On Friday May 30th, 2008, this is the HNC Birding Report: Northern Shoveler Redhead Lesser Scaup King Eider Surf Scoter Black Scoter Bufflehead Ruffed Grouse Common Loon Red-necked Grebe Bald Eagle Peregrine Falcon Red Knot White-rumped Sandpiper Black-billed Cuckoo Yellow-billed Cuckoo Yellow-throated Vireo Blue-winged Warbler "Brewster's Warbler" Nashville Warbler Northern Waterthrush Connecticut Warbler Mourning Warbler Hooded Warbler Canada Warbler Grasshopper Sparrow White-throated Sparrow
With the combination of breeding birds and migrants still passing through, birding has been good in the Hamilton Area this past week. The Warbler highlight of the week was probably the female Connecticut Warbler found at Bronte Woods on the 28th. Birds at the Currie Tract include Mourning, Blue-winged and "Brewster's" Warblers as highlights. The LaFarge Trail in NW Flamborough had a northern feeling with Canada Warbler, Northern Waterthrush and White-throated Sparrows all on territory. The Dundas Valley and area is always a great place for breeding species, with Hooded, Mourning, Blue-winged Warblers seen here as well. The Haldimand Slough Forest has had some southerly Nashville Warblers on territory, a Yellow-throated Vireo, Ruffed Grouse, several Northern Waterthrush, numerous Cuckoo's of both species, and a high number of Grasshopper Sparrows in the fields nearby. Not to be forgotten, the lake can still be a great place for birding this time of year. Two King Eiders were still present from the end of Fifty Rd. on the 28th. Surf and Black Scoters have also been seen recently off of Gray's Rd. in Stoney Creek. Adult Common Loons can still be seen on the lake as well. The Grimsby Sewage Ponds had two short-staying Red Knot on the 28th. Other shorebird sightings came from Windemere Park, which had White-rumped Sandpiper as a highlight. Ducks in Windemere Basin included Redhead, Lesser Scaup, Northern Shoveler and Bufflehead. The Red-necked Grebes at Bronte didn't fare very well, as a newly hatched chick was quickly grabbed by a Ring-billed Gull. The Peregrine Falcons at the Sheraton in Hamilton, as well as the birds at the Burlington Life Bridge all seem to be doing very well. A quick check of Hamilton's new Bald Eagle nest in Caledonia today showed one big healthy chick in the nest, with two adults watching nearby. Early June is a great time for late migrants, rarities and local breeding species. Please send your sightings to Cheryl for next weeks report! Good Birding! Brandon ______________________ Brandon Holden Hamilton, Ontario www.PeregrinePrints.com <http://www.peregrineprints.com/> _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
