Hamilton Naturalists' Club (HNC) bi-weekly bird sightings report, Friday, February 28, 2020 EASTERN PHOEBE GRAY CATBIRD WILSON'S WARBLER Cackling Goose Tundra Swan Northern Pintail Ring-necked Duck Pied-billed Grebe Red-necked Grebe Great Blue Heron Turkey Vulture Northern Goshawk Red-shouldered Hawk Snowy Owl Northern Shrike Horned Lark Tufted Titmouse Snow Bunting Eastern Towhee Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird Common Grackle Yellow-rumped Warbler Milder conditions from Feb 22-25 saw a small influx of early spring migrants such as blackbirds, vultures and swans. However, this was followed by another blast of winter the latter part of this week which shut things down. A few hardy overwintering birds continue to hang on and hopefully will survive this latest onslaught. Groups of up to three Cackling Geese have been found in the Bronte area over the past week including today, being seen at the Bronte Harbour outer marina, off Bronte Beach Park, South Shell Park/Suncor Pier and the Great Lakes Blvd/Rebecca St stormwater pond. Another was at the Scotch Block Reservoir north of Milton on Feb 24. The first Tundra Swans were heard over Dundas on Feb 19, with others seen over 10th Rd E in Saltfleet and Woodland Cemetery on Feb 24. A male Northern Pintail and a male Ring-necked Duck have been hanging out with the many puddle ducks and geese in the small area of open water at Christie C.A. reservoir. Another male Pintail was seen in flight at 10th Rd E in Saltfleet on Feb 24. A Red-necked Grebe found off Bronte Beach Park on Feb 25 was likely a new arrival. A wintering Pied-billed Grebe on Hamilton Harbour was off Bayshore Park in Aldershot on Feb 16. A Great Blue Heron was seen in an open water channel in the Beverly Swamp along Reg. Rd. 97 just west of the Hamilton-Waterloo boundary on Feb 16. Migrant Turkey Vultures were noted on Feb 24 with several birds heading west over Saltfleet and a kettle of 20 birds over Dundas late that afternoon. Some of these apparently roosted near University Plaza and were seen the next day. A group of 8 vultures north of Jerseyville on Feb 23 were likely birds that have been overwintering in the area. A Red-shouldered Hawk seen at Glen Morris on Feb 23 was likely an overwintering bird, while an immature Red-shouldered seen at 10th Rd E at the Dofasco Trail on Feb 24 was more likely an early migrant. An immature Northern Goshawk hunting at Christie C.A. on Feb 22 was a nice surprise. At least one Snowy Owl continues to be seen at Bronte Harbour while another was at Fifty Point C.A. on Feb 22. An EASTERN PHOEBE at the stormwater pond on the North Service Rd west of Guelph Line on Feb 27 was an excellent find. Two Tufted Titmice continued in the Dundas Valley C.A. along the Hilltop Trail near the Martins Field on Feb 22, and one was also seen again that day at the McMaster Forest property on Lower Lions Club Rd. Northern Shrikes were reported from Conc Rd 8 & Westover Rd in the Beverly Swamp on Feb 16, from Conc Rd 7 E just west of Wyatt Rd north of Waterdown on Feb 21, and the continuing bird on 10th Rd E near the Dofasco Trail on Feb 24 and again today. One GRAY CATBIRD continued in the Hendrie Valley on Feb 23, and another one was found in the Dundas Valley C.A. near the Trail Centre the same day. An elusive flock of Snow Buntings has been present on Falls View Rd above Dundas numbering up to 150 birds but are often at the south end of the fields close to the Escarpment edge and out of sight. About 30 or so Horned Larks can be found here as well, while pairs of larks are on territory at many locations in the area. An Eastern Towhee was seen on Paddy Greene Rd at the west end of the Dundas Valley on Feb 22, and 4 White-crowned Sparrows were seen there the next day. The overwintering Field Sparrow at the west side of the Vinemount Swamp on 5th Rd E was seen again on Feb 16. The Chipping Sparrow overwintering at Woodland Cemetery has been joined by a second bird as two were seen together this morning. The milder conditions earlier this week brought a first wave of spring migrant blackbirds, with small flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds seen in various places and males on territory in some marshes. A flock of 20 Brown-headed Cowbirds flew over Hwy 403 in Aldershot on Feb 18. Common Grackles were reported in singles at several sites including backyard feeders. The hardy male WILSON'S WARBLER has been hanging in at Sedgewick Forest Park in Oakville, being reported as recent as Feb 22. A Yellow-rumped Warbler was on the Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail where it crosses Slote Rd near Copetown on Feb 17, and one hanging out at Woodland Cemetery was seen again on Feb 23. That's the news for the past two weeks. Tomorrow (Feb 29) provides an extra day of winter listing this year, so please report your sightings to the local (and provincial if warranted) email listserves. Rob Dobos, Hamilton Naturalists' Club. -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus