[Ontbirds] Kingston area birds to April 3, 2009

[Peter Jane Good]

It has been an excellent week for new arrivals. Great Blue Herons, Wilson's
Snipe, Eastern Phoebes, N. Flickers, Golden-crowned Kinglets, E. Meadowlarks
and Tree Swallows were reported from numerous locations. Common Loons were
seen at Amherst Island and on Devil Lake. There was a Chipping Sparrow and a
Winter Wren in Frontenac Park yesterday. A bit early was a group of
Ruby-crowned Kinglets at the Cataraqui Golf Club last Saturday.

Waterfowl numbers have increased considerably; there is good variety of
ducks in Hay Bay, out the Bath Road, on the Cataraqui River and in most of
the small marshes that have recently opened up. There were 2 Mute Swans in
Collin's Bay a week ago and a Pied-billed Grebe and a pair of Double-crested
Cormorants were in the Cataraqui River last Saturday. A few Snow Geese have
been mixed in with migrating Canadas at Elginburg and on Amherst.

More Turkey Vultures returned this week and Red-shouldered Hawks are now
abundant north of the city. A trip to Amherst last Saturday tallied 5 Snowy
and 5 Long-eared Owls, 18 Rough-legged and 13 Red-tailed Hawks as well as 9
N. Harriers. Interestingly there were 6 Snowies on the small offshore
islands southwest of Kingston last Tuesday and a lot of the local late
winter sightings of Snowy Owls were out on the ice in Lake Ontario. Ospreys
have returned to several locations; the first arrival was at RMC last
Friday. To complete the raptor picture there has been a pair of Peregrine
Falcons in the vicinity of St. Mary's Cathedral in downtown Kingston. Maybe
Kingston will soon join the ranks of those cities hosting these spectacular
predators.

There is little to report in the way of winter passerines; Dark-eyed Juncos,
Tree sparrows and Pine Siskins continue to patronize feeders and there was a
flock of a dozen Bohemian Waxwings in Frontenac Park yesterday. Goldfinches
are gradually switching from olive drab to bright yellow. There seems to
have been a bit of a Purple Finch movement midweek; there were 6 at Camden
East on Tuesday and another 4 at Bedford Mills on Wednesday.

It's the time of year when one has to be careful in looking at shrikes.
There was a Northern Shrike at Elginburg a week ago and another two on
Amherst on Saturday. The season's first Loggerhead was south of Camden East
on Friday and another was north of Newburgh on Sunday. The oddest bird of
the week was an all-white grackle with a grayish head frequenting feeders in
Cartwright's Point.

Cheers,

Peter Good

Kingston Field Naturalists

613 378-6605

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[Ontbirds] Eastern Kingbird - Cornwall

[Brian . Morin]

I just had an Eastern Kingbird land in a tree right outside my office
window in downtown Cornwall. The bird did not remain but was present long
enough for me to get binoculars on it. I don't have local records to refer
to arrival dates but this would almost certainly be record early for the
area.



Brian Morin
Cornwall

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[Ontbirds] Great Egret/Flamborough

[execulink]

Today at 1345 I spotted a Great Egret in the corn stubble fields and ponds
amongst Ring Billed Gulls behind the Rockton Berry Farm SW from Highway 8.
From my vantage point I could not determine if there were any legs bands.

 

Directions: nearest major cross roads are HWY 5 and HWY 8 north of Copetown.
Follow HWY 8 towards Cambridge. Rockton Berry Farm is on the south west side
of the highway. 

 

Rick Hathway

rhath...@execulink.com

 

 

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[Ontbirds] Hamilton Naturalists Club Birding Report - Friday, April 3rd, 2009

[Cheryl Edgecombe]

On Friday, April 3rd, 2009, this is the HNC Birding Report:

 

Greater White-fronted Goose

Tundra Swan

Wood Duck

American Wigeon

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Redhead

Ring-necked Duck

King Eider

Harlequin Duck

Black Scoter

Common Merganser

Wild Turkey

Red-throated Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Great Egret

Black-crowned Night Heron

Turkey Vulture

Osprey

Northern Harrier

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Cooper's Hawk

Red-shouldered Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Rough-legged Hawk

Golden Eagle

Peregrine Falcon

Greater Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowlegs

Wilson's Snipe

Iceland Gull

Glaucous Gull

Caspian Tern

Short-eared Owl

Eastern Phoebe

Tree Swallow

Brown Creeper

Winter Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Hermit Thrush

Eastern Towhee

Chipping Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Lapland Longspur

Rusty Blackbird

White-winged Crossbill

 

 

Migrants have been showing up slowly in the area throughout the week however
a warm push of air yesterday was a good catalyst for bringing more and a
variety of these birds in.  

 

The Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch at Beamer Conservation Area in Grimsby had a
banner day yesterday with over 2000 Turkey Vultures and 7 Golden Eagles.
This was only the tip of the iceberg as the south winds pushed birds to the
lake and only a small portion of the vulture migration yesterday was counted
over the tower.  Hundreds of Turkey Vultures came streaming down the Lake
Ontario shoreline.  Mixed in with the kettles were good numbers of
Red-tailed Hawks, some Red-shouldered Hawks, Coopers and Sharp-shinned
Hawks.  Also seen in the week were a few Ospreys, Rough-legged Hawks and
Northern Harriers.  It won't be long before the Broad-wings will be
filtering through.  Other interesting birds seen at Beamer this week include
Sandhill Crane, Lesser Yellowlegs, Eastern Phoebe, Tree Swallow in
increasing numbers and Fox Sparrow.

 

In Saltfleet this week, Wilson's Snipe continue to increase in numbers this
week.  Two were seen on 11th Road East today and 5th Road East is a good
spot for them too.  Last weekend on 11th Road East, two Northern Harriers
were seen in an incredible aerial display.  Also over the same field were
two Rough-legged Hawks.  Ring-necked Ducks and Redheads were present at the
quarry on Green Mountain Road between 10th and 11th Road East.  On 10th Road
east more displaying Northern Harriers were seen and at least one
Short-eared Owl is still present. On 8th Road East today about a dozen Rusty
Blackbirds were seen in a large group of Blackbirds.  Yesterday on 6th road
east just south of Green Mountain Road an incredible flock of around 250
Lapland Longspurs were seen in the field.  On 5th Road East yesterday, 3
Sandhill Cranes were seen out in the field in the late afternoon.  In the
flooded fields in this area Northern Pintail, American Wigeon, Green-winged
Teal and Wood Duck can be noted and a first for me today on 8th Road East
where 3 Common Mergansers were seen in a flooded field.  Wild Turkey were
seen today on Ridge Road near Rock Chapel Road.

 

The lake has also been busy this week.  Yesterday from Bal Harbour Park,
approximately 52 Horned Grebes were seen along with 102 Red-necked Grebes.
Further east at Fifty Road last weekend a first year male and female King
Eider were seen Saturday.  At L.P. Sayers Park in Stoney Creek a male Black
Scoter was observed last Saturday along with 2 Red-throated Loons.  Around
the lake in Mississauga at Saddington Park 3 Harlequin Ducks continue to be
reported. 

 

In the passerine category, early migrants at Edgelake Park in Stoney Creek
include Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet and Hermit
Thrush. 

 

Down at Bronte Harbour this week, Great Egrets and Black-crowned Night
Herons have returned.  Red-necked Grebes have also been seen at the harbour
a traditional nesting spot for this species.

 

Out in Flamborough last weekend Tundra Swans continued to be seen in the
field near Fairchild Creek.  Two Sandhill Cranes were also seen on Sheffield
Road south of Conc. 5 West last Saturday along with 60 Tundra Swans. 

 

In the odds and sods, a Greater White-fronted Goose was seen in with a flock
of Canada Geese near Hagersville last weekend.  Great Egrets were also
reported at the Valley Inn.   Another Great Egret was seen flying over York
Road in Dundas.  Caspian Terns have returned to the nesting colony on the
islands off Eastport Drive. Both Iceland and Glaucous Gulls were seen on the
islands at LaSalle Marina last weekend. An Eastern Towhee was seen at Shell
Park.  Tree Swallows are back checking out the nest boxes at Bronte Creek
Provincial Park. Interestingly a group of 5 female White-winged Crossbills
were seen at Parking Lot A in Bronte Creek Provincial Park on the west side
last weekend.  A Chipping Sparrow was heard singing in Dundas this morning
and another reported at a feeder in Lynden.

 

Lots to be seen as the sun comes out after this deluge.  Keep me posted on
returning migrants and especially the 

[Ontbirds] Ross's Goose in Ottawa

[Michael Tate]

Birders

I found an adult Ross's Goose in a cornfield opposite 3285 Eagleson Rd at 6 pm 
this evening. The bird was with several hundred Canada's and then flew to 
Richmond Lagoons. Both locations are on Eagleson Rd south of Richmond Rd.  Two 
pairs of Northern Shoveler were also at the lagoons.  Additionally there were 
at least 4 Black-crowned Night-herons at the east end of Mud Lake in Britannia

Michael Tate
Michael Tate
1-613-863-8455 
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