On lucky Friday, July 13th, 2007 this is the HNC Birding Report: Blue-winged Teal Wood Duck Common Loon Great Egret Green Heron Peregrine Falcon American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Solitary Sandpiper Lesser Yellowlegs Least Sandpiper Wilson's Snipe Common Tern Black-billed Cuckoo Eastern Screech Owl Acadian Flycatcher Red-eyed Vireo House Wren Eastern Bluebird Wood Thrush Gray Catbird Hooded Warbler Ovenbird Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Song Sparrow Eastern Meadowlark Baltimore Oriole
A short and sweet report this week with the increase in the number of shorebirds around at various places worth noting as we move into mid July and see more variety. At Grimsby Sewage Lagoons, two young Common Terns which hatched on the island in the north cell have now taken flight and can be seen out hunting with the adults. In the south cell, another family of American Coots have hatched. This has been a great year for coots in this location. A Lesser Yellowlegs and a Least Sandpiper were seen here this week as the water levels continue to drop with the lack of rain. >From Smithville Sewage Lagoons, water levels have dropped here exposing a mud edge. In here Green Heron, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe and Wood Duck were seen last week. The back cell holds promise for shorebirds as the water levels are lowest here. Out in the Dundas Marsh, a report from July 4th found water levels dropping out here and the presence of Blue-winged Teal, Great Egret, Lesser Yellowlegs and Least Sandpiper. Four Solitary Sandpipers were seen out on the Willows trail yesterday. At the North Service Road Ponds just west of Guelph Line, eleven Lesser Yellowlegs were seen here throughout the week but a lovely green goo is forming on the ponds making it tempting for migrating shorebirds and is worth checking. On the Pinetum Trail at the RBG last Friday attempts to relocate Golden-winged Warbler came up short. However, amongst the thousands of Gypsy moths flying around seen or heard were Black-billed Cuckoo, House Wren, Eastern Bluebird (3 young near Raspberry House/Bruce trail headquarters), Wood Thrush, Gray Catbird, Ovenbird, Chipping Sparrow (many with young), Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark and Baltimore Oriole. At the HNC Sanctuary at Spooky Hollow, Acadian Flycatcher and Hooded Warbler were photographed in the week. Our Peregrine Falcon family seem to have successfully fledged the nest. Blue Foot and Jump Up are being seen less regularly this week as they continue to streak across the Hamilton Skyline. Many thanks to the volunteers who dedicate their time during this season to keep and eye out for falling birds! In the odds and sods for the week, four immature Green Herons were seen while marsh monitoring on Lockie Road east of Highway 24 near the East River Road junction, a rare sight in the HSA. A Vesper Sparrow was seen about a 1000 ft. off the end of Turnbull lane, at the Dundas Valley Conservation Area. A report of Eastern Screech Owlets in the Ancaster area and a Common Loon was heard flying over the house in the Walkers Line and New Street area of Burlington last Tuesday. That's the news this week, have a great weekend and keep an eye out for returning migrants! Good Birding, Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Hotline 905-381-0329
