On Saturday, January 24th, 2009, this is the HNC Birding Report. SLATY-BACKED GULL
Redhead Greater Scaup White-winged Scoter Long-tailed Duck Common Goldeneye Red-breasted Merganser Common Merganser Horned Grebe Turkey Vulture Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Rough-legged Hawk Merlin Iceland Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Glaucous Gull Great Black-backed Gull Snowy Owl Short-eared Owl Red-bellied Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Horned Lark Golden-crowned Kinglet American Robin Cedar Waxwing Snow Bunting Common Grackle Purple Finch White-winged Crossbill Common Redpoll Pine Siskin Sorry for the late report! In the category of unbelievable this week, one of our local birders/photographer was out on the beach canal photographing white-winged gulls. While getting a shot of a Glaucous Gull, another gull flew into the same shot. Upon later inspection, it was noticed that this dark mantled gull which was thought to just be a Great Black-backed Gull had all the markings of a SLATY-BACKED GULL. A review by other birders confirmed that this was indeed an adult SLATY-BACKED GULL!!! By the way, this is the same person who had Hamilton's first Manx Shearwater fly through his scope too. He went out and bought a lottery ticket the next day. A search by local birders the next two days couldn't turn the bird up but these birds move around and come and go so a good scan of all gulls is always warranted. Other birds seen in the beach canal this week include Redhead, Greater Scaup, White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Merganser, Horned Grebe, Glaucous, Iceland and Greater Black-backed Gull. On the bay side, several Bald Eagles are sitting on the ice. A search for the Slaty-backed at Waterdown Garden Supplies turned up a number of White-winged Gulls, a Lesser Black-backed Gull and eight Turkey Vultures. A great spot this week was the RBG Arboretum located on Old Guelph Road. This seems to be a haven for overwintering Purple Finches. The Northshore trail was filled with birds feeding on the berries there. American Robins, Cedar Waxwings in big numbers, Purple Finch anywhere from 3 to 6 reported consistently, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Pine Siskin and White-winged Crossbills in addition to the regular residents. While touring some of the feeders in this general area a Common Grackle flew over Parkview only to be found a while later at the Valley Inn for winter listers. Saltfleet has been quiet this week but at least one Snowy Owl remains. It seems to move about a bit but 8th Road East and Mud Street seems to be a place to start. Also here are large flocks of Snow Buntings with Horned Lark mixed in. Short-eared Owls, Northern Harrier and Rough-legged Hawk continue to be reported from 10th Road East and surrounding area. Snowy Owl sightings have picked up again this week elsewhere with two being seen chasing one another at the Hamilton Spectator building on Frid Street. Another bird has been seen a couple of times this week on the Home Depot at Burloak Drive and the QEW and the Bronte Harbour bird seems to be making an appearance sporadically this week. The White-winged Crossbill invasion continues with these birds common on most reports of birds I am getting from all areas. Please keep me updated on your sightings of these. Pine Siskins and Common Redpolls are also on the rampage at many feeders voraciously consuming large amounts of food. In the odds and sods this week, a wintering Red-shouldered Hawk has been seen in the Queenston and Lake Street area of Stoney Creek. One was reported here last winter, likely the same bird. A couple of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were seen on the Brantford Count with one being seen again yesterday on Hardy Road in Brantford in a small woodlot just past Golf Road. Also on the count, 4 Bald Eagles were reported along the Grand River. A number of Golden-crowned Kinglets are wintering in the Dundas Marsh. Wintering Merlins seem to be common with a bird as a regular at Central Park in Burlington, one seen at Spruce and Pine Cove, one at LaSalle Marina and another out in the Brantford Area. That's the news for this week. Hopefully the Slaty-backed Gull returns! Good Birding! Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Hotline 905-381-0329 _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
