On Thursday, May 25th, 2006, this is the HNC birding report: *New Migrants this week! WHIMBREL BLACK TERN BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO EASTERN WOOD PEWEE YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER CERULEAN WARBLER GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER BREWSTER'S WARBLER LAWRENCE'S WARBLER ORCHARD ORIOLE
Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Great Egret Ruffed Grouse Sandhill Crane Semipalmated Plover Lesser Yellowlegs Solitary Sandpiper Spotted Sandpiper Upland Sandpiper Ruddy Turnstone Least Sandpiper Dunlin Short-billed Dowitcher Wilson's Snipe Ruby-throated Hummingbird Least Flycatcher Eastern Wood Pewee Eastern Phoebe Eastern Kingbird Blue-headed Vireo Warbling Vireo Philadelphia Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Gray-cheeked Thrush Swainson's Thrush Cedar Waxwing Tennessee Warbler Orange-crowned Warbler Nashville Warbler Northern Parula Chestnut-sided Warbler Magnolia Warbler Cape May Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Bay-breasted Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Black-and-white Warbler American Redstart Ovenbird Northern Waterthrush Louisiana Waterthrush Mourning Warbler Common Yellowthroat Canada Warbler Scarlet Tanager Lincoln's Sparrow Indigo Bunting Birds came through in numbers this week, slightly late but nonetheless after the crummy weather of the long weekend the movement of birds picked up again. Lakeshore properties seem to be the place to be this week as most species of warblers were seen here. Shell Park and Bronte Woods were witness to a fallout last weekend as YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, Blue-headed, Philadelphia, Warbling and Red-eyed Vireo, GOLDEN-WINGED, Tennessee ,Orange-crowned ,Nashville ,Northern Parula, Chestnut-sided , Magnolia , Black-throated Blue , Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Bay-breasted, Blackpoll Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, American Redstart, Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Louisiana Waterthrush (seen today at Shell Park), Mourning Warbler, Common Yellowthroat and Canada Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting, along with many Swainson's Thrushes. Shoracres Park in Burlington, has been quiet all spring however this week Eastern Phoebe, EASTERN WOOD PEWEE, Canada Warbler a female Redstart, Lincoln's Sparrow and Cedar Waxwings were seen. A pair of Eastern Kingbirds has been seen all week and offshore a Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe and a flyover of a Ruddy Turnstone were seen today. Sherwood Forest Park (located at the end of Fairview St. in Burlington or access from Prince William Drive off of Burloak, turning right at the end of Prince William and proceeding down the drive that takes out the bottom of the car with speed bumps) was hopping today with a male CERULEAN WARBLER making my day singing its heart out right in the parking lot. Also seen by others here Blackburnian, Bay-breasted, Yellow-rumped, Tennessee, Black-throated Green and Blue Warbler, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and many Swainson's Thrushes along with at least one Gray-cheeked thrush. Fifty Point Conservation Area had many of the same warblers as above in addition to ORCHARD ORIOLE and Willow Flycatcher. To the west of 50 Point six BLACK TERNS were seen over the lake, a bird difficult to find in Hamilton. Another great spot this week was the Dundas Valley Conservation area, a vast area often under birded. If you would like a good study of GOLDEN-WINGED, BLUE-WINGED, LAWRENCE'S and BREWSTER'S this is the place to go, every combination imaginable. There was a Brewsters Warbler reported along Mineral Springs Rd. just before the HRCA Offices coming from Ancaster. There was a singing male Lawrences Warbler at the west end of the orchards again on the Main Loop. Along the rail trail at the west end of the Dundas Valley C.A. a Ruffed Grouse made an attack at a photographers boot!!! Nasty. BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS were also heard here last weekend. Shorebird habitat is hard to find in the Hamilton Study area, however, Smithville Sewage Lagoons in Smithville is an excellent place with ideal shorebird habitat. Here last Friday were Semipalmated Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted, Least and Solitary Sandpiper, Dunlin and Short-billed Dowitcher. Perhaps the Curlew Sandpiper from Townsend has moved here, its worth a check!!! Up in Saltfleet, the pair of Upland Sandpipers were seen on the west side of 10th road East on the trail. A pair of Sandhill Cranes appeared almost territorial up here as they flew over the quarry area on 10th Road East. WHIMBREL have been reported through the week at various spots along the lakeshore in Mississauga and Toronto. A flock of about 500 made a flyby at Rattray Marsh this week. The mudflat at Rattray Marsh also produced a good variety of shorebirds though in small numbers, including Killdeer, Semipalmated Plover, Solitary Sandpiper, Dunlin, Pectoral Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper & Wilson's Snipe. Singles of Whimbrel were seen at the Dundas Marsh and Bronte Beach this week. In the odds & sods this week, a Black-billed Cuckoo was seen today in the sumacs at the Desjardins Canal and Ruby-throated Hummers have been making yard lists this week, Great Egrets were present at Bronte Marsh as well as the storm ponds located at Guelph Line and North Service Road. That's the long and winded report for the week. After dipping out on the Chestnut-collared Longspur today, I realized by typing this report how good the HSA is, time to dig up a rarity of our own. Good Birding, Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Hotline 905-381-0329
