At 7:00pm, Thursday, December 4th, 2003, this is the Hamilton Naturalists' Club Birding Hotline Report. The Hotline is normally revised on Thursday, unless an unusual bird turns up in the Hamilton area.
The OFO field trip to the Niagara River this past weekend was a success. Starting at Niagara-on-the-Lake with RED-THROATED LOON and RED-NECKED GREBE, participants moved to the generating stations where ICELAND GULL, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, NELSON'S GULL, THAYER'S GULL, and CALIFORNIA GULL were seen. Further along at the Whirlpool, BONAPARTE'S GULL and LITTLE GULL were spotted, along with a BLACK-HEADED GULL. Above the falls, the injured BRANT was seen, along with a PURPLE SANDPIPER. Other highlights included one TURKEY VULTURE, two MERLINS, and three PEREGRINE FALCONS. Locally, a late hawk flight at Woodland Cemetery yielded RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, RED-TAILED HAWK, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, COOPER'S HAWK, and PEREGRINE FALCON (possibly a local bird). Also seen at Woodland were PINE SISKIN, AMERICAN PIPIT, COMMON GRACKLE, and SANDHILL CRANE. A walk on the Hopkins Trail at the RBG produced EASTERN BLUEBIRD, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, PINE SISKIN, and GREAT HORNED OWL. Elsehwere, COMMON LOON, RED-THROATED LOON, and HORNED GREBE were reported from Van Wagner's Beach, PIED-BILLED GREBE, RED-NECKED GREBE, AMERICAN WIGEON, NORTHERN PINTAIL, and RED-THROATED LOON were at LaSalle Marina, ICELAND GULL and RED-THROATED LOON were seen at Green's Road on the Stoney Creek lakeshore, and a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON was present at Valley Inn. Other local reports include a very late NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW near the Red Hill Creek at Eastport Drive, SNOW BUNTING at Fifty Point, BALD EAGLE over Dundas, and a late TURKEY VULTURE near Highway 6 and the 403. Out of town, the RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD is still being seen near Kingston, and eastern Ontario has also been graced by the presence of a BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK near Ottawa. Heading in the opposite direction, a BAND-TAILED PIGEON has been coming to a feeder in London. Birders are asked to keep an eye on Lake Ontario for DOVEKIES. A large number have moved up the St. Lawrence River and may stray into our area. Be sure to let us know about your sightings. Leave your name, telephone number, as well as the time and date of your call. Sightings can also be reported by e-mail. GOOD BIRDING! Keith Dieroff C/O Hamilton Naturalists' Club Birding Hotline Report Hamilton, Ontario [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hamilton Naturalists' Club Tel: (905) 381-0329 www.hamiltonnature.org ______________________________________________________________________ Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca Keith Dieroff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.
