ROSS'S GOOSE GRAY CATBIRD ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER PINE WARBLER EASTERN MEADOWLARK
Cackling Goose TUndra Swan Wood Duck King Eider Harlequin Duck Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Black Scoter Long-tailed DUck Red-throated Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Great Blue Heron Black-crowned Night Heron Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Northern Goshawk Rough-legged Hawk Lesser Black-backed Gull Northern Flicker Northern Shrike Common Raven Tufted Titmouse Hermit Thrush American Pipit Yellow-rumped Warbler Fox Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird Rusty Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird Purple Finch This year wraps up with a summary of our CBC results and some good birds lurking about to put on 2017's list. Up at the top a ROSS'S GOOSE was photographed on the Grand River along the Paris - Cambridge Rail Trail near Paris just slightly outside of the circle on December 28th. Geese tend to move around alot so the bird could be in the area, just a matter of looking. There were two reports of GRAY CATBIRD this week, one found on the count on Mineral Springs Road in Ancaster (near house 702) and another one reported from Caledonia. A couple of our ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS are hanging on with one at Bayfront Park in Hamilton along the waterfront trail and another still at LaSalle Park in Burlington, most often seen in the northeast corner. A very bright coloured PINE WARBLER remains at Lakeside Park in Mississauga, most often seen in the pines at the Suncor property. Also found this week was an EASTERN MEADOWLARK along the Dofasco Trail between 8th and 10th Road East in Saltfleet. The Hamilton CBC was a success although rain was an issue at times. A total of 93 species was a preliminary result. Highlights included Red-throated Loon (2) LaSalle, Red-necked Grebe (6) LaSalle, North Goshawk, Lesser Black-backed Gull, American Pipit, Northern Shrike, Gray Catbird (see above), Orange-crowned Warbler (see above), Fox Sparrow and Rusty Blackbird. Record numbers of Red-bellied Woodpeckers (89), Carolina Wren (89), Tufted Titmouse (11), American Robin (over 2500), Fox Sparrows (6) and Red-winged Blackbirds (33) were also noteworthy. Seven Hermit Thrush is a good total as well although not a record. In the odds and sods this week, a Cackling Goose was seen flying over Caledonia, likely settling in with the geese on the Grand River. There seem to be a record number of Tundra Swans overwintering with 48 seen at Canada Centre for Inland Waters along with a drake Wood Duck. A King Eider has been consistent in the canal at the Hamilton Lift Bridge. Along with this, a Harlequin Duck has been seen as many times and some of us were fortunate enough to view these side by side on Dec 29th. Looking amongst the Long-tailed Ducks and White-winged Scoters can test the patience. All three Scoters can be viewed from Green Road in Stoney Creek. Two Common Loons were visible from the dock at LaSalle Marina. A Horned Grebe was also present there on the count. At the Red Hill Outlet viewed from Eastport Drive, Great Blue Heron (2) and Black-crowned Night Heron (3) were visible throughout the week. A juvenile Bald Eagle was seen over Valley Inn along with a Northern Harrier on Dec 27th. A Rough-legged Hawk (light morph) was perched along York Road and another (dark morph) was seen up in Saltfleet on 10th Road East. A Northern Flicker was a good yard bird at Appleby and Spruce, not too many reports of those this winter. A Common Raven was in a group of crows on Green Mountain between 8th and 10th Road East. A Yellow-rumped Warbler seems to be wintering at the Dundas Sewage Treatment Plan. A sizeable flock of Brown-headed Cowbirds were seen yesterday south of Hagersville and a Purple Finch was a welcome yard guest at a home in South Burlington near Walkers Line and Spruce. All the best in 2017! Happy New Year. 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
