On Friday, November 5th, 2010, this is the HNC Birding Report: CATTLE EGRET BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE CAVE SWALLOW YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER LECONTE'S SPARROW
Brant Tundra Swan Common Loon Bald Eagle Sharp-shinned Hawk Northern Goshawk Red-shouldered Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Golden Eagle Merlin Virginia Rail Sandhill Crane Dunlin American Woodcock Common Raven Northern Rough-winged Swallow Tufted Titmouse Eastern Bluebird American Pipit Bohemian Waxwing Cedar Waxwing Orange-crowned Warbler Snow Bunting Purple Finch White-winged Crossbill Pine Siskin It's been a great week for rarities in the Hamilton Study Area. The week started with the arrival of CAVE SWALLOWS last Friday. Birds were seen on Saturday and Sunday but then disappeared. Among one of the small flocks of swallows was a very late Northern Rough-winged Swallow at the end of Green Road last Saturday. Also, a BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE was seen far off of Sioux Lookout on Saturday. On Sunday while looking for swallows, a YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER was found in the parkette to the west of the Suncor Pier in Oakville at the end of Great Lakes Blvd. This was a frustrating bird to keep track of as the maples had not lost their leaves yet. The bird was only seen briefly that afternoon and was not found by other birders looking that same day. A CATTLE EGRET remained on the scene on Centre Road north of Concession 5 East in Waterdown until Saturday. Another CATTLE EGRET was seen by an observer from a yard out in Flamborough as a passerby. A rare find in Hamilton which probably pass through unnoticed each year is LECONTE'S SPARROW. Favour fortuned a birder at the Rona Lagoons (located behind the Rona Store on Hwy 5 east of Hwy 6 in Waterdown) yesterday as the sparrow flushed and then disappeared. Going back to look again, the bird was flushed again and then disappeared. After the third sighting a stunning photograph was taken of this rare jewel. The bird was relocated later that evening and a few were able to see before dark. The bird has not been relocated so far but knowing the skulky nature of these birds, it could still be there. It was last seen in the Northwest corner of the lagoons. Parking is best behind the Walmart where there is a sloped path down to the ponds. Winter finches continue to filter through the area. Last Saturday over 200 Purple Finches were counted in a short time over Woodland Cemetery. Pine Siskins were also seen in small numbers. Both of these birds are being reported at feeders in the HSA. Two White-winged Crossbills were seen mid week at the University of Guelph Arboretum. Along the lake, flocks of Snow Buntings were seen. At Woodland Cemetery last Saturday and Sunday, a raptor migration took place on the Northwest winds. A few Bald Eagles of various ages were seen along with Sharp-shinned Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawk, Golden Eagle and Merlin. Common Loons and Tundra Swans were moving through. Three Dunlin flew over. Large numbers of Blackbirds, American Pipits, Robins and Eastern Bluebirds were on the move. Flocks of Cedar Waxwings were also moving through and a Bohemian Waxwing was heard among one of the groups. In the odds and sods this week, a Brant has been present in the Windermere Basin for most of the week. Sandhill Cranes are still being seen regularly near Deer Run Court in Brantford. At Rattray Marsh this week an American Woodcock flushed and an Orange-crowned Warbler was an unexpected surprise. A Common Raven was seen near Sheffield. Tufted Titmice were seen at a feeder in Northeast Flamborough near Concession 11 and Centre Road and near Iroquois Conservation Area in Ancaster. A Virginia Rail was still being heard out in Flamborough earlier in the week near Middletown Road. THIS SUNDAY IS THE HAMILTON FALL BIRD COUNT. If you are in the area birding, please send along your sightings so we can include them in our count. Good birding, Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Birding 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/
