bridge. Also seen here were 7 juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a third year Lesser Black-backed Gull and a flock of 9 Brant. The PACIFIC LOON, SABINE'S GULL, LONG-TAILED and more PARASITIC JAEGERS were seen from Lakeland. On Thursday morning a juvenile POMARINE JAEGER made a close flyby at Hutches Restaurant. Along our other shoreline, two SABINE'S GULLS were seen from the Suncor Pier on Wednesday and on Thursday a LONG-TAILED JAEGER with full tail streamers was seen from Bronte Bluffs. Other birds seen down at the beach include Green-winged Teal, Greater Scaup and Long-tailed Ducks (arriving in numbers), White-winged, Black and Surf Scoter, Red-throated and Common Loon, Bonaparte's Gull, Common Tern and Short-eared Owl. Last weekend was good for lingering migrants held back by the south winds. Locations reported from include Joe Sam's in Waterdown, Edgelake Park in Stoney Creek, Spencer Creek Trail in Dundas and Sherwood Forest Park in Oakville. Birds reported include Green Heron (Edgelake), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireo, Brown Creeper, Golden and Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Wood Thrush (Edgelake), Veery (Sherwood Forest), Swainson's and Hermit Thrush, Ovenbird (Joe Sam's), Tennessee Warbler (Edgelake, Spencer Creek), Orange-crowned Warbler (Joe Sam's, Spencer Creek), Nashville Warbler, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Magnolia, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green and Yellow-rumped Warbler, White-throated, White-crowned Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco. A late Scarlet Tanager was a highlight at Sherwood Forest. Hawk migration should be picking up again on Monday when the winds change. Over Waterdown on Thursday were kettles of Turkey Vultures with a few Broad-winged Hawks also moving. Hundreds of Turkey Vultures were seen over the high level bridge late week with Osprey and three young Bald Eagles seen over Cootes Paradise. Shorebirds have thinned out dramatically. At Windermere Basin a Hudsonian Godwit has been present off and on through the week. The same bird likely is also visiting the Red Hill Stormwater Pond as well. Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs were other shorebirds reported from these locations. In the odds and sods, a Brant was present at Windermere Basin today. A Great Egret was seen in the vicinity of Rona Ponds in Waterdown. A late Ruby-throated Hummingbird finally left on Tuesday from a yard in Burlington. Common Ravens were seen in Carlisle. Pileated Woodpeckers were seen at Rock Chapel and along Spencer Creek in Dundas. Late Wood Thrushes were reported from Bronte and from Rock Chapel this week. A late Grasshopper Sparrow was seen at the Great Lakes Stormwater Pond. All along the lakeshore trail large flocks of sparrows were grounded including Eastern Towhee, Chipping, White-throated, White-crowned Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco in huge numbers. A walk along the lakeside trails might be worth another go to see if there are rarities mixed in. Lastly, it looks like Pine Siskins are on the move. One was seen a couple of times at the Sheldon Creek Trail this week. Flocks are being reported elsewhere outside the HSA. Strong southwest winds could be interesting tomorrow, get out to the local patch this week to see what's around. Have a great week 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. 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