BLUE HEADED VIREO RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER PALM WARBLER EASTERN MEADOWLARK
Cackling Goose Tundra Swan American Wigeon Canvasback Redhead Ring-necked Duck King Eider Black Scoter Common Loon Pied-billed Grebe Red-necked Grebe Great Blue Heron Turkey Vulture Northern Harrier Iceland Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Great Horned Owl Snowy Owl Short-eared Owl Horned Lark Tufted Titmouse Brown Creeper Carolina Wren Winter Wren Eastern Bluebird Lapland Longspur Snow Bunting Yellow-rumped Warbler Fox Sparrow White-throated Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird Winter has gripped the Hamilton Study Area this week with snow and cold temperatures. The list is a little shorter but birds are moving around as water freezes up and birds are driven into feeders with the cold and snow. The top of the list is a little shorter. Not sure whether birds have perished or there are just no recent reports. At Sedgewick yesterday the BLUE-HEADED VIREO, PALM WARBLER and Yellow-rumped Warbler were readily found. Last report of the RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER were last Monday. I suspect they are still around but just not found yesterday, these are a little hardier than the Vireo and Palm Warbler. Other birds seen there include Carolina and Winter Wren, Brown Creeper and White-throated Sparrow. There were no reports of the Wilson's Warbler or Blue-headed Vireo from the sewage treatment plant at Arkendo in Oakville. Any further reports would be appreciated. The EASTERN MEADOWLARK up on 10th Road East was last reported last weekend. I find you have to have ideal conditions of no wind and warmer temperatures to see this bird. The bird has been seen on both sides of the road and even up to the iron bridge that crosses over the creek on the Dofasco trail west of 10th. The Lake Ontario Waterfowl Count was last weekend. Hardy counters went out in miserable conditions around the lake and in the Hamilton Harbour. Some of the highlights were 43 Ring-necked Ducks in the Red Hill Outlet off Eastport and 74 off LaSalle Marina. Canvasbacks numbered 180 off the Northeast shore of the Harbour, a Common Loon was seen from LaSalle Marina as well as a Red-necked Grebe. Another Red-necked Grebe was seen off the Northshore of the Harbour. A Black Scoter was seen on the harbour on the Northeast shore, an unusual sighting off the lake. There were 30 Tundra Swans off LaSalle Marina. Other waterfowl sightings this week include a Cackling Goose at Bayfront Park last weekend and two more Cackling Geese were found amongst hundreds of Canadas at Derry Road and James Snow Parkway in Milton in a stormwater pond accessed off Kearns Drive. Two American Wigeon were seen in the bed of Zebra Mussels on the east side of Bronte Harbour last weekend. King Eiders continue to be seen most recently to the west of Fifty Point Conservation Area. Fruitland Road is also a good place to search from. Lastly a Pied-billed Grebe has taken up winter residence in the Red Hill Creek most often seen from the lookout at Windermere Basin. In the odds and sods this week, a Great Blue Heron is still in the open waters at the Windermere Basin. Turkey Vultures were seen in Dundas last weekend and in the week near Powerline and Field Road. A Northern Harrier was hunting at Windermere Basin grabbing and carrying off something of size for prey yesterday. Iceland Gulls have been seen at Dundas Hydro Pond, on the Hamilton Harbour at Canada Centre for Inland Waters and at 40 mile Creek in Grimsby. A Lesser Black-backed Gull was seen on the ice at Tollgate Pond last weekend. Snowy Owls were reported from Bronte Harbour, from Burloak and the QEW (near Home Depot) and one flyover near York Road. A Short-eared Owl was a nice find near the High Level Bridge resting in a tree for a short time. Horned Lark, Snow Buntings and a single Lapland Longspur have been seen near Dyments Farm on Fallsview Road in Flamborough. The birds have been seen close to the road gathering seed and grit. Nearby on Rock Chapel Road Pileated Woodpeckers returned to a feeder along the escarpment this week and Great Horned Owls have been heard hooting in the evening, setting up shop for the nesting season. The Tufted Titmice, Fox, White-throated and White-crowned Sparrow were last reported last weekend behind Olympic arena, can't see any reason for them to move with food delivery daily. Eastern Bluebirds were also seen here. Lastly, two Red-winged Blackbirds were an unexpected surprise on Cooper's Road just south of Gore Road. That's the news for this week. It's going to get cold again. Any news of the warblers and vireos during the week would be appreciated. Good birding, stay warm! Cheryl Edgecombe HNC --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. http://www.avast.com _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - 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
