On Friday, February 20th, 2009, this is the HNC Birding Report: American Widgeon Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail Ring-necked Duck Lesser Scaup Red-necked Grebe Turkey Vulture Bald Eagle Northern Goshawk Red-shouldered Hawk Peregrine Falcon Snowy Owl Short-eared Owl Common Raven Brown Thrasher Yellow-rumped Warbler White-crowned Sparrow Purple Finch White-winged Crossbill Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll Pine Siskin
It's been a couple of weeks since the last report and things continue to be slow in the Hamilton Study Area. We are in desperate need of a warm push of air to get things going again. The big news story of this past couple of weeks has been the increase in the numbers of Pine Siskins and Redpolls in the area again. Hoary Redpolls have made their appearance as well with two (one adult, one sub adult) being seen at the feeders at Chappell House at the Riverwood Park on Riverwood Park Drive in Mississauga yesterday and one adult bird being seen today. The feeders are easily viewed from the turnaround at Chappell House and there were also many Common Redpolls to sort through. Pine Siskins area also present at the feeders here at the front, side and the back of Chappell House. The Brown Thrasher continues to be seen near the feeders at McEwan Station in the same location. Hoary Redpolls were also reported from the Northshore Trails at the Royal Botanical Gardens and at Rock Chapel in Flamborough this week. The lake has been quiet this week save one sighting on Tuesday of a female King Eider which flew past the beach canal and over to the Burlington Lakeshore. In the Windermere Basin, American Widgeon, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup and a single Red-necked Grebe were present on Monday. On Tuesday there was a strange sighting of a Mandarin Duck in the basin. Soon it will be time for the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch at Beamer Conservation Area in Grimsby. In the raptor department, a Peregrine Falcon flew over the Windermere Basin on Monday. There is increased activity of the pair at the lift bridge site. A Northern Goshawk was seen in Grimsby moving along the escarpment near Bartlett Avenue. A Red-shouldered Hawk made an appearance at the Bronte Marsh on Monday, perhaps a bird on the move. Bald Eagles continue to be present on the bay although the disappearance of ice has made looking on the shoreline more productive. White-winged Crossbill sightings have decreased this week however there are still some pockets of birds being seen in the Flamborough and Halton area. Activity is being monitored so please forward your sightings of White-winged Crossbills to me. We are particularly interested in any evidence of nesting in the area. There is lots to report in the odds and sods. A Yellow-rumped Warbler was noted on the Southshore trails near McMaster University. A Turkey Vulture was seen over the Lynden area. A pair of Common Ravens was seen in courtship behavior doing barrel rolls at Mount Nemo Conservation Area. A White-crowned Sparrow made an appearance at the feeders at Valley Inn. Short-eared Owls were seen and heard at the Hagersville dump on a Hamilton Naturalists Club outing on Valentine's Day. A Snowy Owl was present at the cemetery located on 6th Road East between Mud and Green Mountain Road on Monday. Purple Finches are still being reported at feeders in the Burlington/Hamilton area. Look for those last winter list birds this week and email your sightings to me. Good birding, Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Hotline 905-381-0329 _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
