On Friday, February 8th, 2013 this is the HNC Birding Report: KILLDEER EASTERN PHOEBE BOHEMIAN WAXWING
Wood Duck American Wigeon Wild Turkey Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Northern Harrier Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Sandhill Crane Glaucous Gull Barred Owl Short-eared Owl Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Pileated Woodpecker Northern Shrike Common Raven Tufted Titmouse Winter Wren Eastern Bluebird Yellow-rumped Warbler Fox Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Lapland Longspur Snow Bunting Eastern Meadowlark Brown-headed Cowbird Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll What a great day to write the report! It has been a quiet two weeks and last week was a little quieter than this one, hence no report. This past week birds seemed to have moved around a bit and there are a few more species to report. None of the rarities from early in the year seem to be present now, likely cold weather and snow have hampered efforts to stay warm and fed. On Saturday January 26th, a KILLDEER made a brief appearance on the ice at LaSalle Marina. It struggled to stay upright. The last report of the EASTERN PHOEBE in the Hendrie Valley was from January 28th. BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS have been seen in several locations through the week including the Guelph Arboretum and Foreman Road just south of Concession 10 up in Flamborough last Sunday. There are a number of decent winter birds around. Three Wood Ducks have been reported, one male at LaSalle Marina, one at the Red Hill Creek outlet that may be the same bird and a female seen at the Desjardins Canal. Other birds at the canal include American Wigeon, Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant and Great Blue Heron (unfortunately a hydro wire casualty). On January 26th a Rusty Blackbird made a brief appearance and then flew west. Nearby behind the Olympic Arena, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was found while looking for a previously reported Fox Sparrow. A Pileated Woodpecker and Yellow-rumped Warbler were also not hard to find along the trail behind the arena. Up in the north part of the territory, a Red-shouldered Hawk continues to be seen near the highway bridge going over the 401 on Sideroad 32 and Ellis Road. A Common Raven was seen along Ellis last Sunday and last week a Hoary Redpoll was seen among a flock of Common Redpolls on Ellis Road. No further sign of the Savannah Sparrow seen in this location. Up on 10th Road East in Saltfleet, a group of four Short-eared Owls were seen at dusk just east of the tracks between Ridge and Green Mountain Road. During the warm spell on Jan 28th, a group of 5 Eastern Meadowlarks made a brief appearance at the tracks on 10th Road East. Northern Harriers were seen on 11th Road East. Down at the corner of Ridge Road and 10th Road East a feeder was host to three White-crowned Sparrows. Wild Turkeys and a Northern Shrike were reported from 1st Road West up on the Mountain in the last few days. At least six Black-crowned Night Herons are still present at the Red Hill Outlet. A Turkey Vulture was seen flying near the Garden Ave exit of the 403 midweek. A group of Sandhill Cranes were seen down in the south end of the Hamilton Study Area last week, more of these are wintering every year. A Merlin was reported from Victoria Park in Hamilton. Glaucous Gulls are still around the harbour with some being seen behind Canada Centre for Inland Waters and LaSalle Marina. Two Barred Owls were photographed on the west side of Bronte Creek Provincial Park. Another one appears to still be present at the Arboretum in Guelph. A feeder in Oakville that was hosting one Yellow-bellied Sapsucker that disappeared, reported 2 being seen a couple of days ago. Tufted Titmice are coming into the feeders at Ruthven Conservation Area. Another one seems to have set up shop at a feeder on Sawmill Road in Ancaster. When the warm weather was here, a Winter Wren was heard singing in the Hendrie Valley, at least two more were bouncing around there on the same day. Eastern Bluebirds always make a pretty sight against the snow. A small flock is present near Concession 7 on Calfass Road up in Morriston. There have also been some seen at the Guelph Arboretum. At Dyments Farm on Sydenham Road north of Dundas, a mixed flock of Snow Buntings, Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs have been a hit this week. A flock of 20 Brown-headed Cowbirds frenzied at a feeder this morning in Greensville. Many feeders have been reporting Common Redpolls with an occasional Hoary mixed in still. It will be interesting to see what the birds will do with all this snow. Stock the feeders, there could be something good about that will be driven in. Report your sightings here! Cheers, 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/
