PACIFIC LOON Snow Goose Wood Duck American Wigeon Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail King Eider Redhead x Canvasback Wild Turkey Red-throated Loon Common Loon Pied-billed Grebe Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Double-crested Cormorant Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Northern Goshawk Red-shouldered Hawk Rough-legged Hawk Merlin Sandhill Crane Iceland Gull Glaucous Gull Snowy Owl Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Northern Shrike Common Raven Tufted Titmouse Ruby-crowned Kinglet Yellow-rumped Warbler Fox Sparrow Song Sparrow Swamp Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Common Grackle Purple Finch Common Redpoll Pine Siskin Evening Grosbeak
It's been a tough go for birds and birders these past two weeks with record low temperatures icing up places and birders as well. The only rarity of note was found on the 22nd of December, a PACIFIC LOON which was found on the Hamilton Harbour along with Red-throated and Common Loons, Red-necked and Horned Grebes. The 97th Hamilton Christmas Bird Count was held on Boxing Day. Highlights from the count include a Snow Goose found along Lake Ontario, a female King Eider near Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Wood Duck at Lasalle, American Wigeon (location unknown) and Black-crowned Night Heron from Red Hill Outlet. A sizable Turkey Vulture Roost found on the south side of Highway 5 between Brock Road and the Rothsay rendering plant. A total of 21 Vultures were here. A Northern Goshawk has been reported over the last weeks from Victoria Park area in Hamilton and was reported on count day. Iceland and Glaucous Gulls were seen on the Harbour. Three Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were seen one at McMaster University West Campus, one at Sassafras Woods and one north of Dundas Valley Conservation Area. A Northern Shrike was seen between Valley Inn and High Level bridge. A record number of Common Ravens were reported. Two Tufted Titmice were seen at the Hermitage in the Dundas Valley Conservation Area. A number of Winter Wrens were reported from Stoney Creek, in the Dundas Valley and several in Hendrie Valley. Yellow-rumped Warblers were seen at the Hendrie Valley and one near McMaster University. Winter finches included 3 Purple Finch from the Monarch Trail south of Dundas, Common Redpolls in Iroquois CA (30), and Cootes Paradise (2) and an Evening Grosbeak in Cootes as well. For winter listers, there were a few good birds for this time of year reported from the area. Another Wood Duck was seen Christmas eve Day at The Desjardins Canal. Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail and new yesterday a Pied-billed Grebe from the Red Hill Outlet. There seems to be a record number of Double-crested Cormorants at the outlet this year. A Northern Goshawk was seen today on Safari Road, one kilometre west of Brock Road. A Northern Shrike was seen hunting at Windermere Basin yesterday. A Red-shouldered Hawk was photographed in the Glen Morris Area two days ago. A lovely light morph Rough-legged Hawk was seen at the 403 and Hwy 5 on Christmas Day. Another Rough-legged Hawk was seen on the hunt in the Westdale area. A Merlin was stalking a feeder where a Common Grackle was a guest at Burloak and Upper Middle Road in Burlington. Last weekend a flock of 11 Sandhill Cranes went over the Gage Park Area. Sedgewick Park in Oakville unfortunately has cleared out. It's been a while since the Audubon's Warbler was seen there. There are sporadic reports of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a Yellow-rumped Warbler seems to persist there. A Fox Sparrow was seen in North Halton near Guelph Line and 15th Sideroad, another put in a brief appearance on Christmas eve day in a yard in south Burlington. A Song and 4 White-crowned Sparrows were seen at the end of Macpherson Road in Oakville. Three Swamp Sparrows were a good find at Slote Road Marsh, another reported from the Vinemount Sanctuary. In the odds and sods, an interesting mix of Redhead x Canvasback has been present at Lasalle Marina past couple of days. Wild Turkeys were seen on Waterdown Road just north of the 403. Snowy Owls are still being seen with some regularity. One was seen on the 28th over Pier 25 and a couple have been seen on light posts along the QEW near Fifty Road/Casablanca. Lastly, Pine Siskins continue to be reported from feeders around the area. Keep those feeders stocked, the birds need the food to keep their warmth up. All the best to everyone in 2018! Thanks for your sending your sightings along. Happy New Year! 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 birdalert@ontbirds.ca 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
