At 5:00 p.m. on March 11, 2004, this is the Hamilton Naturalists Birding Report.
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE EURASIAN WIDGEON * SNOW GOOSE SANDHILL CRANE GOLDEN EAGLE LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE BOHEMIAN WAXWING Tundra Swan Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Hooded Merganser White-winged scoter Turkey Vulture Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Rough-legged Hawk Coopers Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Northern Harrier Merlin Peregrine Falcon Wild Turkey Killdeer Short-eared Owl Northern Saw-whet Owl Belted Kingfisher American Robin Carolina Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Eastern Bluebird Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle Common Redpoll Snow Bunting * not in the Hamilton Study Area Migration continues this week despite the dipping temperatures and reappearance of snow on Sunday afternoon. Many birds being seen in larger numbers this week such as Common Grackle, Red-winged Blackbirds, Killdeer, Robins, and Tundra Swans. The BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was last seen west of LaSalle Marina yesterday morning. Patience is necessary while sifting through all the Common Goldeneye on the bay. Another good duck reported this week from slightly out of the Hamilton area was a Eurasian Wigeon seen Wednesday at cell 1 of the Townsend Sewage Lagoons. The many wet fields around the Hamilton area continue to be searched for migrating birds. In addition to Tundra Swans this week a flock of 100 SNOW GEESE was seen landing in a field just north of Binbrook along Hwy 56. At a flooded field near the Rockton Berry Farm, 2 SANDHILL CRANES were spotted last Monday morning but were not relocated subsequently. The Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch at Beamer has also been reporting a trickle of birds this week including one great day before the snowfall when a GOLDEN EAGLE cruised over the tower. Other raptors reported are Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Rough legged Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier, Coopers Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk and Turkey Vultures/Turkey Condor. On the way up to Beamer today a Merlin was seen along the escarpment near Fifty Road. The peregrine falcon also continues to be seen at the lift bridge. Passerines reported from the hawkwatch include Common Redpolls and Snow Buntings. This afternoon a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was reported near Speyside. This bird was along the 3rd Line 300 yards south of the 15th.Sideroad 1 concession east of Speyside. It was watched for about 15 minutes and then spooked by a passing school bus. If anyone is in the area and relocates this bird please email and let us know. Owls are still being reported, many migrating at this time. A Northern Saw-whet Owl swooped past someone riding a bike on Saturday evening on Lakeshore Road near the Bronte Pool. It could not be relocated on Sunday and was likely on the move north. Short-eared Owls were increasing in number this week on the 10th Concession E. in Grimsby. A total of 4 were seen at dusk on Tuesday. Seven Harriers were seen over the field prior to the emergence of the owls. The lake continues to have several thousand ducks on it with White-winged scoters, Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers and Hooded Mergansers all being reported this week. Two reports of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS came in this week, one from north Halton with 6 birds being seen at Nassagaweya Fourth Line, approx. 500 metres south of # 15 Sideroad. At 11 this morning there was a BOHEMIAN WAXWING with about 40 Cedars along the Rail Trail In the Dundas valley at approximately Km 4.5 (Access either from Trail Center off Governor's Road or Sanctuary Park in Pleasant Valley). Other odds & sods reported this week were a Wild Turkey in Rockton, Golden-crowned Kinglet in Caledonia, Eastern Bluebirds seen at the Hydro Ponds in Dundas, a Belted Kingfisher in Campbellville and Carolina Wrens singing away at Rattray Marsh in Mississauga. Thats the news for the week, things should be getting busier this week. Keep me posted! Good Birding Cheryl Edgecombe Hamilton Naturalists' Club > Tel: (905) 381-0329 > www.hamiltonnature.org "Cheryl Edgecombe" <[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.
