On Friday, January 8th, 2010, this is the HNC birding report: YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER PINE WARBLER
Brant Cackling Goose Wood Duck American Wigeon Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail Green-winged Teal Greater Scaup King Eider Harlequin Duck Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Black Scoter Long-tailed Duck Barrow's Goldeneye Ruffed Grouse Red-throated Loon Pied-billed Grebe Red-necked Grebe Black-crowned Night Heron Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Great Horned Owl Long-eared Owl Short-eared Owl Belted Kingfisher Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Northern Flicker Northern Shrike Horned Lark Tufted Titmouse Hermit Thrush American Pipit Yellow-rumped Warbler White-crowned Sparrow Lapland Longspur Snow Bunting Purple Finch The New Year has brought birders out again to start their 2010 year lists and some neat birds have turned up over the week. The most unusual birds of the week were the two warblers on the list. The YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER is still being seen at Bronte Harbour feeding amongst the rocks on the pier which you walk out. One of our very patient photographers managed to get a couple of shots of this little jewel the day before yesterday. Patience is necessary. A PINE WARBLER was spotted on New Year's Day down at the Travelodge on the lake in the few pines at the southeast corner of the property. The bird did move around a bit in the week and has not been reported in a few days but was last seen gleaning insects off the wall at the Travelodge and then visiting some neighbouring pines. It is possible this bird is still around. There was another report of a bird near Central High School last Sunday. The lake action has once again picked up. Of course, wintering ducks are a feature here in Hamilton but you never know what the mix will be. A female King Eider was seen off Fruitland Road today. This or another female King Eider has been seen off Fifty Point in the week. The day before a Barrow's Goldeneye was seen off Jones Road. Other species seen along this western end of Lake Ontario are Common Goldeneye, Greater Scaup, all three scoter species and lots of Long-tailed Ducks. On the bay side a few Red-necked Grebes are still about and a Red-throated Loon was seen from LaSalle marina. At the Red Hill Creek outlet viewed from Eastport Drive, a pair of Wood Ducks make a good winter list, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail and Green-winged Teal are also present here. A wintering Kingfisher and an immature Black-crowned Night Heron were viewed here earlier in the week. Around on the east side of the Hamilton Study Area four Harlequin Ducks are still present on the west side of Saddington Park located at the end of Mississauga Road. The annual Lake Ontario duck count is this weekend so a full list of waterfowl will be available next week. The Haldimand area is a great place to bird in the winter. Many birders can add to their winter lists by visiting the south end of the Hamilton Study Area. Going down Highway 6 to Hagersville and searching the roads south of here provided a few good species for winter listers. On Concession 10 east and west of Cheapside today a few American Pipits, Horned Larks and Snow Buntings were seen today. No Lapland Longspurs today but earlier in the week there were a few along this Concession 10 but a flock of 50 were seen along Concession 9 near a pine plantation just west of Cheapside. It's worth a bit of time to just cruise the concessions as each time I went down them a different number of birds were seen. Please take caution as sometimes these birds are slow to move. While cruising these roads, Northern Harriers seem to be plentiful and a number of Rough-legged Hawks have set up winter territory here. Down in the same area off of County Rd. 20 on County Rd. 9 Short-eared Owls can be viewed at dusk. A Tufted Titmouse is present at the Ruthven Banding Station, feeders set up here provide a lovely spot to view. Up on the mountain in Saltfleet, Short-eared Owls can be viewed at dusk along 10th Road east, a traditional spot for these lovely creatures. Other birds seen up here in the area include Northern Harriers flying with the Short-eared Owls, two Northern Shrikes on 10th Road East, one White-crowned Sparrow at a feeder on 10th just south of Ridge Road, a flock of Snow Buntings on Green Mountain Road, a Great Horned Owl on Green Mountain Road just east of 10th and a flock of Wild Turkeys at 11th Concession and Highland Road. In Halton this week, Northern Harriers and Rough-legged Hawks were viewed near Tremaine and Britannia. A Rough-legged Hawk was seen on Hwy 25 near Milton. A Northern Shrike was seen on Lower Baseline Road near Bell School Line on Wednesday. In the odds and sods, Bald Eagles seem to be wintering along the Grand River again this year. A young Bald Eagle was seen at the end of Guelph Line on Thursday. Two Brant are still present at Spencer Smith Park in Burlington. A Cackling Goose was seen there on Thursday. Winter finches are sparse but a Purple Finch has been making a sporadic appearance in south Burlington over the past week. A trio of Tufted Titmice were seen at Brookfield Ave in Oakville just east of Dorval and south of Lakeshore on New Year's Day. Ruffed Grouse are feeding regularly at dusk at a feeder in north Flamborough. A Northern Flicker and three Yellow-rumped Warblers were present behind Dundas Arena on New Year's Day. Another several Yellow-rumped Warblers were seen at Port Credit. A Long-eared Owl made a one day appearance at a yard in Dundas this week. Two Pied-billed Grebes are present in the Desjardins Canal along with three American Wigeon on the east side of Olympic Drive. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is still coming into a feeder in Greensville. That's the news for this week. Keep me posted on winter sightings! Good Birding Cheryl Edgecombe 905-381-0329 HNC Hotline _______________________________________________ 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/
