VESPER SPARROW HARRIS'S SPARROW Snow Goose Cackling Goose Tundra Swan Northern Pintail Turkey Vulture Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Killdeer Snowy Owl Barred Owl Northern Shrike Horned Lark Bohemian Waxwing Red-winged Blackbird Hoary Redpoll
Although the list is short, the signs of spring have crept their way into the list this week. Our birds of note for the week are a VESPER SPARROW discovered on March 1st at a feeder in Brampton, likely overwintering and eluding winter listers in the fields surrounding and the continuing HARRIS'S SPARROW which has been seen for the past three weeks on Ellis Road in Cambridge. This week the HARRIS'S was observed below the spruce tree in front of 6555 Ellis Rd but has been seen at the feeder next door as well. Waterfowl is on the move, one of the big signs of movement is always the presence of Geese, Swans and ducks on the flooded fields in Saltfleet and in Flamborough. This afternoon a large field on 1st Road East between Mud and Highland Road was the scene of a gathering of the above species with hundreds of Canada Geese, Mallard Ducks and a few Pintails in the mix. Ten Tundra Swans were also seen further out in the field, one of the great sounds of spring when they are on the move. On the snowless patches, four Killdeer were scurrying around. Further south from here at the northeast corner of 1st Road East and Highland a female Snowy Owl made a nice surprise find today. Horned Larks were abundant on all fields today, tinkling in their flight calls. Further east on Highland a male Northern Harrier cruised the field near 7th Road East. On 1st Road West, a group of 41 Wild Turkeys were located in a field just north of Green Mountain Road. The Niagara Peninsula Hawk Watch at Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in Grimsby has had a slow start this week however as the winds change this weekend, I expect numbers will pick up. A Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered and a number of Red-tailed Hawks were the highlight on Monday. Things have been quiet since. Another Red-shouldered Hawk was seen near Olympic Arena and on Cootes Drive in Dundas, a likely migrant. In the odds and sods this week, Snow and Cackling Geese have been seen intermittently at Bronte Beach and Bronte Harbour through the week. Another Snow Goose flew over the tower at Beamer earlier in the week. A Turkey Vulture flew over a yard on James Street. A Merlin was also seen perched on an antennae in this area, first of the season. A Barred Owl was seen in Bronte Creek Provincial Park West near Parking Lot A. Two Northern Shrikes were seen on 10th Road East today. Bohemian Waxwings were a nice yard surprise at a home on Deer Run Court near Brantford. These will be moving out soon! A small flock of Red-winged Blackbirds were seen near Olympic arena and near Bronte Creek Provincial Park. They will likely be here in numbers by the weekend. Lastly, a very frosty Hoary Redpoll made an appearance earlier in the week at a feeder near Middletown Road and 5th Concession West but has not been seen in the last couple of days. Short and sweet, next week there will be much more to report. Please send in your sightings. Good birding, 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/
