NIAGARA AREA Archived Birding Reports - 2001



  • Niagara river gulls - Wed, 28 Nov 2001

    Please Excuse my spelling ,I am Dyslexic
    thank you for your understanding.
    
    Sometimes the weather man (person ) should be lessoned too ! today was
    one of those days .
    
    this is a short post on the lack of gulls found today at and around
    Niagara Falls . In leaving Toronto in the dark with no fog in sight,my
    excitement was hi in till I turned the corner of the QEW at Hamilton and
    ran in to the rain and fog that I followed right in to Niagara falls.
    Not to be put off ( I don’t no why ) I went to the top of the falls and
    parked in the free parking at the Greenhouse  ( only through the week )
    hear at 7:30 am, I found all most all my gulls , 1, 3 year Lesser Black
    back gull , 1 adult Island gull ( showing no dark primaries ) wear the
    hi lights !   ?
    
    And that was it for Niagara falls. But  up at the Adam Beck power plant
    I came up with a vary hi flying ( thanks to the best that look up )
    Glaucous gull  this gave me 7 gull speeches for the Niagara river from
    the top of the falls to the Queenston Boot docks. In 6 hours of cold
    rain and fog .
    
    But wear are all the gulls?? has their not bin a strong enough cold
    front to push them down ? We saw 2 Iceland gulls, 20 + G.B.B.Gulls ,1
    Glaucous  gull and 1 L.B.B.Gull and probably only 1500 to 2000
    Bonaparts  gulls ! pretty sad for Nov . on the Niagara !
    
    One hi light were 2 Canvas backs at the Whirlpool which is always nice .
    
    At Van Wagners Beach in Hamilton we could not re  find the Red Phalarope
    but did find 2 Brant and 1 Juv Thayer’s gull ,  which is all ways a good
    one too see.
    
    Van Wagners is found between the lake and the QEW off of beach rd in
    Hamilton .
    
    what a day .
    
    Craig.S.A.McLauchlan
    Toronto/Ont/Canada/World.
    csam@sympatico.ca
    


  • Lawrence's Warbler - Wed, 16 May 2001

    I found a Lawrence's Warbler (Golden-winged X Blue-winged hybrid) in
    Fonthill today about 5:45 pm.  It was in a wooded area just north of
    Station St.
    
    Was yellow on crown, neck, and breast with black face patch and black
    throat.  Wings were bluish-grey with twin whitish wing bars.  It was
    interacting with a true Blue-winged Warbler in the same area, so there
    was a good opportunity to view them together, and see the physical
    differences.  It responded very well to pishing, coming to within 10
    feet of my position.
    
    Thanks
    
    Andrew Smith
    trogon@sympatico.ca
    


  • Mud Lake - Apr.23 - Mon, 23 Apr 2001

    Early migrants at Mud Lake C.A. today included individual Yellow Warbler and Black-throated Green Warbler, along with numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers.

    Andrew Smith
    Trogon@sympatico.ca



  • Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher - Fri, 20 Apr 2001

    1 Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher seen at Mud Lake C.A. in Port Colborne on April 19th. Also heard a Pine Warbler, but didn't see it.

    Andrew Smith
    Trogon@sympatico.ca



  • Chippawa T.Titmouse to Burlington-Harlequin Duck - Sat, 03 Mar 2001

    Please Excuse my spelling ,I am Dyslexic
    thank you for your understanding.
    
    03-03-01
    
    Today Carol Horner and I stared out in Chippawa Ont. looking for Tufted
    Titmouse on Thomas st . at #7693 WOW what a
    place we had 18 species of birds in no time coming to the feeder
    including  three species of Woodpecker's (2 Red -bellied Woodpecker's)
    and 2 Tufted Titmouse , I wont forget this spot !!
    
    then it was off to the Queenston boat docks , found by going down
    Dumfries st and follow the sings , to see if we could find any Little
    Gull's after a vary careful count (going East to west so no other
    LGull's went through my bins,) I came up with 16  I wood think that
    their back !!!! We also had a Adult Bald Eagle hear and a Kingfisher ,
    
    We also look for the Harris Sparrow with no luck but was told that it
    was seen to day at 11:00 am ??
    
    it was then off to Hamilton to see what waterfowl was around the could
    be add to our day list ? not allot but at the Travail loge in Burlington
    found at the foot of Brant st . we found the Common Eider and a nice
    surprise was a Female Harlequin Duck
    
    the day # was 52........spring must be right around the corner....
    
    
    
    Craig.S.A.McLauchlan
    Toronto/Ont/Canada/World.
    csam@sympatico.ca
    


  • bald eagles - Tue, 20 Feb 2001

    Hi again Gord.

    Near Niagara Falls, on the Niagara River, 2 adult Bald Eagles and 2 immature Bald Eagles were seen on the week of the 14th to the 17th, flying above Navy Island along its entire length and they were also on the ice at the start of the island nearest the Falls.

    Direction: Take QEW south from St. Catharines to Lyons Creek Road exit in Niagara Falls. Turn left on Lyons Creek Road and drive to the stoplights at Main and Willoughby in Chippawa. Drive through lights till you come to the Niagara Parkway. Turn right on Parkway and drive 1.9 km. to a parking area on your left. Park here and scan the whole length of the island above the trees. Eagles were seen here.

    Jim Thomson and Astrid Akkerman



  • WNY Dial-a-Bird 08 Feb 2001 - Thu, 08 Feb 2001

    Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).

    - RBA
    * New York
    * Buffalo
    * 02/08/2001
    * NYBU0102.08
    - Birds mentioned
      
      HARRIS'S SPARROW
      FIELD SPARROW
      PINE WARBLER
      TURKEY VULTURE
      NOR. SAW-WHET OWL
      LONG-EARED OWL
      Pied-billed Grebe
      Horned Grebe
      D.-crest. Cormorant
      Great Blue Heron
      Bl.-cr. Night-Heron
      Tundra Swan
      Northern Pintail
      Canvasback
      Greater Scaup
      Surf Scoter
      Bufflehead
      Common Goldeneye
      Hooded Merganser
      Red-br. Merganser
      Common Merganser
      Ruddy Duck
      Bald Eagle
      Cooper's Hawk
      American Kestrel
      Merlin
      Wild Turkey
      Great Horned Owl
      Belted Kingfisher
      Northern Flicker
      Brown Creeper
      American Robin
      Cedar Waxwing
      Yellow-r. Warbler
      Amer. Tree Sparrow
      Song Sparrow
      White-thr. Sparrow
      White-cr. Sparrow
      Northern Cardinal
    
    - Transcript
      Hotline: Dial-a-Bird at the Buffalo Museum of Science
      Date:             02/08/2001
      Number:           716-896-1271
      To Report:        Same
      Compiler:         David F. Suggs (dfsuggs@localnet.com)
      Coverage:         Western New York and adjacent Ontario
      Transcriber:      David F. Suggs
    
      Thursday, February 8, 2001 
    
      Dial-a-Bird is a service provided by your Buffalo Museum of 
      Science and this answering system was donated by the Buffalo 
      Ornithological Society. Press (2) to leave a message, (3) 
      for updates, meeting and field trip information and (4) for 
      instructions on how to report sightings and use this system. 
      To contact the Science Museum, call 896-5200. 
    
      Highlights of reports received February 1 through February 8 
      from the Niagara Frontier Region include HARRIS'S SPARROW, 
      FIELD SPARROW, PINE WARBLER, TURKEY VULTURE, NOR. SAW-WHET 
      OWL and LONG-EARED OWL. 
    
      The HARRIS'S SPARROW, wintering at McNab and Church Roads 
      near Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, was reported again on 
      February 4. A FIELD SPARROW was also found at this location 
      along with AMER. TREE SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, WHITE-THR. 
      SPARROW and several WHITE-CR. SPARROWS - a total of six 
      sparrow species. From Niagara-on-the-Lake, travel west on 
      Lakeshore Road, then south on McNab to Church Road. 
    
      Still on the 4th, a PINE WARBLER was reported again at a 
      feeder on Berry Road in the Town of Pomfret in Chautauqua 
      County. Also from Pomfret, a second hand report of a migrant 
      TURKEY VULTURE on February 8. This species seems to arrive 
      earlier every year. 
    
      Three NOR. SAW-WHET OWLS were reported this week in the Lake 
      Ontario Plains. One was found in white pines on the west 
      side of Four Mile Creek State Park in Porter and two more 
      were heard along Lower Lake Road in Somerset. Two LONG-EARED 
      OWLS were seen at Bond Lake Park in Lewiston and another 
      LONG-EARED OWL was seen in Chautauqua County, on Kent Switch 
      Road, east of the railroad tracks in the Town of Cherry 
      Creek. GREAT HORNED OWLS were also noted at Oakland Cemetery 
      in Porter, in Amherst near Heim and Steuwe Roads, and in 
      Chautauqua County at Lake Erie State Park in Portland. Also 
      at Lake Erie State Park, 10 YELLOW-R. WARBLERS and 2 WHITE-
      THR. SPARROWS. 
    
      The open waters of Dunkirk Harbor attract many waterfowl in 
      winter. Highlights included a recently arriving flock of 
      NORTHERN PINTAILS, a pair of SURF SCOTERS and a BL.-CR. 
      NIGHT-HERON, plus PIED-BILLED GREBE, HORNED GREBE, many D.-
      CREST. CORMORANTS, CANVASBACK, GREATER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD, 
      COMMON GOLDENEYE, HOODED MERGANSER, COMMON MERGANSER, RED-
      BR. MERGANSER, 3 RUDDY DUCKS and a BELTED KINGFISHER. 
    
      From Grand Island this week, at Buckhorn Island State Park, 
      25 species included 2 sub-adult BALD EAGLES, COOPER'S HAWK, 
      2 NORTHERN FLICKERS and 3 BROWN CREEPERS. Off Beaver Island 
      State Park, 101 TUNDRA SWANS and at the mouth of Spicer 
      Creek at Whitehaven Road, 9 GREAT BLUE HERONS. 
    
      Other reports this week - on the University at Buffalo Main 
      Street Campus, 3 MERLINS are still present. The fourth 
      MERLIN has not been seen for a month. AMERICAN KESTREL on 
      Military Road in Tonawanda. In the Town of Evans, along 
      Sturgeon Point Road, 60 WILD TURKEYS, 140 CEDAR WAXWINGS and 
      4 AMERICAN ROBINS. And on Spruce Street in North Tonawanda, 
      a flock of 16 NORTHERN CARDINALS. 
    
      Dial-a-Bird will be updated Thursday evening, February 15. 
      Please call in your sightings by noon Thursday. You may 
      report sightings after the tone. Thank you for calling and 
      reporting to Dial-a-Bird. 
    
    - End Transcript
    D Suggs dfsuggs@localnet.com



  • short eared owls - Wed, 17 Jan 2001

    Hi Gord,

    There are 7 short eared owls and 4 rough legged hawks seen on the west side of Airport Road in St. Catharines.Seen around 4:00 p.m..January 15. From Hamilton, take QEW to Niagara Stone Road exit and go over highway on Glendale to York Road. Turn left on York Road and drive along about .5 km. to Airport Road. Turn right onto Airport Road and go to first stop sign which is Queenston St. and go down Airport Road about 1 km.and look on your left for a house with "for sale " sign. Owls seen all across this large field(in the air)

    Jim Thomson and
    Astrid Akkerman
    birdwatcher25@hotmail.com



  • Jan.13/01 - Niagara Area Birds - Sat, 13 Jan 2001

    I have observed an immature Bald Eagle twice in the past five days around Martindale pond along the twelve mile creek in St.Catharines.

    In both cases I observed it just north of the QEW, either circling above the pond, or roosting on the man-made structures along the Henley rowing course.

    A good viewing location is from Martindale Rd. just north of the QEW where there is a good overlook of the pond with no houses in the way.

    Thanks

    Andrew Smith.






  • Please send comments, corrections, or reports to myself,
    Gord Gallant at Websites - Naturally


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    This page was created: Thursday, January 23, 1997
    Last Updated: April 12, 2002 10:43:09 AM