On Friday, January 12th 2007, this is the HNC Birding Report: CACKLING GOOSE CALIFORNIA GULL EASTERN TOWHEE
Northern Pintail Canvasback Redhead Ring-necked Duck Greater Scaup White-winged Scoter Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Hooded Merganser Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Ring-necked Pheasant Red-throated Loon Common Loon Pied-billed Grebe Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Double-crested Cormorant Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Peregrine Falcon American Coot Turkey Vulture Rough-legged Hawk Golden Eagle Merlin Glaucous Gull Snowy Owl Pileated Woodpecker Northern Shrike Winter Wren Brown-headed Cowbirds White-crowned Sparrow The annual Duck Count for Lake Ontario was held last Sunday, January 7th. Although I only have notes on species from our area, numbers were down in the bay area likely due to the fact that there is still alot of open water everywhere! A nice surprise for the day was the discovery of a 1st winter CALIFORNIA GULL on Neare Island viewed from Eastport Drive just where the ramp to the QEW exits. The bird was last seen on Monday. Thankfully, I did not have to identify this bird, it is an extreme challenge for gull rookies like myself. Nonetheless, the bird was mixed in with a number of immature Herring Gulls which it most resembles. Study the guides if you are going to embark on this adventure. Other birds seen on the count which in our area included LaSalle Marina and the shoreline along to Tollgate Ponds were Northern Pintail, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup, White-winged Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-throated Loon, Common Loon, Pied-billed Grebe (2 of them on the west side of LaSalle Marina, Horned Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant and American Coot. Other reported form LaSalle include Bald Eagle (several of them reported in the week of various ages), a Glaucous Gull on the Rock Islands at the east end and the EASTERN TOWHEE is still present hanging around with the House Sparrows at the beginning of the trail. Down further at the Window on the Bay to the east of LaSalle a CACKLING GOOSE was reported last Saturday. Some other raptors in the news this week include a sighting of a Golden Eagle over McMaster University yesterday. Down in the southern extremity of the HSA close to the chicken farm near Cayuga, Turkey Vulture and Rough-legged Hawk were seen last week. With the snow up north and colder temperatures many raptors may be on the move south again. A Peregrine Falcon was seen chasing pigeons and eventually landing near Brant and James St. in downtown Burlington. A Merlin was seen at Bronte Harbour. Northern Harrier was seen near Courtcliffe park in Carlisle. An unfortunate find this week from the Tollgate Ponds. The young Snowy Owl which was reported around the first of the year and seen on our CBC was found dead under a guard rail near Woodward. Lots to reports in odds & ends in no particular order and may be of interest to winter listers. Pileated Woodpecker was reported from Great Lakes Blvd in Oakville close to where the creek path crosses. At Bronte Harbour, five Red-necked Grebes are still about for winter listers. A flock of 100 Brown-headed Cowbirds were seen on Sydenham Road outside of Dundas (forgot this last week). White-crowned Sparrows were reported from a feeder in Beamsville. Up on 10th Road East in Saltfleet, three male pheasants were flushed from the Dofasco trail running from 8th Road to 10th Road East. A Northern Shrike was seen again at Kerncliffe Park and up in Flamborough on 5th Concession east of Brock Road and Winter Wren was seen at the first bridge at Valley Inn. That's the news for the week. Sorry for the tardy report! Good birding! Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Hotline 905-381-0329
