PACIFIC LOON NORTHERN GANNET RED PHALAROPE RED-EYED VIREO FISH CROW RUBY-CROWNED KNGLET TENNESSEE WARBLER PALM WARBLER BALTIMORE ORIOLE
King Eider Common x Barrow's Goldeneye Red-breasted Merganser Red-throated Loon Common Loon Turkey Vulture Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper's Hawk Red-shouldered Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Sandhill Crane Glaucous Gull Iceland Gull Snowy Owl Common Raven Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Siskin Well it's been a busy week here in the Hammer. The list looks a little different this week as I adapt it for the Winter Listers to also highlight rarer date species that people may want to include on the winter list. The Winter listing period goes from Dec 1st to Feb 28th. It get's people out when it's cold, helps with finding rarities for the CBC's and is fun to try even just once. Let's start with the rarities though. On Monday, a NORTHERN GANNET was first spotted at Fifty Point Conservation Area and then moved down the shoreline spending most of its time that day off Confederation Park. Since then it seems to have settled into various feeding frenzies off Spencer Smith Park in Burlington, occasionally taking a fly down to Lakeland Centre and yesterday a fly over to the Hamilton Harbour. For the most part, it can be seen resting with the Red-breasted Mergansers and Gulls out on the water. It was present yesterday, I expect it will be around again today. While out looking for the Gannet, a PACIFIC LOON was spotted first on Monday off the Burlington pier at a great distance. Observers in following days were able to see it from the Beachway Park in Burlington and from Spencer Smith Park. It was loosely associating with Common and Red-throated Loons as a good comparison. FISH CROWS are in the news again as two of them were being chased by three American Crows over Waterdown on Tuesday. Keep your ears open these birds were all calling giving the id. Another interesting sight over Waterdown later in the week was a group of 8 Common Ravens soaring around, a good number for this species. Yesterday two phalaropes (I'm presuming RED PHALAROPE) were seen near the pier in Oakville, getting up off the water and flying east. Good date for this species. The other highlighted rarities are what I would consider good WINTER BIRDS. Whether they hang around or not would be another thing but the temps are supposed to be warm this week. Of course, the hope is that they will migrate and find a safe haven over the winter. Some have successfully overwintered here. A RED-EYED VIREO was an unexpected surprise on Wednesday, working its way around the tanks at the famous winter haven Sedgewick Park in Oakville. Along with this bird, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, PALM WARBLER and a couple of Yellow-rumped Warblers were seen. The Vireo was not present yesterday but it was warmer and probably went further afield as there were many insects flying around. A TENNESSEE WARBLER was seen at the Dundas Valley Conservation Area yesterday at Merrick Orchard along with another RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. Lastly a BALTIMORE ORIOLE was seen again along the Bayfront Trail at indicator 1600 m on the trail. Through the week any updates to these birds would be greatly appreciated. Last Sunday saw a final push of raptors migrating through the area. Species noted include Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk and many Red-tailed Hawks. Also on a push this week were Sandhill Cranes. They seem to fly through the Dundas Valley area with a few flocks being noted early in the week, expect more to come once the weather turns cold again. The Snowy Owl phenomenon is still on. Up to four were seen on the Suncor Pier in Oakville on Thursday. Tollgate Pond had 5 last Saturday and there have been various reports of birds along the water including birds sitting on the pier at the lift bridge. Another one sadly met its demise along Eastport. These birds are young birds who don't know traffic and people so be cautious driving at night in this area. In the odds and sods, a female King Eider has been hanging out at the Burlington Canal in the raft of ducks pooled there. The Common x Barrow's Goldeneye was seen with a female Common Goldeneye between Confederation and Nash Road on Thursday. Turkey Vultures were reported in several locations. At this time of year they may be moving through or may be joining the regular wintering bunch that we always seem to get in the Brantford area. Bald Eagles seen over Cootes Paradise could be the locals hunting. They seem to become more visible this time of year. A Glaucous Gull was a fixture on the breakwall a couple of days this week at Canada Centre for Inland Waters. An Iceland Gull was seen out flying with the frenzy on Tuesday. Lastly, Pine Siskins still seem to be moving with several reported from the Dundas Valley yesterday. That's the news for this week. As the week progresses, please send your sightings along so I can update winter listers on the next report. Good birding, 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
