The Hotline is normally revised on Thursday nights and is updated
if an unusual bird turns up in the Hamilton area. (The phone
number is 905-648-9537.)
It has been a good time for KING EIDERS in the Hamilton area. A
female has been seen at Sioux Lookout and at Guelph Line in
Burlington, an immature male was off the Beach Canal, and then
the adult male KING EIDER, two females and an immature male were
spotted as late as today between Fruitland Road and Jones Road in
Stoney Creek. SURF SCOTERS, BLACK SCOTERS and WHITE-WINGED
SCOTERS were also in the area, as were large numbers of OLDSQUAW
LESSER SCAUP and GREATER SCAUP and COMMON GOLDENEYE.
The female HARLEQUIN DUCK and 29 TUNDRA SWANS were at the Venture
Inn this morning, as were about 100 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and a
male SURF SCOTER. A pair of AMERICAN WIDGEON was at Princess
Point on Wednesday and a NORTHERN PINTAIL at the Hydro Ponds
today. Two dozen TUNDRA SWANS flew over Hwy. 6 near Caledonia
this afternoon. The ROSS' GOOSE was seen in Mississauga off
Richard's Park and Lorne Park Estates on Sunday. A LESSER BLACK-
BACKED GULL turned up at LaSalle Marina.
The first KILLDEER of the year in this area was reported at the
Lake Erie Steel Plant at Nanticoke yesterday, and another
KILLDEER was on the 5th Road East where it crosses Stoney Creek
today. This area's first YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER arrived at
Beamer CA on Saturday.
Gray phase SCREECH OWLS were at La Salle Park and on the A
Concession at Long Point. The GREAT GREY OWL injured in
Mississauga a few weeks ago was delivered to The Owl Foundation
in Vineland today for a long period of rehabilitation.
Other reports include two SONG SPARROWS at LaSalle Park, NORTHERN
MOCKINGBIRD at Mineral Springs and Binkley Rds., 6 BROWN
CREEPERS, a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS at
Olympic Arena, and a CAROLINA WREN at Carol's Point. Huge flocks
of RED-WING BLACK BIRDS were at Long Point, while COMMON GRACKLES
have started showing up in the vicinity of Hamilton, as have
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS.
8 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS and 8 WILD TURKEYS, an unusual combination,
have been seen at different times at the intersection of Green
Mountain Rd & 1st Rd West in Stoney Creek, just north of the Taro
Landfill Site.
The first TURKEY VULTURES and BALD EAGLES of the season flew past
the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch over the weekend. Otherwise
totals at Beamer CA have been disappointing. Two TURKEY VULTURES
were over Copetown yesterday, while another pair were flying west
into strong winds on Fiddler's Greeen Rd. at 7:20 this morning. A
COOPER'S HAWK was at Globe Park and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were south
of the city. Late NORTHERN SHRIKES were reported in Flamborough
on the weekend and at Vanessa today.
Birders stopping off at the Queenston sand docks Wednesday were
surprised to find the BLACK-HEADED GULL and 15 to 20 LITTLE GULLS
among 600 BONAPARTE'S GULLS.
Close to ten thousand TUNDRA SWANS were in the Long Point area on
Monday, along with twenty thousand diving ducks, including
CANVASBACKS and REDHEADS. Two of the Tundra Swans outfitted with
satellite transmitters at Long Point in December have returned to
Ontario, one to Long Point and the second to Point Pelee. An
immature TUNDRA SWAN fitted with a neck collar a year ago was
observed in northern California in January.
On the home front, PURPLE FINCHES are at a Copetown feeder, a
NORTHERN FLICKER and a RED-BELLIED WOODPEKER are visiting a
feeder in Mount Hope, and a dozen AMERICAN ROBINS were feeding on
raisins in an Ancaster yard.
We're still waiting for the first reports of American Woodcock.
Killdeer and Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers should also be arriving in
numbers, and Red-Shouldered Hawks are due as well.
Good Birding.
Mike Street
Ancaster, Ontario, Canada
mikestreet@hwcn.org