At 5:00pm, Thursday, January 2nd, 2003, this is the Hamilton Naturalists' Club Birding Hotline Report. The Hotline is normally revised on Thursday nights, unless an unusual bird turns up in the Hamilton area.
The new year was off to a good start in the Hamilton area with the reappearance of the YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT at LaSalle Marina in Burlington. The chat was rediscovered on Monday and has been seen every day since. Other local reports include COOPER'S HAWK and RED-TAILED HAWK at the RBG, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD in the Hendrie Valley, a PEREGRINE FALCON downtown, adult KING EIDER on Sunday at the foot of Fruitland Road in Stoney Creek, GREAT BLUE HERON south of Milton, and BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, NORTHERN SHRIKE, COOPER'S HAWK, AMERICAN ROBIN, and BELTED KINGFISHER in a Caledonia yard. The 2002 Hamiton Area Christmas Bird Count was a resounding success. 80 birders counted 99,111 birds of 96 different species. This represents the 2nd highest total count and third highest species count. Here are the highlights: 21 species achieved new highs including TRUMPETER SWAN, CANADA GOOSE, MALLARD, COOPER'S HAWK, LONG-TAILED DUCK, CAROLINE WREN, and HERMIT THRUSH. Other notables were RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, BLACK SCOTER, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, HARLEQUIN DUCK, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, and FOX SPARROW. Rounding up other Ontario CBCs, Niagara Falls reported 100 species including PEREGRINE FALCON, CALIFORNIA GULL, BLACK-HEADED GULL, and PINE WARBLER, as well as GRAY CATBIRD and PINE WARBLER during the count week. The Petroglyphs Provincial Park CBC noted some northern specialities, such as RED CROSSBILL, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL, GRAY JAY, and BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER. Out of town, a CALIFORNIA GULL turned up in Toronto today at the foot of Ellis Avenue on the lakeshore. The BLACK-HEADED GULL persists on the Niagara River near Queenston, and PINE WARBLER and SAVANNAH SPARROW can still be found in the Long Point area. Last but not least, trips to Algonquin Park over the holiday season yielded BOREAL OWL, NORTHERN HAWK OWL, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, COMMON RAVEN, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL, EVENING GROSBEAK, GRAY JAY, and BOREAL CHICKADEE. Until next week, here's wishing you a healthy and happy 2003, filled with memories and of course, birds! Be sure to tell us about your sightings, leave your name, telephone number, as well as the time and date of your call. Sightings can also be reported by e-mail. GOOD BIRDING! Keith Dieroff C/O Hamilton Naturalists' Club Birding Hotline Report Hamilton, Ontario [EMAIL PROTECTED] ______________________________________________________________________ Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca Keith Dieroff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
