Hamilton RBA
November 9, 2000
Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2000 19:11:15 -0500
Reply-To: Mike Street <mikestreet@HWCN.ORG>
Sender: "National Birding Hotline Cooperative (Central)"
<BIRDCNTR@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU>
From: Mike Street <mikestreet@HWCN.ORG>
Subject: Hamilton ON Birding Hotline Report for Thursday, November 9, 2000
Comments: To: ontbirds@hwcn.org
To: BIRDCNTR@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU
At 7:00PM Thursday, November 9, 2000 this is the Hamilton
Naturalists' Club Birding Hotline report.
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 905-381-0329.)
After eleven (11) years of bringing you the Hamilton Birding
Hotline almost every Thursday night, this is my last report. I
would like to thank all the people who have helped by reporting
birds over the years, and especially Rob Dobos and George Naylor
who provided backup for vacations and business trips. Next
Thursday Keith Dieroff will take over as Hotline Compiler and
Reporter. Please give Keith the same support you have given me.
Birders should note that the Bird Study Group meeting this month
is one week behind normal. At the gathering on Nov. 27 George
Bryant will present a slide program about his recent around the
world Pelagic Birding trip. Anyone interested in Seabirds should
not miss this meeting. Visitors are always welcome.
Probably the highlight of Sunday's annual Hamilton Fall Bird
Count was the juvenile NORTHERN GANNET, which made its third
appearance on the count in the last 10 years by landing almost on
the beach at Gray's Rd in Stoney Creek just as the count group
were doing their job. A flock of 28 TUNDRA SWANS was seen by the
same group. Adult NORTHERN SHRIKES were found on Lower Lion's
Club Rd. in Ancaster and on Baptist Church Road in Caledonia. The
relatively warm weather produced several COMMON GRACKLES, many
AMERICAN ROBINS, hundreds of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, lots of RED-
TAILED HAWKS, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, and a few RED-BELLIED
WOODPECKERS. Your reporter was able to hear or see 10 EASTERN
SCREECH OWLS and 4 GREAT HORNED OWLS in his area.
Last Saturday 14 BRANT - 4 adults and 10 juveniles - and 4 RED-
NECKED GREBES were at Bronte Harbour. On Tuesday at Bronte the
first PURPLE SANDPIPER reported in our area this year was on the
large rocks at the base of the breakwater.
On Monday a RED PHALAROPE flew by Van Wagner's Beach at noon. The
next day a juvenile PARASITIC JAEGER was seen there. Found at
Princess Point were two juvenile BRANT feeding on the grass, a
PECTORAL SANDPIPER, 30 GREEN-WINGED TEAL and a pair of NORTHERN
SHOVELLERS. At least 100 AMERICAN COOTS are at Lasalle Marina. A
flock of 200 CANVASBACKS and several groups of RUDDY DUCKS were
at TOLLGATE PONDS.
It's getting to be gull season on the Niagara River. Last weekend
8 species were found, including adult LITTLE GULLS, two first-
winter BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, an adult ICELAND GULL and several
adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS. Also on the river, above the
control gates at Chippewa, were large rafts of CANVASBACK, Scaup,
and COMMON GOLDENEYE.
Highlights from Selkirk Provincial Park include an additional
pair of NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS banded, plus a late BALTIMORE
ORIOLE, a late FIELD SPARROW, an EASTERN TOWHEE and 20 PINE
SISKINS.
Another late bird found on the north shore of Lake Erie was a
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER seen this morning at Port Ryerse.
The best yard bird reported in a while was a male BREWER'S
BLACKBIRD which turned up in Dundas late last week. In a Winona
yard this week an immature SHARP-SHINNED HAWK has been giving the
resident MOURNING DOVES fits.
When the colder air returns keep an eye on the sky for Tundra
Swans, Red-Tailed Hawks and possibly a few more Golden Eagles.
And for one last time - Good birding!
Mike Street
Ancaster, Ontario, Canada
mikestreet@hwcn.org