Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are
repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).
Over 60 OFO members and friends gathered this morning in the parking lot at
the Cayuga High School. After car pooling 23 vehicles proceeded north on
highway 54 to York. Here 3 Trumpeter Swans, 2 adults and one immature,
were on the Grand River with a few American Goldeneyes. Those near the end
of the line of vehicles heard a Northern Flicker. We crossed the Grand
River at York and proceeded along the West River Rd. to Caledonia where
another immature Trumpeter Swan was seen just down stream from the highway
no. 6 bridge. Between the bridge and the dam were 3 American Coots, a male
Belted Kingfisher and a male Northern Pintail.
After a stop at the Tim Horton's at the south end of Caledonia we proceeded
south on the Mackenzie Road, seeing several Red-tailed Hawks, to the 4th
line.
Heading west on the 4th line we stopped east of the chicken farm and had
over 50 Red-tailed Hawks as well a 1 light phase Rough-legged Hawk. As many
as 14 Red-tails were visible through a scope at once.
After dropping south on highway #6 to the 3rd line we headed back east
stopping to observe another light phase Rough-leg on the north side of the
road. Another light phase Rough-leg was on the south side of the road. This
bird took off and joined 17 Red-tails in a kettle over a woods to the
south. Perhaps a reminder that the start up of the Beamer Hawk watch is
only 2 1/2 weeks away.
Turning south on the Mackenzie Rd. we stopped at a feeder between the 1st &
2nd lines where several species were coming to the feeder. Here we had our
only Am. Goldfinches for the day. A couple of female Brown-headed Cowbirds
were perched high is an aspen popular tree.
Continuing on we headed south, crossing the Indian Line at the Hagersville
Auto Wreckers and taking the Cheapside Rd. south to Highway #3. Crossing #3
we stopped just before the 6th concession where there was a Red-tail, our
4th light phase Rough-leg and a hunting Am. Kestrel.
Turning west on the 6th concession we stopped in about the middle of the
concession where we had a Northern Mockingbird that ended up sitting on
the arm rest of a bench on someone's porch. At the next stop along the 6th
concession at a feeder where there had been an adult White-crowned Sparrow
on Thursday, we grabbed a bit to eat but the sparrow did not appear. Most
likely scared off by too many people or by the Northern Shrike that landed
and stayed for several minutes on top of a tree just down the road. However
that shrike did not seem to upset the House Sparrows and cowbirds that were
high in the trees over the house.
After a stop at a restuarant at Jarvis to recycle coffee we head south to
the Nanticoke power generating station. Taking the Lakeshore Rd. south
along the east side of the hydro property we stopped a couple of hundred
yards north of the lake with an immature Bald Eagle sitting in a tree by
the lake right at the end of the road before it heads east. The eagle
finally flew off, circled a couple ot times and then landed east of the
bend in the road. We proceeded around the bend and stopped about a 100
yards from the eagle. Out on the ice was another eagle and a third was
sitting on the shore at the se corner of the hydro property. Over the hydro
fly ash hill a Northern Harrier kept floating into view finally sitting
down on the hill side. Over the bank about 20 newly arrived Tundra Swans
moved out into deeper water while east along the shore line amongst the
multitude of Mallards was a male White-winged Scoter, a rare bird for this
part of Lake Erie.
At Peacock Pt. several hundred cowbirds, starlings and House Sparrows were
high in the trees. Along the east side of the point were about a dozen
Lesser Scaup in close while out on the ice was another couple of Tundra
Swans.
At Selkirk Provincial Park the crust from the freezing rain storm of Thursday night
crackled under foot making it impossible to hear anything as we walked in.
Off the foot bridge over Spring Creek several Song Sparrows and a couple of
Swamp Sparrows were seen in the cattails. Once over the foot bridge we
walked the spruce planation and within a couple of minutes had located a
Northern Saw-whet Owl which everyone had a close look at.
Back at the vehicles we headed south along Wheeler Rd to the lake and
followed the Lakeshore Rd. east to the Selkirk Rd. We went north to the 6th
concession and turned east. About 3/4 of mile along the 6th was a
Short-eared Owl on a hydo post with another in the air. The one on the
hydro post took off and 4 owls were in the air, 3 disappeared and one
landed on a fence post for all to see. Opposite the Raptor preserve around
200 Snow Buntings were seen, many sitting on a wire fence.. A couple of
Lapland Longspurs flew by the front of the group with some Horned Larks and
disappeared to the ne. At the rear of the group another Lapland Longspur
was picked up in the scopes sitting on a wire fence beside a Snow Bunting.
Since it was after 5 pm and the Short-ears had been seen the group
officially broke up but for those following the leader we had not proceeded
a 100 yards east of the Raptor preserve when another Short-ear was spotted
in a Red Cedar which all saw. This bird took off and flew across the raod
and landed on the east fence of the Raptor preserve while a dark phase
Rough-leg flew west. Another couple of hundred yards further east another 6
Short-ears were flushed from the spruce trees beside the road bring the
Short-eared total to 11 birds.
The finally group tally was around 46 species.
John Miles
miles@kwic.com
