At 8:15 p.m. on Thursday, April 28th, 2005 this is the HNC birding report: WILLET
Common Loon Pied-billed Grebe Red-necked Grebe Turkey Vulture Blue-winged Teal Osprey Bald Eagle Broad-winged Hawk Rough-legged Hawk Golden Eagle Peregrine Falcon Sora Sandhill Crane Common Moorhen Greater Yellowlegs Pectoral Sandpiper Spotted Sandpiper Wilson's Snipe Caspian Tern Common Tern Forster's Tern Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Pileated Woodpecker Purple Martin Tree Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Barn Swallow Ruby-crowned Kinglet Glue-gray Gnatcatcher Hermit Thrush Brown Thrasher Yellow-rumped Warbler Palm Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Towhee Chipping Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Well luck has shone upon me this week as the wonderful weather has been kind enough to hold the birds back until after tax season. I guess this is the glass is half full approach I'm taking since today's hail, thunderstorms, snow and other mixed precipitation did nothing for movement of birds. Last night the big find of the week was a group of 13 WILLETS down at LaSalle Park. Unfortunately these birds have moved on today however all shorelines should be checked as the end of April is their prime season of migration. Other birds reported from LaSalle were Red-necked Grebes and a Pied-billed Grebe along with two Pine Warblers. Other shorebirds seen this week were an increase in the number of Wilson's Snipe around with nineteen being seen on 5th Road East, Pectoral Sandpipers in the same location and also a Greater Yellowlegs. While out here on the 5th, a Sora called from a nearby field. On 10th Road East, the Upland Sandpipers were seen out in the field just north of the tracks on the east side last Sunday. These birds can be tough to spot. A Spotted Sandpiper was seen in the Waterdown Area. At the Hawkwatch, numbers have been dismal since the big movement of birds last Thursday afternoon. Broad-wings continue to filter through slowly, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Rough-legged Hawks and both Eagles have been reported in the week. Two Sandhill Cranes flew over the tower yesterday. Not many passerine migrants to report this week. Shell Park has seen little numbers of birds with Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, just a few Yellow-rumped Warblers, Pine Warbler and a Palm Warbler (western race) being seen in the week. The eastern palm has moved on. However, a pair of blue-gray gnatcatchers have gotten down to the task of building a nest here despite the weather. Other spots along the lake, have not produced too much but a few Brown Thrashers, Hermit Thrushes, Chipping Sparrows and lingering White-throated Sparrows who still think its winter. Two pair of Blue-winged Teal were seen at Shoreacres yesterday in the creek. Terns are in the news with three species being reported in the week. The colony of Caspian Terns on the rock islands off of Eastport Drive seems to have doubled this year. Common Terns can also be seen flying around the bay area and a Forsters Tern was seen at Burloak Park last Monday. Along the lake Common Loons and a Red-throated Loon were reported in migration this week. At Burloak Park this week all species of swallows have been reported except Cliff Swallow (and Cave). Cliff Swallows should be here soon, Interestingly, the Northern Rough-winged Swallows have been checking out the bank swallow holes on the side of the bluffs. In the odds & sods department this week a Pileated Woodpecker was seen in the Dundas Valley and Eastern Towhee was heard near the Berry Tract of the RBG last Sunday. Now is a good time to tune into the Peregrine Falcon camera on top of the Sheraton. Website for viewing is http://www.hamiltonnature.org/hamfalcam.html. These babies should be hatching soon. Have a great week. Migration, bring it on, we're ready now!!!! Good birding, Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Hotline 905-381-0329
