Good evening folks
Today Ian Cannell and I birded closer to home than usual and birded several places in the Hamilton / Grimsby Areas on an almost Spring day.
Surprise birds were an Eared Grebe and a Green-winged Teal.
Highlights for the day were:-
Pied-billed Grebe - 2 at LaSalle Marina
Horned Grebe - 7 at LaSalle Marina
Eared grebe - 1 at LaSalle Marina
Double-crested Cormorant - 30+ at Windemere / Tollgate / Pier 25
Wood Duck - 1 at LaSalle Marina
Green-winged Teal - 1 at Desjardines Canal
Northern Pintail - 1 at Pier 25
Turkey Vultures - 17 along 10th Road E as well as more at the Grimsby Hawk Watch ( see their posting )
Both Scaup, all 3 Mergansers, 100+ White-winged Scoters, 80+ Trumpeter Swans, Ruddy Ducks A. Coots - all at LaSalle Marina
Bald Eagle- 7 - Woodland Cemetery, LaSalle marina and Grimsby Hawk Watch
Cooper's Hawk and Merlin - at LaSalle Marina
Killdeer - Desjardines Canal and 10th Road E
Tufted Titmouse - Shoreacres Park
Carolina Wren and Brown Creeper - Shoreacres Park and Woodland Cemetery
Eastern Bluebirds and N. Mockingbird - Concession Road off Fifty Road at foot of bluff
Eastern Meadowlark - 1 along 10th Road E at railway tracks
Hoary Redpoll - 1 male at feeder on 10th Road E along with Common Redpolls
Robins, Grackles, and Red-winged Blackbirds - Common in all the places we visited.
We also found along the way several A. Kestrels, Song Sparrows, House Finches, White-breasted Nuthatches, Surf Scoter, more Turkey Vultures, and Golden-crowned Kinglet.
Directions:-
SHOREACRES / PALETTA PARK IN BURLINGTON
Exit the QEW Highway at Appleby Line. Drive south towards the lake to Lakeshore Road. Turn right (west) on Lakeshore Road and drive a short distance to Shoreacres Road (on your right). The park is across the street on the south side. Look for the boarded up old mansion and you will know you are in the right place.
The last street from the east before the park is Blue Water Place (on your left) and from the west is Inglewood Drive (on your right).
LASALLE MARINA IN BURLINGTON (ALDERSHOT)
Exit the QEW Highway at Plains Road East and drive west on Plains to Waterdown Road. Turn left (south) here onto LaSalle Park Road and drive all the way (about 1 km) to the end of the road at the marina.
If you are coming from the direction of Dundas on Highway 403 then exit off of 403 at Waterdown Road and drive south on Waterdown, cross Plains Road East/West and continue on down LaSalle Park Road to the marina.
WOODLAND CEMETERY IN BURLINGTON
Exit the QEW Highway at Plains Road East and drive west on Plains past Waterdown / LaSalle Park Roads. About 2km after passing Waterdown you will pass Holy Sepulchre Cemetery on your left. Be sure to be in the left or centre lane and just at the west end of the above cemetery turn left on Spring Gardens Road. Woodland Cemetery is a short distance on your left.
If you are coming from the direction of Dundas on Highway 403 then exit off of 403 at Waterdown Road and drive south to Plains Road East/West. Turn right here and drive past Holy Sepulchre Cemetery on your left. Be sure to be in the left or centre lane and just at the west end of the above cemetery turn left on Spring Gardens Road. Woodland Cemetery is a short distance on your left.
DESJARDINES CANAL ON KING ST IN DUNDAS
From Toronto drive west on the QEW until you come to the Y intersection in Burlington of the QEW and Hwy 403. Take Hwy 403 to the Main Street exit in Hamilton and drive right to Main Street West. Turn left on Main Street and drive past the McMaster University Medical Centre to Cootes Drive on the right. Drive down Cootes Drive to the bottom of the hill where the road crosses a small bridge, continue on to York Rd and turn left here (at the traffic lights) and then right again at King St. Drive a few hundred yards and park in a small parking lot.
10th ROAD E IN STONEY CREEK
Exit the QEW Highway at Fifty Road and drive up the bluff to Ridge Road and turn riht on Ridge Road and drive to 10th Road E. The Hoary Redpoll is at the feeders at the first house from Ridge Road.
