EASTERN PHOEBE PINE GROSBEAK Cackling Goose Northern Pintail Green-winged Teal King Eider Common Loon Red-necked Grebe Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Iceland Gull Glaucous Gull Snowy Owl Barred Owl Northern Flicker Northern Shrike Tufted Titmouse Winter Wren Hermit Thrush Eastern Towhee Fox Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Snow Bunting Purple Finch Common Redpoll Pine Siskin
Well weather has definitely been a factor in scaling down our birds at the top of the list. Unfortunately it seems that all the warblers and possibly the kinglets at Sedgewick Park in Oakville have perished in this ruthless cold weather and snow. It seems a shame but birds such as these aren't built to withstand the temperatures let alone find protein and food source to keep warm. It was a good run for all of them but sadly the news is not good. The only species of note that is not absolutely cold tolerant but able to survive at least until the temperatures plummeted this weekend were two EASTERN PHOEBES, one found at Jaycee Park in Brantford and another along the Spencer Creek Trail in Dundas. Neither have been reported since the weekend. A bird of note that I highlight at the top of the list was PINE GROSBEAK. It's been a while since we have had an invasion year of this species so if you haven't gone out to see them, now is the time to do so. There has been a sizable flock hanging at the South Ring Road at the University of Guelph. Weekends are best as parking lots are full of students in the week. These are lovely finches to observe, most of the ones seen around here have been females which are still exquisite but there are a few males mixed in with flocks that give more colour to the group. Much of the winter birding here in the Hamilton Study area centres around waterfowl. On the bay this week which may be frozen by now, Common Loon and Red-necked Grebe were highlights. A number of species of ducks can be viewed for those willing to stand the cold with a scope. A King Eider remains fairly reliable down at the Suncor Pier in Oakville. There are usually more of these around in the winter but it seems a lean year. At Christie Conservation Area a Northern Pintail and Green-winged Teal were counted amongst the hundreds of Canada Geese, Mallards and Black Ducks there. Cackling Geese have been showing up as the number of Canada Geese grow due to smaller water bodies freezing over north of here. Cackling Geese have been seen at Bronte Harbour, Suncor Pier and LaSalle Marina over the past week. In the odds and sods, a Red-shouldered Hawk seems to be overwintering in the Glen Morris area once again this year. Merlin sightings seem to be consistent with birds reported in Strathcona area and at Kilbourne Street in Stoney Creek this week. A Peregrine Falcon was terrorizing birds on Fallsview Road early last week. One was seen perched on the lift bridge on Friday. Both Glaucous and Iceland Gulls were reported from Bayfront Park. Bald Eagles were seen flying over the bay, their numbers will increase as water bodies freeze over and they will be seen on the ice waiting for the snack bar of ducks. Snowy Owl sightings come from Oakville and Bronte Harbour this week. A Barred Owl was observed perched on a fence near Spruce and Burloak Drive, obviously having a big territory here in south Burlington. Northern Flickers seem to be overwintering in a few places with birds on Quarry Road in Grimsby, on Bell School Line north of Burlington and on 5th Road East where it was joined by a Hermit Thrush. A Northern Shrike was seen on Wayne Gretsky Parkway early last week. A lone Tufted Titmouse was coming into a feeder on Mineral Springs Road just past the Hamlet of Mineral Springs. Fox Sparrow and Purple Finch were highlights at the Hamilton Conservation Authority. An interesting report of a female Eastern Towhee came from Waterdown on the weekend, unusual to see a female wintering. A Hermit Thrush was seen on 5th Road East while on the hunt for Snow Buntings seen there on Friday. A White-crowned Sparrow was a house guest at a feeder in Grimsby. A group of around 40 Common Redpolls were hard targets to get on Fallsview Ave in Flamborough. A scope is needed to scan the weedy area near the Dyments farm west of the Dyments Market. Lastly, Pine Siskins are still coming into feeders. This cold brings out the birds as they need energy to fill up. Keep your feeders stocked, you never know what is going to turn up unexpectedly. Stay warm! Cheryl Edgecombe HNC. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca 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
