At 9:45pm, Thursday, October 30th, 2003, this is the Hamilton Naturalists' Club Birding Hotline Report. The Hotline is normally revised on Thursday, unless an unusual bird turns up in the Hamilton area.
The annual Hamilton Area Fall Bird Count takes place this Sunday, November 2nd. The weatherman says it's going to be warm and sunny, so this should be an exceptional count year. If you see any noteworthy birds (rare for the Hamilton area or very late migrants) on Friday or Saturday, please e-mail the Hotline so counters can be on the lookout for these species during the count. Now onto the birds... A trip to the RBG this past weekend yielded a number of sightings, highlights were CAROLINA WREN, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, EASTERN TOWHEE, GRAY CATBIRD, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, PECTORAL SANDPIPER, EASTERN BLUEBIRD, CEDAR WAXWING, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, EASTERN PHOEBE, TURKEY VULTURE and NORTHERN HARRIER. Nearby, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, EASTERN PHOEBE, and LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL were reported from Woodland Cemetery, and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, FOX SPARROW, MERLIN, NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, and GRAY CATBIRD were seen at Valley Inn. Other local reports include NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, EASTERN TOWHEE, and LINCOLN'S SPARROW at the Waterdown North Wetland Trails, RUFFED GROUSE and FOX SPARROW in the fields surrounding Courtcliff Park, NASHVILLE WARBLER, RING-NECKED DUCK, and AMERICAN COOT at LaSalle Marina, CAROLINA WREN, HERMIT THRUSH, 65 RED-NECKED GREBES, PINE SISKIN, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, AMERICAN TREE SPARROW and RED-SHOULDERED HAWK at Shoreacres/Paletta Park, two WHITE-FRONTED GEESE just east of Appleby Line, two BRANT at Bronte Harbour, and RED-THROATED LOON, 48 SURF SCOTERS, and 5,000 SCAUP off Van Wagner's Beach. A PEREGRINE FALCON was seen patrolling the beach strip near the Burlington Left Bridge. Hawk Cliff was a busy spot this past week. The hawk flight last Thursday included 15 GOLDEN EAGLES and a number of BALD EAGLES, and when the OFO field trip made a stopover on the weekend, a total of 63 species were seen at Hawk Cliff and around Port Stanley. Highlights of the field trip were a late CAPE MAY WARBLER, and a TUFTED TITMOUSE. This week's yard reports include COMMON GRACKLE in Ancaster, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH and PURPLE FINCH in Carlilse, and a PEREGRINE FALCON eating a BLUE JAY in Westdale. Last but not least, just to prove that there's never a bad time of year to go to Point Pelee, the following birds were reported in the Pelee area during the past week: TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, WESTERN SANDPIPER, GLOSSY IBIS, YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON and COMMON REDPOLL. That's all for this week, be sure to let us know 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] Hamilton Naturalists' Club Tel: (905) 381-0329 ______________________________________________________________________ Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca Keith Dieroff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.
