At 4:30pm, Thursday, March 27th, 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.
Spring is here and so are the birds. Large numbers of blackbirds, ducks, geese and hawks moved into and through the Hamilton area this past week. Of note, there were three separate reports of GREAT EGRETS - one at Cootes Paradise, one at Confederation Park, and one flypast at Windemere Basin. Grebes were also noteworthy with three HORNED GREBES reported from the Burlington ship canal, five HORNED GREBES and three PIED-BILLED GREBES were at Windemere Basin, and two RED-NECKED GREBES and a HORNED GREBE were seen at Bronte Harbour. There were no reports from the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch this past week, but one observer noted a strong flight of hawks near Queenston & Nash Roads, which included over 100 TURKEY VULTURES and an immature GOLDEN EAGLE. Other local reports include KILLDEER in Alberton, FOX SPARROW, EASTERN TOWHEE, NORTHERN FLICKER, and EASTERN PHOEBE at Beamer Conservation Area in Grimsby, 100 TUNDRA SWANS in a flooded field near St. George, AMERICAN WOODCOCKS at the Berry Tract and Bronte Provincial Park, COMMON MERGANSER at LaSalle Marina, RED-THROATED LOON on the Stoney Creek lakeshore, plus AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, DOWNY WOODPECKER, and WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH at Shoreacres/Paletta Park. Out of town, 56 species of birds were seen on the OFO trip to Long Point this past weekend. Highlights included 18 species of ducks and geese plus TUNDRA SWAN, BALD EAGLE, SANDHILL CRANE, GREAT HORNED OWL, EASTERN BLUEBIRD, CAROLINA WREN and RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER. On the Niagara River, large numbers of BONAPARTE'S GULLS were seen flying past Niagara-on-the-Lake with at least seven LITTLE GULLS sprinkled in for good measure. Be sure to let us know about your sightings this week. 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] Hamilton Naturalists' Club Tel: (905) 381-0329 www.hamiltonnature.org ______________________________________________________________________ Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca Keith Dieroff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
