Today Ian Cannell and I birded the Niagara River from Fort Erie to Queenston and along the way we found some nice birds including 16 Waterfowl species ( no Swans ) and 9 Gull species along with some other good finds.
The Waterfowl included Horned Grebes, Common Loons and all 3 Mergansers. We also found 4 Purple Sandpipers at the usual rocks above the old barge. Tufted Titmice and Red-bellied Woodpeckers on Peter St. in Chipawa and while watching the Sandpipers a Belted Kingfisher flew overhead. Also seen above the falls were 5 adult and 1 juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
At Adam Beck Power Plant we saw another juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Thayer's, 2 Glaucous and 3 Iceland Gulls.
In Fort Erie between the Railroad Bridge and Bertie St. we found 3 Common Loons, 3 Horned Grebes, 2 Cackling Geese, a hunting Cooper's Hawk as well as an adult N. Goshawk and overhead at dusk flew an seemingly endless stream of A. Crows heading east into the USA. We also were lucky enough to be shown the Black-headed Gull ( our second try today ) as it floated in and flew over the river.
The river now has a large number of large and Bonaparte's Gulls at last and along the river from Fort Erie to Chipawa we observed approx. 5000 Canada Geese, 250+ Common Goldeneye and rafts of Greater Scaup that probably totalled 5000 plus birds.
Second hand info from other birders told us about Red-throated Loons at Niagara-on the-Lake as well as a couple of Red-necked Grebes along the river and a Tufted Titmouse on Dufferin Island.
We also again spotted a flock of Wild Turkeys along the QEW in the Grimsby area.
All in all another fine day of birding with very pleasant weather.
Directions:-
PETER STREET
In Niagara Falls drive upriver along the Niagara Parkway past "The Falls" and the Control Dams until you bump into a Tim Hortons in Chippawa, turn right here ( or go in for a coffee first ) and at the first street ( Chippawa Parkway ), turn left and drive to Peter St. This is a crescent, so drive down to where it doubles back and on the left and in front of you will be 2 houses with a number of feeders. Park here keeping well to the right of the road and watch the show. Be sure to keep an eye out for birds in the woods and overhead.
ADAM BECK POWER PLANT
From St Catherines drive east on the QEW to the junction (Y split) with Hwy 405. Drive down Hwy 405 to the Niagara Parkway (at the river), turn right (south) and drive over the power dam to the small parking area on your left, park here and you can observe the gulls from the viewing area. The dam across the river in New York State is the Robert Moses Power Plant.
