GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE BARROW'S GOLDENEYE HOARY REDPOLL PINE GROSBEAK EVENING GROSBEAK
Cackling Goose Tundra Swan Gadwall American Black Duck Mallard Northern Pintail Red-throated Loon Horned Grebe Turkey Vulture Bald Eagle Sharp-shinned Hawk Northern Goshawk Red-shouldered Hawk Rough-legged Hawk Barred Owl Short-eared Owl Pileated Woodpecker Common Raven Horned Lark Fox Sparrow White-throated Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Snow Bunting Red-winged Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird Common Redpoll It's been relatively quiet here in the Hamilton Study area over the last two weeks with a couple of nice goodies at the top of the list to add some flavour. High south winds could be a difference maker tomorrow to bring in some early spring migrants. Let's start at the top of the list. Four GREATER-WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen at Bronte Harbour along with a huge number of Canada Geese last Saturday. Those having more patience than I were able to also find Cackling Geese in the mix. An unexpected female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was photographed on an early morning last Saturday from LaSalle Marina with a nice silhouette comparison to a female Common Goldeneye sitting beside it. The bird was only seen this one morning but is likely still out on the bay if you are patient to sift through the many Common Goldeneye located at various points around the bay. While out looking for the BARROW'S, Red-throated Loon and Horned Grebe were noted. Along Fallsview Road in Flamborough a stretch traditionally known for Horned larks, Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspur, a flock of Common Redpolls have been seen on and off for a few weeks now. A careful and patient study of an ever moving flock yielded one frosty HOARY REDPOLL in the mix. According to Ebird the female EVENING GROSBEAK has been seen at Riverwood Conservancy in Mississauga again. Lastly PINE GROSBEAKS continue to be reported from Grange Road and South Ring Road at the University of Guelph Campus. In the odds and sods this week, a group of a dozen Tundra Swans were seen at Hespeler Mill Pond last weekend, there could be a movement tomorrow. A field up on Powerline Road in Salfleet yielded a couple hundred Canada Geese, Gadwall, American Black Duck, Mallard and Northern Pintail. Again, with warmer temperatures tomorrow, waterfowl numbers could increase before it freezes up again. A Barred Owl was reported again in South Burlington this week, just a reminder that these hard to find birds are still around. A single Short-eared Owl was seen on 10th Road east but its best to walk west toward 8th Road East on the trail where they have been seen at the small bridge. Turkey Vultures were seen along the ridge of the escarpment at Tapleytown Road and on the 403 at the junction of the Linc. A single bird was seen at the Meadowlands in Ancaster yesterday. Bald Eagles continue to cruise the area and sit on the ice in the bay. An adult was noted up in north Halton on Sunday. A Sharp-shinned Hawk was visiting a feeder snack bar in Ancaster this week. A Northern Goshawk was photographed on 1st Line Nassawagawa last weekend. There is excellent territory up there for this species. Both wintering Red-shouldered Hawks were reported in this last two weeks, one in Glen Morris and one in the Vicinity of Hwy 6 north of the 401 toward Guelph. A nice dark Rough-legged Hawk was seen on Fallsview Road. In addition to the Common Redpolls, Horned Larks, Snow Buntings, American Tree Sparrows, White-throated and a White-crowned Sparrow were seen here. Common Ravens did a fly by north of here last Sunday and yesterday a small flock of 5 Wild Turkey were seen out here as well. Another flock of 14 Wild Turkeys were seen at Darnall and Twenty Road on Wednesday. A Pileated Woodpecker was a nice consolation prize while looking for the Goshawk up in North Halton on 1st line Nassawagawa on Monday. In the extremely odd category this week a fourth Fox Sparrow has shown up at the feeders at the Hamilton Conservation Area CA on Mineral Springs. A flock of 21 Common Redpolls were seen here yesterday. Brown -headed Cowbirds are showing up at feeders and yards now with a flock of 21 present at a yard in St. George yesterday. It will be an interesting couple of days with extreme south winds and then a freeze. Keep your feeders stocked and keep the reports of birds you see coming. This just in a migrant Red-winged Blackbird appeared this morning at a yard in St. George so heads up..... 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 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
