PIPING PLOVER MARBLED GODWIT EASTERN x WESTERN KINGBIRD Great Egret Green Heron Black-bellied Plover Semipalmated Plover Willet Lesser Yellowlegs Ruddy Turnstone Sanderling Semipalmated Sandpiper Least Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Stilt Sandpiper Short-billed Dowitcher Red-necked Phalarope Common Nighthawk Red-headed Woodpecker Bonaparte's Gull Eastern Wood Pewee Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Traill's Flycatcher Least FLycatcher Ovenbird Northern Waterthrush Blue-winged Warbler Black-and-White Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Northern Parula Magnolia Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Canada Warbler Wilson's Warbler Scarlet Tanager
Things are firing up nicely here in the Hamilton Study Area. We have had a week of movement of birds and rarities. On Wednesday two PIPING PLOVERS were photographed on the Burlington Beach Strip. The birds were seen again on Thursday and birders were notified of their presence on Friday. Late Friday, the birds were refound between the first and second hydro towers south of Spencer Smith Park and have roamed up to the area around the washrooms further south so a walk on the beach may be necessary. These birds are two juveniles from the second nest of birds at Darlington. Today a MARBLED GODWIT was found at Windermere Basin, this is a rare bird for the Hamilton Study Area and birders were delighted at the good looks had of this elegant bird. A scope is helpful for viewing the bird from the platform. Also out at Windermere Basin were four Great Egret (one banded), Green Heron, Semipalmated and Black-bellied Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs, Semipalmated, Least, White-rumped, Baird's and Stilt Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher and for the past two days a Red-necked Phalarope. Continuing to cover shorebirds, along the Hamilton Beach strip in the week, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone and Sanderling were noted on Monday and Tuesday. Over at Tollgate Pond, Black-bellied Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs, Sanderling and Semipalmated Sandpiper were birds of note. On the islands off Eastport Drive Ruddy Turnstone and Semipalmated Sandpiper were seen today. The third interesting rarity this week was a bird photographed by a trail watcher at the RBG, seen along the Northshore Trail. This bird appears to be a hybrid EASTERN x WESTERN KINGBIRD as it shows features of both species. The woodlots are starting to be of interest. Joe Sam's in Waterdown was a hotspot with more than 12 Warbler species seen this week. These include Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Blue-winged, Black-and-White, Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Chestnut-sided, Black=throated Blue, Canada and Wilson's Warbler. Other migrants seen include Traill's and Least Flycatcher and Scarlet Tanager. At Shoreacres in Burlington, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Black-and-White, Nashville, Mourning, Chestnut-sided and a few Canada Warblers were birds of note. In the odds and sods this week, Great Egrets (2) were seen at the Red Hill Stormwater Pond. Bonaparte's Gulls were seen off the beach at Van Wagner's on a stormy Tuesday. An immature Red-headed Woodpecker was an unexpected surprise atop a telephone pole at the end of Shelton Lane (which runs off Millgrove Sideroad between Concessions 4 and 5). Lastly Common Nighthawks have been reported from Oakville, Burlington, Dundas and Hamilton this week, clearly a species on the move. That's the news this week, tonight's cold front could bring in migrants, get out and check your local patch. Post your sightings here. Good birding, Cheryl Edgecombe HNC --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - 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 Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
