At 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 15th, 2004 this is the Hamilton Naturalists Club Birding Report:
Green Heron Lesser Yellowlegs Least Sandpiper Short-billed Dowitcher Spotted Sandpiper Red-bellied Woodpecker Willow Flycatcher Bank Swallow Brown Creeper Hooded Warbler Brewster's Warbler Savannah Sparrow Rose-breasted Grosbeak Summer according to the calendar, yes, weatherwise ????? Birdwise, very quiet indeed. This weeks reported bird of the week has been Hooded Warbler. One singing male was located in Ancaster on Ontario Rd., about 100 yards in from the Old Ancaster Rd. Two reports came from Captain Cootes Trail this week presumably the same bird. A Hooded Warbler has been photographed here feeding young. The best spot to see this bird, is on Capt. Cootes Trail at the RBG near the Marsh Boardwalk sign closest to Bulls Point. This is a good spot to observe the parent Red-bellied Woodpecker feed its young, fruit from the Red Elderberry bushes. Other birds seen at this spot were Brown Creeper and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Today, at Tollgate Ponds located on Eastport Drive in Hamilton, 3 Short-billed Dowitchers, 2 Least Sandpipers and 9 Lesser Yellowlegs were seen at this location. Now is a good time to get out to those sewage lagoons and other mucky spots to look for returning shorebirds. Other reports this week include Green Heron, Spotted Sandpiper, Willow Flycatcher, Bank Swallow, Savannah Sparrow and Rose-breasted Grosbeak all from Courtcliff Park in Carlisle. If you get a chance to visit this spot, it will be well worth the trip, a variety of habitats all in one place. It is located east of Highway 6 North on Carlisle Road in the hamlet of Carlisle. At least four Green Herons were also reported from the Longlane Orchards. They are north on Guelph Line, West on #15 Sideroad at the Petro Canada station, then south on Second Line. A Brewsters Warbler was also photographed this week. The bird was around a large pond just south of the Dundas water tower. That's the scoop for this week. Until next week....good birding. Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Hotline 905-381-0329
