RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER PINE WARBLER EVENING GROSBEAK
Tundra Swan Wood Duck Canvasback King Eider Harlequin Duck Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Long-tailed Duck Common Loon Pied-billed Grebe Red-tailed Hawk (dark) Rough-legged Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Belted Kingfisher Tufted Titmouse Brown Creeper Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Yellow-rumped Warbler Fox Sparrow Snow Bunting Red-winged Blackbird Rusty Blackbird Pine Siskin Life is a little slower here this week in the Hamilton Study Area. The bitter cold of the week before may have been detrimental for some of our lingering specialties, hopefully they just moved on or are just laying low. Down at Bayfront Park the RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET seems the hardiest of birds and has been seen on every visit. Last Saturday only one ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was seen on the walk at Bayfront, the other one may still be lurking about. Christmas Bird Counts are always good for finding things so perhaps ours on Boxing Day will turn up the second bird and most hopefully the Black-and-White Warbler. Another ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER is still hanging in at LaSalle Park so this bird has promise for the Count. The South Peel Christmas Count reaching the eastern portion of the Hamilton Study Area was also successful. A PINE WARBLER was seen on count day and next day at Lakeside Park in Mississauga. Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Rusty Blackbird were highlights at Sedgewick Park in Oakville and American Pipits were seen on the beach at Bronte Bluffs. Lastly on our rarities an EVENING GROSBEAK was heard over a yard in Brantford, these birds could still be on the move or settling in. Keep your feeders stocked! In the odds and sods this week, Tundra Swans were seen at Lasalle, along with a Canvasback, Common Loon and Pied-billed Grebe. A Tufted Titmouse and Hermit Thrush were also highlights here. At the Burlington Ship Canal the Harlequin Duck has put in another appearance. Unfortunately for this birder a ship was coming through the canal when I was there. Other birds seen here were up to three King Eiders, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter and of course hundreds of Long-tailed Ducks. In raptor news, the dark Red-tailed Hawk remains on winter territory near Caledonia. A Rough-legged Hawk was seen at Guelph Line and the QEW. A Merlin has come back for another winter to Strathcona in Hamilton. The Peregrine Falcons keep a watchful eye on the ducks in the ship canal. A Belted Kingfisher was heard and seen under the high level bridge last Saturday. Shortly thereafter a female Wood Duck was seen near the fish way. There are several reports of Fox Sparrow at feeders and one seen at the Valley Inn yesterday. Large flocks of Snow Buntings were seen in Mount Hope on Hwy 6 just south of Dickenson and another flock up in Saltfleet. A Red-winged Blackbird was seen behind Olympic arena and lastly two Pine Siskins were seen and heard near Gage Park this morning. Boxing day is the Hamilton CBC. Get out there and walk off that Christmas meal, report your sightings here!!! Happy Holidays! 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
