Birding Hotline Report

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On Friday, May 9, 2008, this is the HNC Birding Report:

WHITE-EYED VIREO
WORM-EATING WARBLER

Horned Grebe
American Bittern
Black-crowned Night Heron
Green Heron
Bald Eagle
Peregrine Falcon
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Least Sandpiper
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-headed Woodpecker
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Winter Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
Brewster's Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Black-throated Blue-Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Palm Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Canada Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Clay-colored Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Indigo Bunting
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Purple Finch
Evening Grosbeak

Migration has been in full force this week in the HSA with warblers dominating the scene. Twenty six species of warbler have been reported this week, some record early for the area.

Lets start with the goodies. Last Sunday, Paletta/Shoreacres Park in Burlington looked like a spring day in Pelee. People were everywhere and so were the birds. Two WHITE-EYED VIREOS were seen simultaneously in the cedars on the west side of the park. The WORM-EATING WARBLER was also seen in the southeast corner of the park. It has not been seen since last Sunday. Other species seen last Sunday and in the days following include Black-crowned Night Heron, Spotted Sandpiper, Chimney Swift, all species of regular Swallows, Brown Thrasher, Hermit Thrush, Veery, Blue-winged , Golden-winged , Nashville , Northern Parula, Yellow , Chestnut-sided, Cape May, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped , Black-throated Green, Palm and Black-and-white Warbler, American Redstart, Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat and Canada Warbler (second earliest record!), Dark-eyed Junco (late!), Baltimore Oriole and Indigo Bunting. The Golden-winged Warbler and WHITE-EYED VIREO were still present this afternoon.

Down at Shell Park was a similar mix in large numbers with a few variables. In addition to birds above were American Bittern!, Winter Wren, Blackburnian, Orange-crowned Warbler, Northern Waterthrush and Rusty Blackbird. Nearby Shell Park at Creek Path Woods and Sheldon Creek Trail, Least and Great Crested Flycatcher, Blue-headed, Warbling and Red-eyed Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Veery, Wood Thrush, Nashville Warbler, Northern Parula, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped and Black-throated Green Warbler, White-throated, Swamp and White-crowned Sparrow, Indigo Bunting and Purple Finch.

Last weeks migrant drop was also good for birding along the shore of Lake Ontario with phenomenal numbers of the above warblers etc. being seen on a stretch from Canada Centre for Inland Waters to Millen Road. Clay-colored
Sparrow was observed at the Windermere Basin. Lincoln's Sparrow was also found in this stretch. Bobolinks could be found in the grassy fields between Green and Millen Road. Later that evening a pair of American Bitterns were flushed from the side of the road at Fifty Point.

Shorebird habitat is scarce in Hamilton but the fields in between 8th and 10th Road East in Saltfleet continue to have shorebirds in them. This week, Blue-winged Teal, Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary, Upland, Least and Pectoral Sandpiper and Wilson's Snipe were seen in this area. Another area for shorebird habitat is behind the Rona in Waterdown at Clappison's Corners. Here this week were Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Least and Spotted Sandpiper. The Grimsby
Sewage Lagoons have been quiet and at Smithville Sewage Lagoons, the water is extremely high.

The Northshore of Cootes Paradise was busy this week with warblers and more. Seen here in the week were Green Heron, Bald Eagle, Eastern Kingbird, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Gray Catbird, Yellow, Cape May,
Black-throated Blue, record numbers of Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green, Pine, Palm, Bay-breasted (record early) and Black-and-white Warbler.

At the Berry Tract accessed from Patterson Road and the adjoining Cartwright Sanctuary owned by the Hamilton Naturalists Club a thorough search of these properties this week yielded Least and Great Crested Flycatcher, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Wood Thrush, Gray Catbird, Yellow, Black-throated Green, Yellow-rumped, Palm, Blue-Winged, Brewster's (for those who enjoy hybrids!) and Nashville Warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Eastern Towhee, Baltimore and Orchard Oriole.

On a tour of Flamborough in the evening the American Bittern was still heard calling near the Antrim Glen Housing development on 8th Concession West and Grasshopper Sparrow was back on territory on Concession 6 west of Westover Road.

Lots to report in the odds and sods. A Prairie Warbler was seen briefly in a yard on Beach Blvd in Hamilton yesterday. Hooded and Blue-winged Warblers are back on territory at Martins Lane in Ancaster. A Scarlet Tanager was also seen there today. Another American Bittern was seen standing at the edge of the reeds at Cherry Hill Gate early in the week. Two reports of Red-headed Woodpecker came in, a bird which is scarce in the area, one from the Halton Forest and another from the Waterdown Escarpment edge May 4th. A late Evening Grosbeak made an appearance at a feeder on Cedar Springs Road and Sideroad no 2 last Sunday. Sandhill Cranes were seen over Deer Run Court in Brantford and more were seen over the Appleby Line and Millcroft Road area in Burlington. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have been showing up at a few feeders this week so get the feeders out there for them!

Good news from the Peregrine Falcon Watch at the Sheraton Hotel in Hamilton three chicks have hatched so far. At the lift bridge a single Peregrine Falcon was seen this afternoon. Perhaps the other is on eggs as well.

Its been a busy week with many reports. Thanks for your sightings and my apologies for those I have missed. All of our sightings are important and are forwarded to the Noteworthy Bird Records for the Hamilton Naturalists Club so please keep up the reports.

Good Birding,
Cheryl Edgecombe
905-381-0329
HNC Hotline

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