COMMON EIDER RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET TENNESSEE WARBLER ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER NASHVILLE WARBLER WILSON'S WARBLER PALM WARBLER PAINTED BUNTING
Cackling Goose Harlequin Duck Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Hooded Merganser Ruddy Duck Common Loon Red-necked Grebe Turkey Vulture Bald Eagle Rough-legged Hawk Sandhill Crane Iceland Gull Glaucous Gull Snowy Owl Northern Flicker Tufted Titmouse Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Eastern Bluebird Hermit Thrush Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Towhee White-throated Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird A small list packed with punch, that's what birding in the HSA is about this week. The top of the list proves that there is lots to look for particularly when starting a new year list. The rarities remain strong with an addition this afternoon of a probable female COMMON EIDER being seen near the lift bridge. The bird was seen briefly but features well described. It has not been relocated but well worth a check on the lake in this area in the coming days. The Sedgewick Famous Five (TENNESSEE, ORANGE-CROWNED, NASHVILLE, WILSON'S and Yellow-rumped Warbler) are hanging in despite the cold temperatures and wind of yesterday. Today all but the Nashville were reported. The Nashville was seen yesterday and is likely still around. Other birds to amuse here include RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Winter Wren(singing heartily today), Hermit Thrush, White-throated Sparrow. Just a reminder not to overcrowd and chase these birds around, the cold temperatures mean they have to find extra food to keep warm and limiting their movements are not conducive to doing so. Parking remains okay in the Jehovah's Witness parking lot on every day but Sunday. The PALM WARBLER was last reported last weekend on the marina side of Bayfront Park. It could still well be around. Anyone seeing this bird, please report it. The PAINTED BUNTING is still being seen at 39 Arkendo in Oakville. Various homeowners have allowed access to the yard but please respect their wishes if you are asked to leave. Snowy Owls are growing in numbers here in the Hamilton Study Area. It seems like in general the numbers are not expanding as far south as last year with reports in Georgia and Florida but this week alone has seen an increase in sightings to at least 9 different ones including Olfield Road in Flamborough (seen today on Brock Road), Bronte Harbour (3), Canada Centre for Inland Waters (2), Lindley Farms near Hamilton Airport (1) and Haldimand (2). There are likely more that I have missed. There is lots to report in the odds and sods this week. A Cackling Goose was seen with a flock of Canada Geese up on the lawn at the Royal Botanical Gardens main building on Plains Road today. At Bayfront Park a first year male Harlequin Duck continues to be seen in amongst Buffleheads and Hooded Mergansers at the High Level Bridge (walk the waterfront trail from Bayfront or Princess Point). Common Goldeneye and Ruddy Ducks are plenty here. Today two Common Loons were diving not far offshore along the waterfront trail. A Red-necked Grebe was seen at Bronte Harbour twice in the week. A Turkey Vulture was seen flying over Van Wagner's Beach earlier in the week. A number of Bald Eagles are present on the west harbour. Today a young bird was up over Bayfront Park putting up the gulls which included both Iceland and Glaucous Gulls. Two adult birds are also in the same area. Another bird was seen over Oakville just east of Dorval in the week. Rough-legged Hawks seem to have a strong hold in the south of the Hamilton Study Area. By cruising the roads, two light morphs and one dark morph were easily found near Cayuga. Depending on where you stand at the edge of the circle, Sandhill Cranes seen today south of Cayuga on River Road are at the extreme edge of our turf. A Northern Flicker along with a couple of Eastern Bluebirds were seen along Fallsview Road in Flamborough. More Eastern Bluebirds were seen on Medwin Drive (off of Tews Lane near Tews Falls) in the week. Still others were present in Hopkins Tract along with a wide ranging Eastern Towhee seen last Saturday. Tufted Titmice are coming into the feeders at Ruthven Conservation Area in the south of the Hamilton Study Area. Two Red-winged Blackbirds were seen in the same locale of the Eastern Bluebirds seen near Tews Falls. That's the news this week. Wild and wacky weather will move things around this week. Let's see if we can scare up a Pine Warbler for the Ontario Winter List this week. Happy New Year and good birding in 2015. Cheryl Edgecombe HNC --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
