On Friday, August, 17th, 2012, this is the HNC Birding Report: Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Great Egret Green Heron Osprey Bald Eagle Black-bellied Plover Semipalmated Plover Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Solitary Sandpiper Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Semipalmated Sandpiper Least Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Short-billed Dowitcher Red-necked Phalarope Red-headed Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker Olive-sided Flycatcher Willow Flycatcher Least Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird Warbling Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Yellow Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Magnolia Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Palm Warbler Black-and-white Warbler Northern Waterthrush Mourning Warbler Canada Warbler Purple Finch
Wow! have things ever changed in the last week. Looking at the list, more variety of birds are now on the move with cold fronts coming through and bringing north winds for them to travel on. It is an exciting time to be out and about with many different facets of birding to be enjoyed. There were no specific rarities this week. Shorebirds still seem to be the majority of the list this week. Last Friday out at Mountsberg, Killdeer, Spotted and Solitary Sandpiper, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Semipalmated, Least, White-rumped (many) and Pectoral Sandpiper and Short-billed Dowitcher were highlights. A growing number of Great Egrets are being seen around the area, the total here at Mountsberg being six. At the Red Hill Stormwater pond this week Semipalmated Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs, Semipalmated and Least Sandpiper were highlights. Out at the Dundas Marsh, habitat is exceptional. Public access to this area is off the Northshore Trails at Royal Botanical Garden on the Marsh Boardwalk trail where there is a viewing tower. Here this week were Black-bellied Plover, Spotted and Solitary Sandpiper, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Semipalmated, Least, Bairds, Pectoral Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher and Red-necked Phalarope. Fifteen Great Egrets were seen out in the marsh today. Interestingly today, a total of 45 Eastern Kingbirds were counted in the vicinity. Obviously there was a large movement of these birds after the passing cold front. At Rattray Marsh in Mississauga, Semipalmated Plover, Semipalmated, Least and Pectoral Sandpiper were on the mud flat there mid-week. Horned and Red-necked Grebes were seen offshore. A Green Heron family is still being seen at the lake side of the marsh here. Warblers and other migrants are starting to move through as well this week. All of the lakeshore properties should be checked carefully. At Rattray Marsh in Mississauga, Willow and Least Flycatcher, Warbling and Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Black-and-White, Palm and Canada Warbler were some of the migrants noted here. A foursome family of Pileated woodpeckers caused a great deal of wood chips to be made in here. Yard lists are building too. Along the lakeshore in Oakville, Willow Flycatcher, Yellow and Magnolia Warbler made the yard list. In Hamilton near Ryckman's Corners, a Northern Waterthrush was a welcome guest. In Rock Chapel along the edge of the escarpment up in Flamborough, Olive-sided and Willow Flycatcher, Nashville, Blackburnian, Pine and Canada Warbler and Purple Finch were seen in the week. In the odds and sods this week, nine Great Egrets were seen at Onondaga Farms (Tim Horton's Camp) near Cambridge. Two Solitary Sandpipers were there as well. An adult Bald Eagle flew over Cootes Paradise mid-week. An Osprey was a passing migrant at Lakeside Park. Young Ospreys are fledging the nest and learning to take flight near the Curtis Road Tower in Paris. A Red-headed Woodpecker was seen on Burt Road North of St. George, likely nesting in the area again this year. Courtcliffe Park in Carlisle is a traditional spot for Olive-sided Flycatchers in fall. One was seen during the week along with a group of 6 Blackburnian Warblers. Another Olive-sided Flycatcher was seen at Borer's Falls. The weather is supposed to be fabulous over the next few days. Get out and enjoy this lovely weather and the birds. Please report your sightings! Cheryl Edgecombe HNC. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
