journal of the hamilton naturalists’ club december...

JOURNAL OF THE HAMILTON NATURALISTS’ CLUBProtecting Nature Since 1919

Volume 72 Number 4 December 2018

I n T h i s I s s u e :Nodding and Drooping Trilliums in OntarioSummer Season Noteworthy Bird Records

Birds of The GambiaMushroom Collecting in OntarioMember Profile - Brian McHattie

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, juvenile - 22 July 2018 - Speed River at Beaverdale Road, Cambridge. It was the summer of the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron in the Hamilton Study Area. This bird was one of three juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Herons recorded within the HSA this

past summer – truly unprecedented. See the details on the other two records inside in the Summer Noteworthy Bird Records beginning on page 80 - photo Mike Veltri.

The Wood Duck - December, 2018Page 74

Table of Contents Member Profile - Brian McHattie Bill Lamond 76 Nodding Trillium and Drooping Trillium Bob Curry 77 Controversial Zip Line Park to Proceed at Binbrook C.A. Gord McNulty 79 Noteworthy Bird Records – June to August (Summer) 2018 Bill Lamond 80 Dates to Remember - December 2018 & January 2019 Rob Porter/Liz Rabishaw 84 In Memoriam - Bob Copeland Brantford Expositor reprint 86 Birding in the The Gambia with Justin Peter Michael Rowlands 90 Corn Harvesting Beavers in Brantford Bill Lamond 91 Mushroom Collecting with Kriss Gandier Bill Lamond 92

Bald Eagle pair on the Grand River at Brant Park, Brantford - 10 July 2018. This highly successful pair fledged two young in Brantford this past summer. Turn to page 80 to view all the

Summer season Noteworthy Bird Records in the HSA - photo Jim Saunders.

The Wood Duck - December, 2018 Page 75

Publications Committee: Christine Bishop, Martin Daly, Rob Dobos, Kevin McLaughlin, Don McLean, Herman van Barneveld, Glenda Slessor, Jean Stollard, Jim Stollard and John Struger.

The Wood Duck is the official publication of the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club and produced by members of the Club. It is published nine times a year from September to May, inclusive. Deadline for receipt of material is the 5th of the month preceding publication date.

As long as credit lines are included, articles may be reprinted without permission, unless otherwise specified. Opinions expressed in the Wood Duck are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or of the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club.

The Hamilton Naturalists’ Club promotes public interest in the study, conservation and appreciation of our natural heritage. Meetings are held monthly September to May inclusive and field events are scheduled throughout the year. Visitors are welcome.

The HNC is a registered charity and all donations as well as membership fees are tax deductible.

HNC BOARD 2018 - 2019 ExecutivePast President

President:Vice-President:

Secretary: Treasurer:

Maggie SimsBronwen TregunnoChris Motherwell

Joyce LitsterJim Stollard

905 331 1496905 637 7136*** *** ****905 627 1203905 634 3538

[email protected]@cogeco.ca

[email protected] [email protected]

[email protected] Directors

Bird Study Group:Conservation & Education:

Field Events:Director-at-Large:

Membership: Programs:Publicity:

Sanctuary:Volunteer:

Wood Duck Editor:

Bruce MackenzieGord McNulty

Rob PorterJackson Hudecki

Jill Baldwin Lou Mitton

vacantBrian Wylie

Cleo CoppolinoBill Lamond

905 973 4869905 525 9927905 920 3148905 516 4253905 679 6447 *** *** ****

905 627 4601*** *** ****519 756 9546

[email protected]@gmail.com

[email protected]@gmail.com

[email protected] [email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]@hotmail.com

Coordinators

Website Coordinator:Social Coordinator:Junior Naturalists:

Mailing:Land Trust Program:

vacantCatharine Flatt

Brian WylieJean Stollard

Jen Baker

905 628 2030905 627 4601905 634 3538905 524 3339

[email protected]@cogeco.ca

[email protected]@hamiltonnature.org

Report rare bird sightings to: Cheryl Edgecombe 905-637-5923Send Noteworthy Bird Records to: Bill Lamond, 238 St. George St, Brantford, N3R 1W7 email: [email protected]

MEMBERSHIP FEES – Please remit to The Membership Director, Hamilton Naturalists’ Club P.O.Box 89052, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4R5

HNC PUBLICATIONS - To order, contact Bill lamond519 756 9546 or [email protected]

Life Membership $900.00 Hamilton Nature Counts 2003 $75.00

Single Membership $45.00 Hamilton Area Bird Checklist 2007 $2.00

Senior Single Membership $40.00 Head of the Lake Nature Guide $8.00

Student Single Membership (on-line-only ac-cess to Wood Duck; for those 25 or under) free What’s Alive in Hamilton - from HCA website. free

Checklist of Ontario Butterflies $1.50

Senior Joint Membership $45.00 Birds of Hamilton and Surrounding Areas(order from Glenn Barrett at [email protected]) $25.00Family Membership $50.00

Junior Naturalists - 1st child $80.00 Hamilton Mammal Atlas $15.00

Junior Naturalists - additional children $70.00 A Monthly Guide to Nature and Conservation $5.00

Honorary Life Member n/a Reptiles and Amphibians of Hamilton Area (check local library)

Volume 72 Number 4

CN ISSN 0049-7886 http://www.hamiltonnature.org

December 2018 - Publications Mail Contract No. 40048074

[email protected]


Editor's Notes.....

I hope you enjoy this Wood Duck issue. Inside, is another article on Beavers harvesting corn. Perhaps this seems like overkill as there were two articles on this subject in Volume 71. Nonetheless, I thought it was worthwhile to include one more article to show that this behaviour is widespread. Plus I had space to fill in this issue. But there will be no more articles on Beavers harvesting corn.

I've included an obituary of Bob Copeland in this issue. While Bob may never have been an HNC member (it is possible he was a member years ago), he was well-known by several current HNC members due to his affiliation with the Beamer Hawkwatch. Bob was often there on spring days in the past, although not so much in recent times. His nephew, well-known HNC member Dave Copeland, started this hawkwatch.

The summer Noteworthy Bird Records are also in this issue. It is simply amazing to me how many records of birds come with not only a photo, but an excellent photo, very suitable for publication. And from so many different photographers. I have managed to include photographs from 24 different people.

Lastly, below, I have a Member Profile on Brian McHattie. I am listed as the author of this article, and while I did research a bit about his time and positions on the Board, it is mostly an autobiography. Although much of the article uses his exact words, I turned the remainder into a third person narrative. I really like the way he finishes with "I am a lucky man". I concur, and the HNC was very lucky indeed to have Brian as an active contributing member for so many years.

Member Profile - Brian McHattieby Bill Lamond

Brian McHattie grew up in 1960s Etobicoke suburbia. He was part of a “millionaire’s family’ with his sister Michelle, mother

Pat, and dad Jim. As a youth, his life revolved around playing many sports including hockey, basketball, football, and golf. His early experiences with nature were limited although Centennial Park with Etobicoke Creek running through it was nearby, and together with Cubs, gave Brian a bit of exposure to the outdoors. Family holidays yearly at Wasaga Beach – renting a cottage – were very special to Brian as he loved the water especially when it was stormy and he could ride the waves.

Brian attended Vincent Massey Collegiate Institute where he was able to continue his love of sports but he also changed focus a bit as he discovered it was a great place to meet girls. Fond memories included a Grade 11 urban studies school trip to Quebec City. Summer jobs included being a day camp leader and working at Westoner Golf and Country Club where Brian was a groundskeeper by day and a French-service, tuxedo wearing waiter by night (his best job ever).

Tragically Brian’s father died when he was in grade 10 and this trauma seriously affected his schooling. He lost focus and did not finish Grade 13. He eventually got back on track and finished two years of a hotel and restaurant management program. Brian states, “then after brief jobs as a waiter and a Budget rent-a-car guy, I followed my Dad into a salesman job, in my case with Levitt Safety, selling occupational health, fire, and

safety equipment to industry and others – good training as I learned to watch body language and react to peoples’ responses – very worthwhile later in politics!”

Brian’s early twenties were focused on work; that is until one Saturday morning in 1986 when he stumbled on a Fresh Air CBC radio interview with Science North educator Franco Mariotti about a trip to work with Blue Whale biologists in the Mingan Islands along the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. “Several weeks later I found myself bombing over the waves in a Zodiac with massive Blue Whales, curious Humpbacks, ubiquitous Minkes, torpedo-like Finbacks, and somersaulting Atlantic White-side and White-beaked dolphins. Embarking on a steep learning curve, it was one of the best times in my life; we learned about Alcidae, gannets, long-gone Basque whalers, krill, and that blueberries can be wild. And yes, about naturalists and that I wanted to be one, badly, little knowing that my life would never be the same again”.

Brian shortly after moved to Hamilton for a job and set out to find the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club. He learned all he needed to know from then RBG librarian, Shirley Klement. “I arrived at the September 1986 (continued on page 93)

HNC Life Member Brian McHattie.


T R I L L I U M S O F O N T A R I O : P A R T 3

Nodding Trillium and Drooping Trilliumby Bob Curry

There are two other trilliums in Ontario possessing white petals but one is uncommon and the other rare. These

two species are considered together here as they are quite similar. Nodding Trillium (Trillium cernuum) is the most northern of all North American trilliums. In fact, although the Case map shows the range throughout southern Ontario, I have not encountered it south of the Bruce Peninsula. Perhaps because of its more northerly range it blooms later in the season than Large White Trillium. Its preferred

habitat is also different; it is found along trout stream banks among alders such as along the Crane River at Hwy 6 in the Bruce.

The specific epithet cernuum means nodding and indeed this is a modest species with the flowers hidden beneath a tight crown of leaves. The long pedicel that holds the flower is strongly recurved. I took the photo at Timmins (below) on 24 June 2013 by lying on the ground and looking up at the flower. The petals are smaller than those of grandiflorum and strongly recurved (next page). Note also the lavender-coloured anthers unlike those of the other two white flowered Ontario trilliums.

Drooping Trillium (Trillium flexipes) has a much more southern distribution barely extending into south-western Ontario. Once thought to have disappeared from Ontario it was rediscovered in the early 1990s. It is only known from two stations, the Sydenham River in Middlesex County and the Thames River in Elgin County (Jalava and Ambrose 2012). As a consequence, it is classified as endangered. Glenda Slessor and I have seen and photographed Drooping Trillium twice in Ontario: 4 May 2010 and 13 May 2018.

This species is found on sandy alluvial floodplains especially on low terraces just above the river. The habitat is distinctively

Nodding Trillium (T. cernuum) range map, from Case and Case (1998).

Nodding Trillium (T. cernuum) habitat, 20 May 2013, Crane River at Hwy 6, Bruce Peninsula - photo Bob Curry.

Nodding Trillium (T. cernuum), 24 June 24 2013, Timmins - photo Bob Curry.

Bob Curry with Red Knot - Cape May - May 2017.

Birds of Hamilton Price Reduction

The HNC Board has decided to reduce the price of Birds of Hamilton and Surrounding Areas to $25. This decision was based on the fact that the publication is now 12 years old and there are still several to sell. Perhaps this reduced price might help them sell a bit more, thus making a bit of money for the HNC. The Board felt that if anyone has recently bought this book and they are upset about this that they could be reimbursed for the difference.


different from the forest floor of rich woods preferred by T. grandiflorum or the trout stream banks of T. cernuum.

The Cases called T. flexipes Bent Trillium because of the knee-like bend at the end of the pedicel that causes the flower to face outward or downward (above). Although Nodding and Drooping trilliums are similar in this regard and in having recurved flower petals there are significant differences.

Drooping is a more robust, taller plant with petals that are heavier textured and creamier white. However, the best distinguishing feature of flexipes are the thick cream stamens (below), unlike those of Nodding that are purplish.

References:Case, F.W. and R.B. Case. 1998. Trilliums. 286 pp. Timber Press.

Jalava, J.V. and J.D. Ambrose. 2012. Recovery Strategy for the Drooping Trillium (Trillium flexipes) in Ontario. Ontario Recovery Strategy Series. Prepared for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Peterborough, Ontario. 20 pp. Queens Printer for Ontario, 2012.

Nodding Trillium, June 8, 2015, Crane River at Hwy 6, Bruce Peninsula - photo Bob Curry.

Drooping Trillium (T. flexipes) range map (from Case and Case 1998).

At the Next Monthly Meeting10 December (Monday) 7:30 p.m.

The Roots Grow Deep: Trees, Heritage and ConservationSpeaker: David Galbraith

While we often think of cultural heritage and natural heritage as separate topics, they share something very important. They are all about the stories we can tell based on the environment around us. Whether we are telling stories about our own history or that of nature, these stories become richer and deeper when we can bring into them direct evidence of the past. Trees can be considered as essential components of both the natural and cultural heritage of an area. We’ll see what stories we can tell about trees in our area, combining the fields of natural and cultural heritage to seek a deeper understanding of the importance of nature in urban areas. David is Head of Science at the RBG. He studied wildlife biology at Guelph and Queen’s universities, completing his doctoral dissertation on ecology of Snapping Turtles and Wood Turtles. He joined RBG in 1995 and in 2006 was appointed head of the science department, overseeing the library, archives, and herbarium, and research staff. He was named Hamilton Environmentalist of the Year in 2010.

Drooping Trillium (T. flexipes), May 13, 2018, Strathroy C.A., Middlesex - photo Bob Curry.

Drooping Trillium (T. flexipes), 13 May 2018, Strathroy C.A., Middlesex - photo Bob Curry.

The Wood Duck - December, 2018 9

Controversial Zip Line Park at Binbrook Conservation Area to Proceed by Gord McNulty

A plan by the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority to build a contentious zip line ‘treetop trekking’ adventure park

at the Binbrook Conservation Area were approved by Hamilton City Council on 26 September.

Council’s decision followed a narrow 4-3 vote in favour of the plan by the City Planning Committee at a meeting on 18 September. The NPCA will cut down 100 trees, 69 of which are healthy, for the project. It will plant 100 new trees nearby at the conservation area, home of the Lake Niapenco reservoir. There will also be a 15-metre buffer of vegetation around the wetland.

Hamilton planning staff supported the proposal, but the committee also heard what I thought was a compelling presentation in opposition to it by Brett Harrington, chair of the volunteer Glanbrook Conservation Committee.

Mr. Harrington contended the adventure park would be an unnecessary commercialization of Binbrook C.A. when conservation should be the fundamental priority. While appreciating the need for conservation authorities to raise funds, he urged the city to improve environmentally-friendly and more passive forms of recreation at the C.A.

Mr. Harrington maintained the plan could well interfere with, and detract from, enjoyment of the trails and make it more difficult to preserve the health of the trees, breeding birds and wildlife – including several Species at Risk bats – and wetlands. He said the plan would have detrimental environmental effects on the landscape as well as the natural resources of the C.A.

Although replacement trees will be planted, conservationists note there is a big difference between cutting down healthy older trees and planting young ones that do not have the capacity to clean the air as mature trees do. Removing trees in a Conservation Area, for a project of this kind, is counterintuitive.

Councillors who favoured the adventure park suggested it will encourage young people to be more active outdoors and more appreciative of nature, and spend less time with computers and electronics.

It is not as if the Binbrook C.A. is lacking in opportunities for people of all ages to appreciate and enjoy nature. The amenities include hiking, birding, fishing, canoe rentals, and a splash pad. An alternative approach to create more interest would include interpretive displays, a bird banding station, and amenities to promote the C.A. as a premier educational resource for schools and home educators.

A five-year monitoring strategy to evaluate the effects of the zip line on the environment will be implemented. However, that did not alleviate the concerns of Mr. Harrington and others.

Mr. Harrington told the committee that nearly everyone he spoke to at the Binbrook Fair was opposed to the project. He said the public consultation process left much to be desired, as the owners of the project didn’t contact the long-standing Conservation Committee. The group first learned about the plan from a notice posted last spring.

Mr. Harrington’s concerns about the minimal consultation are shared the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club. In fact, we were not aware of the project until we learned of the committee meeting. We did not have time to prepare a submission to voice our concerns. This important project, unfortunately, received relatively scant coverage in the news media.

The three councillors who opposed the project were Brenda Johnson of Glanbrook, Judi Partridge of Flamborough, and Doug Conley of Stoney Creek, chair of the Hamilton Conservation Authority. During the debate, a number of councillors – including those who supported the project – conceded the public consultation process could have been better.

Following the committee meeting, I submitted a letter to City Council on behalf of the HNC, as the club’s Ontario Nature representative, in strong support of Mr. Harrington’s position. The letter was delivered in time for the council agenda on 26 September, ensuring that the Club’s position is on the public record. Mr. Harrington expressed his appreciation to the HNC for the letter.

Gord McNulty - photo Nicole Chamula.

We need your old field guides!Through HNC's outdoor education program we're starting to do more bioblitz type activities with the students. We'd love to have some field guides on hand to help the students identify what they find. If you have old field guides on birds, wildflowers, trees, butterflies we'd be very happy to give them a new home. Please contact Jen Baker at 905-524-3339 or [email protected].

The Wood Duck - December, 20180

Noteworthy Bird Records — June to August (Summer) 2018by Bill Lamond

Underlined species or dates require documentation to be submitted to the newly reorganized Hamilton Bird Records Committee [HBRC] (Barb Charlton, Bob Curry, Rob Dobos, Bill Lamond, Ross Wood). Those records where documentation has been

received are marked with a double asterisk “**”. Records where documentation has not been received are marked with a double pound “##”. The HBRC realizes that it is unclear which dates require documentation for a species as the Date Guide to the Birds of the Hamilton Area is not readily available and the dates listed in that publication for many species need revision. For the time being, the HBRC is using the first three migration dates (or last three) given in Birds of Hamilton as documentation criteria. Species observed within those dates require documentation as date rarities. This will be the case until the new Date Guide comes out in 2019. Underlined species are geographic rarities in the Hamilton area. These rarities are listed in Hamilton Area Bird Checklist 2007. All documentation submitted here has not yet been reviewed by the HBRC.Capitalized species require documentation by the Ontario Bird Records Committee. For species marked with “#”, all reported records for the period are listed. For all other species, only highlights are listed. Note that the species order follows the most recent American Ornithological Society's (AOS) checklist and supplements.

Legend:* - first occurrence for the yearF - first migration occurrenceL - last migration occurrenceP - photographedSM - singing maleterr. - territorial birdSWP - storm water pondConc - Concession** - documentation received## - documentation not received

Plumages, etc.:m. - malef. - femalead. - adultba. - basicalt. - alternateimm. - immaturejuv. - juvenile1st yr. - first yearyg. - young

County/Region/City:Brant [BR]Haldimand [HD]Halton [HL]Hamilton [HM]Niagara [NG]Peel [PL]Waterloo [WT]Wellington [WL]

Observers: Avalon Arsenault (AAr), Kelly Balkom (KBa), Dinu Bandyopadhyay (DiB), David Bate (DBa), Kelly Berry (KBe), Rob Buchanan (RB), Wayne Bullock (WB), Peter Burke (PBu), Cindy Burley (CBu), Mike Cadman (MC), Bruce Campbell (BCa), Simon Carter (SCa), Barb Charlton (BCha), Barry Cherriere (BCh), Curtis Combdon (CCo), Barry Coombs (BCo), Bob Curry (BC), Karis Daniel (KDa), Bill Davis (BD), Julian Diener (JD), Keith Dieroff (KDi), Dennis Dirigal (DDi), Rob Dobos (RD), Holly Dodds (HD), Andrew Don (AD), Dave Don (DD), Cheryl Edgecombe (CE), Kevin Empey (KE), Deena Errampelli (DE), Ben Evans (BE), Luc Fazio (LF), Lucas Foerster (LFo), Denys Gardiner (DG), Liz Gatensby-Highgate (LGH), Ethan Gosnell (EG), Tom Grant (TG), Ryan Griffiths (RG), Amanda Guercio (AG), Todd Hagedorn (TH), Dominik Halas (DH), Mike Hallett (MH), Jean Hampson (JHa), Pat Hare (PH), Marlene Hart (MHa), Will Van Hemessen (HVH), Bob Highcock (BHi), Brandon Holden (BH), Nathan Hood (NH), Jerry Horak (JH), Ellen Horak (EH), Kyle Horner (KHo), Jackson Hudecki (JHu), Randy Husson (RH), Mourad Jabra (MJa), Marcie Jacklin (MJac), Josh Janvrin (JJ), Alvaro Jaramillo (AJ), Mark Jennings (MJ), Dawn Johnson (DJ); Marc Johnson (MJo), Colin Jones (CJo), Morgan Kain (MK), William Konze (WK), Bill Krochuk (BKr), Bill Lamond (BL), Rick Lauzon (RLa), James Lees (JL), Debbie Lindeman (DL), Rick Ludkin (RL), Andrea Lyttle (AL), Bruce Mackenzie (BMac), Stuart Mackenzie (SMac), Mike MacLeod (MMac), Dan MacNeal (DMac), Rebecca Maier (RMa), Len Manning (LM), Lou Marsh (LMa), Reuven Martin (RM), Kevin McLaughlin (KM), Nancy McPherson (NMc), Janet Medelko (JMe), Marvin Medelko (MMe), Alison Mews (AM), Dawn Miles (DMi), Matt Mills (MM), Jennifer Minogue (JMi), Peter Modny (PM), David Moffatt (DMo), Alec Napier (AN), Ryk Naves (RN), George Naylor (GN), Ken Newcombe (KN), Mike Norton (MN), Kalin Ocana (KO), Ben Oldfield (BO), William Olenek (WO), Thomas Ouchterlony (TO), Rob Palin (RPa), Walter Parker (WP), Mark Patry (MP), Karen Petrie (KP), Teresa Piraino (TP), Jason Pizzey (JPi), Jon Pleizier (JP), Richard Poort (RPo), Rob Porter (RP), George Prieksaitis (GPr), David Pryor (DPr), Joanne Redwood (JR), Sarah Richer (SR), Dan Riley (DRi), Garth Riley (GRi), Judy Robins (JRo), Yves Scholten (YS), Caleb Scholtens (CSc), Peter Scholtens (PSc), Dan Schuurman (DSc), James Scott (JS), Gis Segler (GSe), Gerri Shemilt (GSh), Joan Sims (JSi), George Sims (GSi), Nancy Smith (NS), Robert Spaul (RSp), Claire Stratford (CSt), Paul Strong (PSt), Kellie Superina (KSu), Dave Szmyr (DSz), Paulo Tardao (PTa), Tom Thomas (TT), Steve Thorpe (ST), David Trumbell (DT), Kevin Tupman (KT), Rohan van Twest (RvT), Tristan Uchida (TU), Fred Urie (FU), Anthony Vanderheyden (AnV); Josh Vandermeulen (JV), Mike Veltri (MV), Mike Waldhuber (MW), Rob Waldhuber (RW), Jim Watt (JWa), Carl-adam Wegenschimmel (CaW), Joe Werba (JW), Quinten Wiegersma (QW), Angie Williams (AWi), Ross Wood (RWo); Brian Wylie (BWyl), Anthony Zammit (AZ), many observers (m.obs.).


Gadwall: Four at Grimsby Wetlands [NG] 6 Jun (JHa,BHi).American Wigeon: Two at Grimsby Wetlands [NG] 3 June (DJ) and four there 26 Aug (DE); two at Hespeler Mill Pond [WT] 4 Jun (BH); five at Windermere Basin 25 Jun (KM).American Black Duck: Five at Hespeler Mill Pond [WT] 4 June (BH); two at Valens C.A. [HM] 6 Jun (MJa).Mallard: 235 at Hespeler Mill Pond [WT] 4 Jun (BH).Blue-winged Teal: Two at Great Lakes/Rebecca SWP [HL] 8-11 Jun (MJ); four at Cootes Paradise 15 Jun (JHu,SR); ten at Windermere Basin 24 Aug (RM); ten at Grimsby Wetlands [NG] 25 Aug (RM) and 30 there 30 Aug (BD); six at Atlantis Niagara Wines, N Service Rd at Sann Rd [NG] 25 Aug (RG); four at Hespeler Mil Pond 9[WT] 26 Aug (KSu).Northern Shovelor: Three m. at Windermere Basin 5-16 Jun (RD,CE/JS); two along Brantford-Hamilton Rail Trail, near Hwy 52 [HW] 17 Jun (MW); 10 at Tollgate Pond 24 Aug (RM); three at Grimsby Wetlands [NG] 25 Aug (RM).Northern Pintail#: Two at Windermere Basin 5-6 Jun (CE,RD/NH); three at Grimsby Wetland [NG] 29 Aug (JV).Green-winged Teal: One at Bronte Harbour 20 Jun (RPo); two at Windermere Basin 2 Jul (CE,RD/JS); two at Hespeler Mill Pond [WT] 18 Jul (NH), five there 26 Jul (TH), and 15 there 26 Aug (KSu); nine at Scotch Block Reservoir [HL] 13 Aug (YS); five at Grimsby Wetlands [NG] 17 Aug (DJ) and 15 there 29 Aug (JV); seven at Tollgate Pond 30 Aug (GRi,NMc); 10 at Windermere Basin 31 Aug (MPa).Canvasback#: One m. at Cootes Paradise 8 Jun – 17 Jul {photo} (KBa/DT).Redhead: Six at Windermere Basin 6 Jun (NH), 4 (1f.&3yg.) there 30 Jun (KM), and again on 2 Jul {photo} (AN) with 4-5 there until 17 Aug (BC,m.obs.); one at CCIW 16 Jun (JS) and one m. there 10 Aug (RD); two at Valley Inn 21 Jun – 11 Jul (JJ/JR); two at Valley Inn [HL] 21 Jun – 11 Jul {photo} (JJ/JR); one at Forty Mile Creek at Lake [NG] 4 Jul – 25 Aug (DE/BD); one at Grimsby Wetland 23 Jul – 30 Aug {photo} (BD).Greater Scaup#: Two at Windermere Basin 3 Jun – 5 Aug (TO/MN); one m. 30 Jul – 1 Aug Tollgate Pond (RD); one at Van Wagners beach 30 Aug F (RD et al.).Lesser Scaup#: One m. at Windermere Basin 21 Jul (RD,DD) and one there 17 Aug (BC).White-winged Scoter#: 100 at Bronte Harbour 6 Jun L (MJ/MMac).Long-tailed Duck#: Three at Suncor Pier [HL] 7 Jun {photo} (MJ) and one there 23 Jun {photo} (MJ); one at Windermere Basin 10 Jun – 1 Aug {photo} (KM,AWi/MJa); one at Burlington Ship Canal 23 Jun {photo} (MJ) and again on 26 Jul {photo} (QW); one off Confederation Park [HM] 28 Jul (RPo).Common Goldeneye#: One at quarry pond near Britton Tract [HL] 2 Jun {photo} (AD,MN,MJa); one at Cootes Paradise 8 Jun {photo} (KBa); one past Confederation Park [HM] 8 Aug (CJo,PBu,AJ).

Hooded Merganser: 19 at Britton Tract (4ad. with one f. with 19 yg.) 2 Jun (AD,MN,MJa); 12 (1f. & 11yg. plus one juv. Wood Duck) at pond in Glen Morris yard [BR] 8 Jun – 11 Jun {photo} (EH,JH).Common Merganser#: Ten, (1f.& 9 recently hatched yg.)

at Hespeler Mill Pond [WT] 19 Jun (BH) and one f. & 6 yg. there 25 Jul (TH); eight (1f. & 7 yg.) on Credit River at Erindale Park [PL] 4 Jul (MJo); one on Lake at Lakeside Park [PL] 8 Jul (RM); 17 (1f. & 16 yg. at Rattray Marsh [PL] 20 Jul {photo} (PH); one past CCIW 7 Aug (RD); two at Mountsberg Reservoir [WL] 26 Aug (KHo).

Red-breasted Merganser: 15 at Bronte Harbour 6 Jun (GSe) and 10 there 7 Jun (JV); one on Lake at South Shell Park [HL] 6 Jun (MJ); one on Lake off Burloak Rd 6 Jun (MJ); six at Grimsby Wetlands [NG] 7 Aug (MMac).Ruddy Duck: One to three birds at Windermere Basin 3 Jun – 30 Aug (m.obs.); two at Bronte Harbour 3 Aug (GPr); seven at Tollgate Pond 25 Aug F (SCa/RD,CE) and 10 there 25 Aug (AC); one at Grimsby Wetlands [NG] 30 Aug (BD).Ring-necked Pheasant#: One in soybean field at 1120 Britannia Rd [HL] 1 Aug (GPr).Ruffed Grouse: One f. with yg., Joe Sam’s Park, Waterdown 12 Jun (TT).Pied-billed Grebe: One at Windermere Basin 2 Jul (MN,RPa); 30 (several families) at Niebaur’s Pond [WL] 18 Jul (WK); one at Grimsby Wetlands [NG] 1 Aug (BD); one at Bronte Harbour 10 Aug (GPr).Red-necked Grebe#: Two nests (4ad.) (one nest with 5 eggs) at Bronte Harbour {photo} (CBu), 2ad. & 2yg. there 23 Jun {photo} (MJ) and 2ad. & 2yg. there 21 Aug (MJ); two at Great Lakes/Rebecca SWP 11 Jun {photo} (MJ); 12 off of Rattray Marsh [PL] 3 Aug (LF) and 126 there 26 Aug (RM); 79 off of Water’s Edge Park [PL] 3 Aug (RM); two at Scotch Block Reservoir [HL] 13 Aug (YS); two nesting (one on nest) at Burloak Park 24 Jul {photo} (MJ) and again one nest on 20 Aug (MJ).

Common Nighthawk: One m. calling in Ottawa St S – Sherbrooke St neighbourhood [HM] 3 Jun – 10 Jul (SCa); one over Fern Hill School, Oakville 8 Jun L (RL); 19 over Grand River Ave dike trail,

Canvasback at Cootes Paradise - 8 June - photo Kelly Balkom.

Long-tailed Duck - 1 July 2018 - Windermere Basin - photo

Kevin McLaughlin.

Hooded Merganser ducklings at a Glen Morris property, 8 June - photo Jerry Horak.

Common Merganser, f. and young at Rattray Marsh - 22 July - photo Luc Fazio.

(L) Red-necked Grebe at nest with at least 6 eggs at Bronte Harbour - 7 June - photo Ian Jarvie. (R) Red-necked Grebe with 2 yg., 23 June - Bronte

Harbour - photo Mark Jennings.


Brantford 19 Aug (MH); one at Oak Park Rd, Brantford 19 Aug (GSi,JSi); nine over Pleasant Valley, Dundas 24 Aug (RD); 10 over Carolina Park, Brantford 26 Aug (BL); 10 over Woodland Cemetery 29 Aug (CSc,PSc); 30 over Strathcona neighbourhood, Hamilton 29 Aug (MM); five over University Plaza, Dundas (MM,AAr); eight over Grimsby [NG] 29 Aug (BD); five over Ruthven Park [HD] 31 Aug (RL).Chimney Swift: One at Van Wagners Beach 22 Jul F (RD); 200 over Grand River trail, Brantford 19 Aug (MH).Virginia Rail#: One at 25 Side Rd, 500m E of Guelph Line [HL] 2 Jun (AG); three at Mattamy Cycling Centre [HL] 3 Jun (LFo); one at Grimsby Wetlands [NG] 10 Jun (DBa); four at Valens C.A. [HM] 11 Jun (JR); three at swamp, 1.2 km NW of 15 Side Rd & 4th Line [HL] 19 Jun (YS); two at Kirkwall Rd, 400m N of 5th Concession [HM] 21 June (AG); one at Rattray Marsh [PL] 26 Jun (DDi); one at Britton Tract [HL] 12 Jul (DH); four ad. at Kerncliff Park [HL] 14 Jul (RB) and six there (1ad.&5yg) 17 Jul (RB); one at SWP at Edinburgh Rd at Rodgers Rd, Guelph 21 Jul (FU); two at Slote Rd Bog, Dundas Valley 29 Jul (MW,RW); one at N end Mountsberg Reservoir [WL] 16 Aug (YS).Sora#: One at Kerncliff Park [HL] 5 Jul {photo} (RB); one at Grimsby Wetland [NG] 21 Jul (RD,DD) and one there 6 Aug (BD).Common Gallinule#: One at Safari Rd Wetland [HM] 2 Jun (AG); three ad. at Robertson Tract [HL] 2 Jun {photo} (DH); one at swamp 1.2km NW of 15 Side Rd and 4th Line [HL] 19 Jun (YS); one at Britton Tract [HL] 4 Jul (GPr); nine (4ad.,4juv.) at Niebaur’s Pond [WL] 7 Aug {photo} (CE,RD/EH,JH); one at Valens C.A. [HM] 28 Aug (SCa).American Coot#: One (white-shielded variant) at Windermere Basin 3-6 Jun (TO/NH); one at Bayfront Park 12 Jul (PSt); one at CCIW 12 Jul {photo} (EH,JH); one at Scotch Block Reservoir [HL] 15 Aug F (YS).Sandhill Crane#: Three (2ad. & 1yg.) near Grass Lake [WT] 3 Jun (DiB) – 27 Jun {photo} (JPi); four in field near Barrie’s Lake [WT] 9 Jun (EG); one at Britton Tract [HL] 7 Jul (RPa); four along Hwy 97, 600m W of Grand Ridge Dr [WT] 10 Jul (KBe); two at Roszell Rd near Concession 4, Puslinch [WL] 17 Jul – 2 Aug (MC/RH); two at African Lion Safari [HM] 29 Jul (CCo).Black-bellied Plover#: One at Windermere Basin 31 Jul F (FU/RD,BCh) and two there 25 Aug (RD,CE); one at Osprey Marsh [PL] 15 Aug {photo} (PH); one at Scotch Block Reservoir [HL] 17 Aug (YS).Semipalmated Plover: One at Windermere Basin 18 Jul F (RD,CE), six there 21 Jul (RD,BCh), 10 there 7 Aug (AvH), and seven there 25 Aug (BCh,RD); five at Concession Four Rd near Caistor- Gainsborough Townline Rd [NG] 23 Jul (NS); one at Hespeler Mill Pond [WT] 23 Jul (WK) and three there 13 Aug (TH); three at

Atlantis Niagara Wines [NG] 31 Jul (RG); one at Rattray Marsh [PL] 3 Aug (LF) and four there 4 Aug (DDi).Upland Sandpiper#: One at Smithville Rd, 500m S of Concession Rd 2 [NG] 1 Jun {photo} (RPo); five (2ad.&3yg.) along Smithville Rd, 300m N of Concession Rd 2 [NG] 13 Jun (NS); one at Haldimand Rd 9 at 2nd Line Haldimand 16 Jun (SMac); two at South Grimsby Rd 15, S of Mud St [NG] 18 Jun {photo} (RB); one migrant over Brantford 30 Jul F (BL); one overhead migrating 4 Aug Stoney Creek (LM).Whimbrel#: One at Windermere Basin 2 Jul F (RD,m.obs.).Marbled Godwit#: One at Tollgate Pond 23-31 Aug {photo} (RD,m.obs.).Ruddy Turnstone#: Eight at South Shell Park [HL] 5 Jun L (MJ); two at Windermere Basin 22 Jul F {photo} (BE/RD,CE); one at Tollgate Pond 30 Jul – 20 Aug (RD,CE) and three there 31 Aug (MPa/BD); one at Van Wagners Beach 8-13 Aug (m.obs.) and two there 30 Aug (RD,m.obs.); one at Valley Inn 11 Aug {photo} (AP); three on Lake at Forty Mile Creek mouth [NG] 29 Aug (MMac).Red Knot#: One at Windermere Basin ** 4 Jun (CE); one ad. at Tollgate Pond 18 Aug F (RD).Stilt Sandpiper#: One at Windermere Basin 2 Jul F (BCh,m.obs.), five there 21 Jul (AD,RPa,MN) and three there 28 Jul (MN,RPa,AD); two at Hespeler Mill Pond [WT] 25-27 Jul {photo} (TH); one at Rattray Marsh [PL] 9 Aug (RPa); one at Atlantis Niagara Wines at Sann Rd [NG] 18-19 Aug {photo} (RG,m.obs.); one at Grimsby Wetlands [NG] 28 Aug {photo} (BD) and two there 29-31 Aug (JV/DE).Sanderling: 54 at Bronte Harbour 22 Jul F (MJ), 20 there 25 Jul (MJ) and one there 3 Aug (GPr); 47 at Hamilton Beach Strip 22 Jul F (MJa), 30 there 24 Jul (RPo), and 10 there 21 Aug (RD); eight at Windermere Basin 22 Jul F (RPo); 20 at Van Wagners Beach 23 Jul (BD) and eight there 10 Aug (JS); 10 at Tollgate Pond 11 Aug (RD) and six there 26 Aug (RPa,MN,AD).Dunlin: One at Forestell Rd, Puslinch [WL] 3 Jun {photo} (RH); one at Windermere Basin 10 Jun L (KM,BCh,AWi) and one there 25 Aug (RD); one at North Island at NE Hamilton Harbour 23 Aug F (RD).Baird’s Sandpiper#: One at Rattray Marsh [PL] 17 Aug* (RM); four at Tollgate Pond 20 Aug (RD), three there 25-30 Aug (MN,AD,RPa/LF) and six there 31 Aug (RD).Least Sandpiper: Two at Windermere Basin 2 Jul F (AN et al.), six there 14 Jul (RPo), 14 there 23 Jul (DPr), 15 there 28 Jul (BC), and 12 there 2 Aug (JD); seven at Hespeler Mill Pond [WT] 5 Jul (DMi), 25 there 10 Jul (TH), 30 there 11 Jul (TH) and 20 there 24 Jul (TH); seven at NE shore of Harbour 22 Jul (RD); six at Atlantis Niagara Wines at Sann Rd [NG] 31 Jul (RG) and 13 there 18 Aug (RG/JRo); eight at Rattray Marsh [PL] 3 Aug (LF), 18 there 6 Aug (MN), and 10 there 17 Aug (RM); eight at Tollgate Pond 31 Aug (MP).White-rumped Sandpiper#: One ad. at Tollgate Pond (RD) 9 Aug F and two ad. there 11-20 Aug (RD); one ad. at Windermere Basin 25 Aug (RD,CE).

Virginia Rail, juv. 23 June, Kerncliff Park -

photo Mary Henderson.

Sandhill Crane adults and chick at Grass Lake - 3 Jun - photo Dinu Bandyopadhyay.

Upland Sandpiper, 18 Jun - South Grimsby Rd 15 - photo Rob Buchanan.

Stilt Sandpiper at Grimsby Wetlands, 28 August - photo Bill Davis.


Buff-breasted Sandpiper#: One at Mines Rd sod farm at Haldibrook Rd [HD] 31 Aug* (SMac).Pectoral Sandpiper: One at Hespeler Mill Pond [WT] 18 Jul F (TH) and three there 5 Aug (FU); three at Windermere Basin 18 Jul F (RD,CE) and three there 21 Jul (MJa); three at Tollgate Pond 25 Aug (MJa).Semipalmated Sandpiper: 20 at Windermere Basin 5 Jun (CE,RD), 10 there 6 Jun (NH), one there 10 Jun (AWi), one there 25 Jun (KM), 20 there 21 Jul (RD,DD), 22 there 28 Jul (BC), and 10 there 8 Aug (LF); 16 at Hespeler Mill Pond [WT] 19 Jun L (BH), two there 5 Jul F (DMi/FU), 15 there 24 Jul (TH), and eight there 2 Aug (WK/EG); nine at Atlantis Niagara Wines at Sann Rd [NG] 31 Jul (RG) and 12 there 8 Aug (RG); 10 at Rattray Marsh [PL] 24 Aug (DDi); nine at Tollgate Pond 23 Jul (RD), 25 there 20 Aug (RD) and nine there 30 Aug (BCa).Short-billed Dowitcher: One at Windermere Basin 8 Jul F (RD,CE,DD), 14 there 21 Jul (MN,RPa,AD/RD), six there 27 Jul (BCha,RPo), and four juv. there 17 Aug (RD,BCh); two at Concession 4 at Caistor-Gainsboro Townline [NG] 23 Jul (NS); six at Tollgate Pond 25 Aug (RPo,m.obs.) and six there 30 Aug (LF).Solitary Sandpiper: One at Hespeler Mill Pond [WT] 5 Jul F (DMi) and three there 16 Jul (TH).Greater Yellowlegs: One at Windermere Basin 13 Jul F (RD,BCh) and one juv. there 17 Aug (RD,BCh).Willet#: One at Atlantis Niagara Wines at Sann Rd [NG] 31 Aug F {photo} (RG).Lesser Yellowlegs: One at Windermere Basin 25 Jun F (KM), eight there 2 Jul (RD/AN), 23 there 12 Jul (MJa), 30 there 20 Jul (RPo), 100 there 21 Jul (RD,DD), 16 there 1 Aug (JV), 20 there 12 Aug (SCa), and 15 there 24 Aug (RM); one at Dofasco Trail [HM] 29 Jun {photo} (BD); eight at Hespeler Mill Pond [WT] 5 Jul (DMi), 30 there 9 Jul (TH), 70 there 17 Jul (TH), 50 there 27 Jul (TH), 70 there 2 Aug (WK,EG), 45 there 13 Aug (TH), and 15 there 22 Aug (RM); 15 at Tollgate Pond 20 Aug and 10 there 30 Aug (LF).Wilson’s Phalarope#: One m. at Windermere Basin 18-21 Jul F (RD,CE) and one there 2-4 Aug (BCh,m.obs.); one at Atlantis Niagara Wines at Sann Rd [NG] 24-26 Jul {photo} (JRo,m.obs.).Red-necked Phalarope#: One at Tollgate Pond 24-31 Aug {photo} (RM,m.obs.).Long-tailed Jaeger#: One ad. at Van Wagners Beach 31 Jul - 9 Aug ** {photo} (GSh,m.obs.); one juv. at Van Wagners Beach 30-31 Aug {photo} (RD,BCh,RPo).Parasitic Jaeger#: Two at Van Wagners Beach 31 Aug F (RPo/MPa).Black-legged Kittiwake#: One juv. at Bayfront Park 20 Aug ** {photo} (RN);

one 1st sum. at Van Wagners Beach ** 20 Aug (RD,CE,BCh).Bonaparte’s Gull: Seven at Bronte Harbour 4 Jun (RPo) and one there 20 Jun (RPo); one ad. at Burloak Park 6 Jun {photo} (MJ); one ad. at Windermere Basin 21 Jun and one 1st summer there 5-28 Jul (m.obs.); one ad. at Van Wagners Beach 22 Jul F (RD), 23 (one juv.) there 18 Aug (RD) and 120 there 30 Aug (RD).Little Gull#: One 1st summer at Bronte Harbour 3 Jun (MJ); one 1st summer at Windermere Basin 13 Jul (BCh,RD); one second year bird at Tollgate Pond 11-18 Aug {photo} (RD,CE,m.obs.).Lesser Black-backed Gull#: One ad. at Bronte Harbour ## 24 Jul F (MJ).Great Black-backed Gull: One imm. at CCIW 1 Jun (RD); one 2nd summer at Windermere Basin 3-10 Jun {photo} (HD,m.obs.); one 1st sum. at Bayfront Park 5 Jun {photo} (RP); two at Burlington Ship Canal 26 Jul (QW); one at Lake at Bronte Rd [HL] 28 Jul (GPr); one at Confederation Park [HM] 8 Aug (GPr); two (1ad.,1juv.) at Van Wagners Beach 20 Aug F (RD,CE,RPo).Caspian Tern: 255 at Windermere Basin 31 Jul (DMac); 45 at Bronte Harbour 24 Jul (MJ).Black Tern#: One at Windermere Basin 25 Jun (BCh/KM); one ad. at Cootes Paradise 7 Jul (DL); five at Van Wagners Beach 30 Aug (RD et al.).Common Tern: 55 at Bronte Harbour 5 Jun (DH); three on Grand River at York [HD] 6 Jun (RL); 130 at Windermere Basin 10 Jun (AWi), 91 there 9 Jul (MJa), and 40 there 4 Aug (JV); five on Grand River, Brantford at Brant Park 13 Jul (AZ); five at Hespeler Mill Pond [WT] 17 Jul (MC); 300 at Pier 26, Eastport [HM] 1 Aug (RD); 75 at LaSalle Park 13 Aug (RD); 13 at 40 Mile Creek mouth, Grimsby [NG] 28 Aug (MMac); 40 at Van Wagners Beach 30 Aug (RD/RPo).ARCTIC TERN#: One at Bronte Harbour 5-6 Jun {photo} (DH,m.obs.).Forster’s Tern#: One ad. at Bronte Harbour 3-6 Jun {photo} (MPa/DH); one 1st sum. at Windermere Basin ** 7 Jun (RLa).Common Loon#: Two at McMillan Pit, Puslinch [WL] 2-16 Jun (FU/RvT); one ad. at Bronte Harbour 7 Jun (JV/FP); two (1ad. &1imm.) at South Shell Park [HL] 7-8 Jun (MJ); one past CCIW 11 Jun (RD); one ad. at Burloak Park 12 Jun {photo} (YS); one over Puslinch Tract [WL] 12 Jun (JR); one over Grimsby 12 Jun (BMac); one over Riverwood [PL] 13 Jun (LF); one over Cootes Paradise 15 Jun (JHu,SR); one ad. off Confederation Park [HM] 16 Jun L {photo} (AM); one at Van Wagners Beach 22 Jul (RD); three at Van Wagners Beach 28 Aug F (RD); two at Hamilton Cemetery 30 Aug (MM); one juv. at Van Wagners Beach 31 Aug (RPo/RD).American White Pelican#: One over Windermere Basin on 7 Jun (BCh) and later that

Willet at Atlantis Niagara Wines - 31 August - photo

Ryan Griffiths.

Wilson's Phalarope - 28 Aug - Atlantis Niagara Wines - photo Kayo Roy.

Long-tailed Jaeger at Van Wagners Beach - 8 Aug 2018 - photo Joanne Redwood.

American White Pelican over Windermere - 7 June - photo Barry Cherriere.

(continued on page 87)

Black-legged Kittiwake - High Level Bridge - 21 Aug 2018 -

photo Ryk Naves.


D AT E S T O R E M E M B E R - D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 8

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT HNC HIKES All of our leaders are volunteers who enjoy sharing their knowledge and time. The HNC assumes no responsibility for injuries of any kind sustained by anyone as a result of participating in any of these activities. Please assess your own ability to participate. Hikes are sometimes cancelled or rescheduled. You are advised to check the HNC website (www.hamiltonnature.org) before setting out, to ensure that the hike has not been rescheduled. Generally, pets on hikes are discouraged as they startle wildlife, damage nests, and interfere with the enjoyment of others. Contact the leader before bringing your pet and for other questions. We also publicize Royal Botanical Gardens hikes and events. Most RBG programs require pre-registration one week prior. There is a charge for these activities except for the Sunday Get Back To Nature Walks. For information on RBG hikes: Liz Rabishaw, Public Program Bookings, RBG, 905-527-1158 (1-800-694-4769) ext. 270. [email protected] www.rbg.ca

2 December (Sunday) 2 to 3:30 p.m. RBG - Get Back to Nature Walk. Free RBG Nature hike (donations welcome). Hendrie Valley, meet at Cherry Hill Gate parking Lot. If the weather is inclement, call Program Update Line 905-527-1158 ext. 404.

3 December (Monday) 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. BSG - The Famous Magical Mystical Bird Quiz. Want to test your bird identification skills or be awed by the experts? Join HNC Bird Study Group as they present skilled birder, author and international traveller David Brewer as he brings us pictures of mystery birds and talks about their distinguishing features. Prizes for the winners. Bring Christmas treats to share. Contact Bruce [email protected] for more info. Burlington Seniors' Centre, 2285 New St, Burlington.

7 December (Friday) 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. HNC - Evening Screech-Owl Outing. Details forthcoming.

8 December (Saturday) 8:00 p.m. The Hamilton Association - Secrets from Stellar Nurseries: The Early Lives of Star Clusters. Speaker Alison Sills. We know that stars are born out of large clouds of gas and dust. Most stars are born in groups. But what happens next? Do siblings stick together, moving through the universe together all their lives or do they disperse and move out of their birth neighbourhood as soon as they can? Using a combination of observations and simulations, this talk explores what we know about the early evolution of star clusters. Dr. Alison Sills is Professor of Physics & Astronomy at McMaster University. At Room 1A1 of McMaster University's Ewart Angus Centre (EAC). The Ewart Angus Centre is an area in the north-west (left-rear) corner of the McMaster Children's Hospital on Main Street West.

9 December (Sunday) 2 to 3:30 p.m. RBG - Get Back to Nature Walk. Free RBG Nature hike (donations welcome). Princess Point, meet at the parking lot. If the weather is inclement, call Program Update Line 905-527-1158 ext. 404.

10 December (Monday) 7:30 p.m. HNC Monthly Meeting - The Roots Grow Deep: Trees, Heritage and Conservation. Speaker: David Galbraith. While we often think of cultural heritage and natural heritage as separate topics, they share something very important. They are all about the stories we can tell based on the environment around us. Whether we are telling stories about our own history or that of nature, these stories become richer and deeper when we can bring into them direct evidence of the past. Trees can be considered as essential components of both the natural and cultural heritage of an area. We’ll see what stories we can tell about trees in our area, combining the fields of natural and cultural heritage to seek a deeper understanding of the importance of nature in urban areas. David is Head of Science at the RBG. He studied wildlife biology at Guelph and Queen’s universities, completing his doctoral dissertation on ecology of Snapping Turtles and Wood Turtles. He joined RBG in 1995 and in 2006 was appointed head of the science department, overseeing the library, archives, and herbarium, and research staff. He was named Hamilton Environmentalist of the Year in 2010.

16 December (Sunday) 2 to 3:30 p.m. RBG - Get Back to Nature Walk. Free RBG Nature hike. Cootes North Shore, meet at the Nature Centre, Arboretum location, Old Guelph Road. If the weather is inclement, call Program Update Line 905-527-1158 ext. 404.

21 December (Friday) 7 to 9 p.m. RBG - Family Solstice Celebration at Nature Interpretive Centre - Kids and Families. Come on a guided hike through the woods at night, and then join us by a roaring bonfire to welcome the sun back and share stories that explore the turning of the season. It’s the first day of winter and the shortest day of the year but after December 21, the days do begin to get longer – and that’s worth celebrating. Fee: $10 Child (4 to 12 years), Free child (3 and under), $15 Adult.

23 December (Sunday) 2 to 3:30 p.m. RBG - Get Back to Nature Walk. Free RBG Nature hike. Cootes South Shore, meet at the Aviary parking lot, Oak Knoll Drive, Hamilton. If the weather is inclement, call Program Update Line 905-527-1158 ext. 404.

26 December (Wednesday) Boxing Day. HNC - 98th Annual Hamilton Christmas Bird Count. The 98th Count! Selected sites in the Hamilton Study Area. Please contact Rob Porter to register [email protected].


D AT E S T O R E M E M B E R - J a n u a r y 2 0 1 9

2 January (Wednesday) 2019 HNC - 4th Annual Peach Tree Christmas Bird Count. Covers the western section of the Niagara Peninsula and the eastern portion of the HSA, from Fifty Point down to Caistorville and over to Stoney Creek. Contact Bruce Mackenzie at [email protected].

5 January (Saturday) 9 to 11:30 a.m. RBG - Not Just a Birding Club: Brave the Winter, at a to-be-determined RBG property location. We look for the bravest of all birds — our winter residents. Pre-registration required. Part of the Adult Education Series. Fee: $20 per Saturday (HST included).

6 January (Sunday) 2 to 3:30 p.m. RBG - Get Back to Nature Walk. Free RBG Nature hike (donations welcome). Hendrie Valley, meet at Cherry Hill Gate parking Lot. If the weather is inclement, call Program Update Line 905-527-1158 ext. 404

13 January (Sunday) 2 to 3:30 p.m. RBG - Get Back to Nature Walk. Free RBG Nature hike (donations welcome). Princess Point, meet at the parking lot. If the weather is inclement, call Program Update Line 905-527-1158 ext. 404

14 January (Monday) 7:30 p.m. HNC Monthly Meeting - Intertwined Generations: Me and Youth and You. As the Hamilton Naturalists' Club arrives at its 100th year of environmental stewardship, education and preservation, there is lots to celebrate! But there is also a lot at stake, and we need everyone involved, from every age group and background. Enter the Junior Naturalists' Club and the Young Environmental Science (or YES) Alliance, two environmentally-driven, hands-on, mentor-based youth clubs geared to the continued connection to Mother Earth and guiding students striving for a post-secondary career in the environmental sciences. Hear about what we are up to, how others in the community are stepping up, what you can do and even share with us your own efforts! After all, we are in this together. In his 10th year of Environmental Education, Jackson Hudecki has been building a foundation to support anyone curious about connecting to the natural wonders of these local woods. Aside from facilitating the youth clubs, bird clubs, beer festivals and obstacle courses out of Royal Botanical Gardens, Jackson is the Director at Large for the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club, a community conduit, a proud Hamiltonian, and always ready to gab. Free. All welcome. Meet & greet at 7 pm. Contact Lou [email protected] Botanical Gardens, 680 Plains Rd W, Burlington.

20 January (Sunday) 2 to 3:30 p.m. RBG - Get Back to Nature Walk. Free RBG Nature hike. Cootes North Shore, meet at the Nature Centre, Arboretum location, Old Guelph Road. If the weather is inclement, call Program Update Line 905-527-1158 ext. 404.

21 January (Monday) 7:30 p.m. BSG Meeting - Wingtips at our Fingertips. This lecture chronicles the development of Motus, and follows the lives of migratory animals from the coast of James Bay and the Maritimes, through the lower Great Lakes, and into the jungles of Colombia and beyond. The conservation of migratory animals is particularly challenging because it requires the consideration of threats occurring at different stages of an animals life cycle that typically span multiple jurisdictions, habitats, and landscapes that are often thousands of kilometres apart. Researchers employ a variety of technological tools to help unlock innumerable mysteries about migratory animals, where their populations may be threatened, and then prioritize where and what conservation actions may have the greatest impact. Speaker Stuart Mackenzie began exploring the natural world in the womb, and has been birding since the age of 2. He is Director, Migration Ecology at Bird Studies Canada (BSC) responsible for the Motus Wildlife Tracking System, Long Point Bird Observatory and aspects of the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network. At the Burlington Seniors' Centre, 2285 New St, Burlington.

26 January (3 Saturdays) 9 to 11:30 a.m. RBG - Colour in Nature: Intermediate Photography at RBG Centre. A review of the basics followed by more in-depth instruction over 3 Saturdays. Preregistration. Part of the Adult Education Series. Fee: $100.

26 January (Saturday) 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Junior Naturalists Club at RBG Nature Centre (locations can vary). Start date for the second half of the outdoor, once-a-month meetings for 7 – 12 year olds. Pre-registration required. January to May session Fee: $80.

27 January (Sunday) 2 to 3:30 p.m. RBG - Get Back to Nature Walk. Free RBG Nature hike. Cootes South Shore, meet at the Aviary parking lot, Oak Knoll Drive, Hamilton. In inclement weather, call Program Update Line 905-527-1158 ext. 404.

26 January (Saturday) 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Junior Naturalists Club at RBG Nature Centre (locations can vary). Start date for the second half of the outdoor, once-a-month meetings for 7 – 12 year olds. Pre-registration required. January to May session Fee: $80.


Welcome Corner....Our Membership Director Jill Baldwin and the entire HNC Board would like to extend a hearty welcome to the following new members who joined in September and October.

New family memberships of Nancy & Ronald Book, Gloria Ramirez & Simon Carter, Craig & Anika Cassar, Michele Clemo, the Singer family, Drazen Lescesen & Vanessa Scali, Shawn Selway, Mr. & Mrs. Bruno Polewski, Cynthia Teare, and Kathy & George Zadvorny…including all their kids and other immediate family!

Also new members Mark Beckett, Bruce Campbell, Michael Delorey, Joyce Awrey Root, Sandra Bell, Zara Brown, Michael Delorey, David Galbraith, Stuart Laughton, and Dianna Ouellette Whelan. and Student Members William Olenek and Amy Wilson!

At the Next Bird Study Group 3 December (Monday) 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

The Famous Magical Mystical Bird QuizWant to test your bird identification skills or be awed by the experts? Join the HNC Bird Study Group as they present skilled birder, author and international traveller David Brewer as he brings us pictures of mystery birds and talks about their distinguishing features. Prizes for the winners. Dr. David Brewer has had a life-long interest in birds starting in western England where he learned to bird and band birds. Receiving his first degrees in Great Britain and then to Universities in Arizona and Guelph studying Agricultural and Pharmaceutical Chemistry. He has been deeply involved with the Long Point Bird Observatory and studying birds in Central America and the Caribbean. He is an author of a number of important books on birds of the tropics and bird banding. David, a resident of Puslinch, has brought his genius to the science of birding. Along the way David has developed an incredible sense of humour and it is displayed marvellously in his talks. Bring Christmas treats to share. Contact Bruce Mackenzie at [email protected] for more info. Burlington Seniors' Centre, 2285 New St, Burlington.

In Memoriam - Bob CopelandBob Copeland passed away peacefully at Brantford General Hospital on Wednesday, October 17, 2018. I'm not sure if Bob was ever an HNC member but I think that hardly matters as he was well-known by several HNC members as he was regularly found at Beamer C.A. watching migrating hawks in the spring. He was the uncle of reknowned Hamilton hawk-watcher Dave Copeland. What follows below is his obituary in the Brantford Expositor on 19 October - Ed.

Bob is lovingly remembered by his daughter Darlene and her husband Dave, his son Rob and his wife Jane as well his grandchildren to whom he was entirely devoted, Tyler, Emily and Owen. It is very fitting and comforting to Bob's family that he passed away after spending a beautiful and deeply moving Thanksgiving weekend with family and friends laying to rest the ashes of his beloved wife of 56

years Barbara (2017) at their most cherished summertime getaway, Grundy Lake Provincial Park. He has now joined Barb happily in eternal peace enjoying what they loved most, camping, bird-watching, and enjoying nature. Bob was a devoted member of Alexandra Presbyterian Church and a very active volunteer in that community. For those who knew Bob, we will all miss his sense of humor, his laugh, his endless storytelling and his amazing ability to fix almost anything with sheet metal. The family honored Bob with a service at Alexandra Presbyterian Church Monday October 22 at 1:00 pm followed by a celebration of life at Crabby Joe's, 456 Fairview Dr. in Brantford. The Copeland family wishes to sincerely thank the staff at Brantford General Hospital and express that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Palliative Care Unit at Brantford General, Alexandra Presbyterian Church, or Stedman Community Hospice, Hankinson House.


day at Cootes Paradise 7-8 Jun (CE,m.obs.).

American Bittern#: One at Safari Rd Marsh [HM] 2 Jun (AG); one at Valens C.A. [HM] 6 Jun (MJa); one at Lowville [HL] 15 Jun (YS); one over 407 & Hwy 5 [HL] 29 Jul (DMac).Least Bittern#: Three (one pair & one SM) at Cootes Paradise 15 Jun ( JHu,WB,SR,DMo);

two SM at Cootes Paradise 16 Jun (JHu,BCo); one at Safari Rd Marsh [HM] 21 Jun (AG); one at Christie C.A. [HM] 8 Jul (TU); one at Robertson Tract [HL] 12 Jul (DH); two at Turner Tract [HL] 15 Jul {photo} (RM).Great Egret: Three at Windermere Basin 3 Jun (TO); seven at North Service Road SWP [HL] 15 Jun {photo} (CE/RB); seven at West Lincoln Agricultural Centre [NG] 18 Jun (PM), eight there 20 Jun (NS) and 18 there 1 Jul (LM); seven at Cootes Paradise 29 Jun (JHu); five in Hendrie Valley [HL] 5 Aug (AL); 15 at Woodland Cemetery roost 5 Aug (RD); eight at Hespeler Mill Pond [WT] 11 Aug (RPa,MN); seven at Woodland Cemetery 23 Aug (MM); three on Grand River at York [HD] 16 Aug (RL); three on Grand River at Mt Healy [HD] 19 Aug (PH); 10 at Desjardins Canal, Dundas 30 Aug (JL). Snowy Egret#: One at Cootes Paradise ** 1 Jul (DMo).Black-crowned Night-Heron: Two at Great Lakes/Rebecca SWP [HL] 8 Jun (MJ); two at Clappison’s Corners Wetland [HM] 22 Jun (RB); 21 at Cootes Paradise 29 Jun (JHu); seven at Bayfront Park 8 Jul (WO) and 10 there 20 Aug (RN); seven at Windermere Basin 28

Jul (BC); four at Rattray Marsh 29 Jul (PTa); three at Oakville Creek Path SWP 18 Aug (MJ); nine at Woodland Cemetery 30 Aug (RB); five at Desjardins Canal, Dundas 30 Aug (JL).YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON#: One juv. at Windermere Basin 27 Jul – 12 Aug {photo} (BCh,m.obs.); one juv. at Speed River at Beaverdale Rd, Cambridge 1-22 Aug {photo} (WVH,m.obs.); one juv. on Grand River at Caledonia [HD] 28 Aug

{photo} (KP).Black Vulture#: One over Valley Inn 21 Jun (TG/KN); one over Bayfront Park 28 Jun {photo} (WO); one over Devils Punch Bowl C.A. [HM] 6 Jul (JL).MISSISSIPPI KITE#: One over Hendrie Valley [HL] 29 Aug ## (BWyl).Northern Harrier: One along Smithville Rd, N of Concession Rd 2 [NG] 26 Jun (WP); one over Grimsby Wetlands [NG] 28 Aug (BD).Sharp-shinned Hawk: One at Smith Property Loop [WL] 1 Jul (MC); one at Woodland Cemetery 25 Aug F (MJa).Broad-winged Hawk: Two over Dundas Valley at Mineral Springs Trail 12 Jun (JL); one calling at Turner Tract [HL] 17 Jul (JV); two at Preservation Park, Guelph 3 Aug (FU); two juv. at 10566 5th Line, Nassagaweya [HL] 10 Aug (NR); one over Woodland Cemetery 12 Aug F (RD); one calling at Hespeler Mill Pond [WT] 17 Aug (TH).Bald Eagle: One juv. in nest at Cootes Paradise 16 Jun (SR). The nest in Brantford successfully fledged two young in 2018 (fide DB).Snowy Owl#: One near Windermere Basin 19 Jun {photo} (LGH); one, likely same bird, over QEW at Confederation Park [HM] 25 Jun (RPo).Yellow-bellied Sapsucker#: Two drumming (well-spaced) at Britton Tract [HL] 30 Jun (RM) and one ad. & 2 yg. there 7 Jul (RPa); one at Robertson Tract 14 [HL] Jul (MN,RPa); two at Turner Tract [HL] 15 Jul (RM).Red-headed Woodpecker#: Two at RBG Arboretum 29 Jun (JHu); two (1ad.&1yg) at Cosby Rd [NG] 6 Aug (NS); one at River & Ruins Trail, Lowville [HL] 30 Aug (BO).Olive-sided Flycatcher#: One at Joe Sam’s Park, Waterdown 18 Aug F (TT); one at St George [BR] 19 Aug {photo} (JL); one at Riverwood Conservancy [PL] 20 Aug (DDi); one at Woodland Cemetery 23 Aug (MM); one at Shoreacres park [HL] 27 Aug (MMe,JMe); three at Kerncliff Park [HL] 28 Aug {photo} (RB); one at Rattray Marsh [PL] 29 Aug (RSp); one at 157 Blythe Cres, Oakville 30 Aug (JW); one at Erindale College [PL] 30 Aug {photo} (Peter L); one at 40 Mike Creek, Grimsby [NG] 31 Aug {photo} (MMac).Eastern Wood-Pewee: One SM at Carolina Park, Brantford 8 Jun L (BL); three at Woodland Cemetery 19 Aug F (RD).Yellow-bellied Flycatcher: One at Riverwood Conservancy [PL] 12 Jun L (SM); one at Edgelake Park [HM] 11 Aug (RD,CE); four at River & Ruins Trail, Lowville [HL] 23 Aug (BO).Acadian Flycatcher#: One SM on Martin Rd Trail, Dundas Valley ** 16-21 Jun {photo} (RD,CE,DD/RPo); one at Sunrise Cres., Dundas ## 25 Jun (RD); one SM at the intersection of the Bruce trail and the Van der Klerk side trail, N of 17th Side Road, E of Regional Road 25, S of Acton [HL] ## 28 Jun (JMi); one SM at Britton Tract ** 3-30 Jul {photo} (DSc,m.obs.).Least Flycatcher: One in Stoney Creek backyard 28 Jul F (LM), five at Woodland Cemetery 19 Aug (RD).Great Crested Flycatcher: One at Woodland Cemetery 11 Aug F (RD).Yellow-throated Vireo: One at Rattray Marsh [PL] 18 Aug F (MN).

(continued from page 8)

Least Bittern at Turner Tract, Halton County Forest - 15 July

- photo Reuven Martin.

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, juveniles. One (L) at Grand River Caledonia - 28 Aug - photo Karen Petrie and another (R) at Windermere Basin - 27

Jul - photo Barry Cherriere.

Arctic Tern at Bronte Harbour - 6 June - photo Sarah Lamond.

Black Vulture over Bayfront Park - 28 June - photo

William Olenek.

Acadian Flycatcher at Britton Tract, Halton County Forest - 14

July - photo Mike Norton.


Fish Crow#: One over Barton St and Ottawa St, Hamilton 6 Jun (MM); one at Bronte Harbour 7 Jun (JV); one at Westover Southwest Complex ESA [HM] 26 Jun (DSz); one at CCIW 28 Jun (RD); two at Lakeside Park [PL] 1 Jul (PSt); two at Rattray Marsh [PL] 4 Aug (MJa,RPa,MN) and two there 24 Aug (DDi); two at Sioux Lookout [HL] 17-18 Aug {photo} (BC).Purple Martin: 10 at York [HD] 6 Jun (RL); 20 at Ruthven Park [HD] 1 Jun (JJ), 22 there 28 Jun (RL), 10 there 10 Aug (RL), nine there 31 Aug (RL); 20 at Ontario St at N Service Rd, Beamsville [NG] 18 Jun, 22 there 11 Jul, 25 there 19 Jul, 12 there 26 Jul, and three there 10 Aug (all MMac); 12 over Dundas Valley 30 Jul (JL); seven at Grimsby Wetlands [NG] 1 Aug (BD) and 20 there 30 Aug (BD); six at Bronte Harbour 3-10 Aug (GPr).Tree Swallow: 100 at Windermere Basin 6 Jun (MN); 150 at Cooper Wetland, Smithville Rd [NG] 26 Aug (NS).Northern Rough-winged Swallow: 50 at Cootes Paradise 29 Jun (JHu); 74 at York [HD] 12 Aug (RL); 31 at Oak Park Rd, Brantford 20 Aug (MH).Bank Swallow: 300 at Hespeler Mill Pond [WT] 4 Jun (BH); 25 at Bronte Harbour 6 Jun (NH) and eight there 3 Aug (GPr); 25 at Burloak Park 13 Jun (YS) and 10 there 24 Jul (MJ); 40 at Waynco Rd & Cheese Factory Rd [WT] 15 Jun (NH); 20 at Bayfront Park 8 Jul (WO); 88 at North Service Rd & Ontario St, Beamsville [NG] 13 Jul, 110 there 19 Jul, 25 there 25 Jul, and eight there 10 Aug (all MMac); 25 at Windermere Basin 22 Jul (RSa); 60 at 1150 Smithville Rd, N of Concession 2 Rd [NG] 23 Jul (NS); 87 at 1800 Joslin Rd [NG] 4 Aug (NS); 25 at Confederation Park [HM] 8 Aug (CJo,PBu); 226 at York [HD] 12 Aug (RL); 50 at Cooper Wetland, Smithville Rd [NG] 26 Aug (NS).Cliff Swallow: 31 at York [HD] 6 Jun (RL), gradually decreasing to one on 9 Aug (RL); 20 at Bronte Harbour [HL] 7 Jun (TO); 90 at Spencer Smith Park [HL] 24 Jun {photo} (AP); 30 nests (30 pairs) at CCIW 3 Jul – mid-Aug (RD).Tufted Titmouse#: One at Spring Valley Trail, Dundas Valley 23 Jun (JW,MK); two at Ruthven Park [HD] 29 Jun (RL) and three there 7-15 Aug (RL); one at Fordview Park, Brantford 11 Jul (DG); one at Shoreacres Park [HL] 14-18 Aug {photo} (YS/BC).Red-breasted Nuthatch: One at 41 McNab St, Grimsby [NG] 14 Aug F (BD).Brown Creeper: One at Shoreacres Park [HL] 14 Aug (YS); one at Forty Mile Creek in Grimsby 19 Aug (DE); one at Waterworks Park, Brantford 30 Aug (MH).Marsh Wren#: Two at Mattamy Cycling Centre, Milton [HL] 3 Jun (LFo); one at Valens C.A. [HM] 6 Jun {photo} (MJa); three at Safari Rd Wetland [HM] 6 Jun (JP); one at Britton Tract [HL] 14 Jun (YS); 25 SM at Cootes Paradise 15 Jun (JHu,SR,DMo,WB); three at Mountsberg Reservoir [WL] 17 Jun (FU); two at Rattray Marsh [PL] 26 Jun (DDi); one at Crieff Bog [WL] 7 Jul (RP); one at Robertson

Tract [HL] 14 Jul (MN,RPa); one at Scotch Block Reservoir [HL] 14 Jul (MN,RPa); one in Hendrie Valley [HL] 5 Aug (AL); one at Kerncliff Park [HL] 27 Aug (RB).Carolina Wren: One at Hespeler Mill Run Trail [WT] 5 Aug (BE) and again on 17 Aug (ST).Blue-gray Gnatcatcher: One at Van Wagners Beach 4 Aug F (RD,CE,DD).Veery: One at Forty Mile Creek, Grimsby 23 Aug F (MMac).Swainson’s Thrush: One at 40 Mile Creek, Grimsby [NG] 3 Jun (DJ); one at 2536 Ridgeside Lane, Oakville 17 Aug F (GPr).Hermit Thrush: One at Currie Tract [HL] 2 Jun L (MN,RPa,MJa,AD); one at yard in south Guelph 27 Aug F (FU).Northern Mockingbird: One at Scotch Block Reservoir [HL] 3 Jun (KE); one at Mattamy Cycling Centre 3 Jun [HL] (LFo); one at Oak Park Rd at Hwy 403, Brantford 21 Jun (KT,AZ).Cedar Waxwing: 175 at Dundas Valley C.A. 2 Jun (RD,CE,DD).Purple Finch: One at Caledonia feeder [HD] 13 Aug F (GN).Pine Siskin#: One (at least) at Preservation Park, Guelph 2-24 Jun

(FU); one at Smith Property Loop [WL] 9 Jun (RvT); one at feeder near Iroquois Heights C.A. [HM] 16 Jun {photo} (WB).Ovenbird: Two at Waterworks Park, Brantford 23 Aug F (MH).Louisiana Waterthrush#: One at Edgelake Park [HM] ## 11 Aug L (RD,CE).Northern Waterthrush: One at Rattray Marsh [PL] 3 Aug F (RM).Golden-winged Warbler#: One f. at

Woodland Cemetery 19 Aug (RD,CE).Black-and-white Warbler: One at 2523 Baseline Rd, Milton [HL] 19 Jun (YS); one at Churchill Park, RBG 22 Jun (YS); one at Shoreacres Park [HL] 14 Jul (DE); one at Rattray Marsh [PL] 10 Aug F (DDi); one at Ruthven Park [HD] 15 Aug (RL,BO); six at Woodland Cemetery 23 Aug (KO).Tennessee Warbler: One along Barton St, Stoney Creek 12 Jun L (LM); one along Kortright Rd, south Guelph 14 Aug F (FU); one at Shoreacres park [HL] 18 Aug (BC).Nashville Warbler: One at River & Ruins Trail, Lowville [HL] 8 Aug F (BO); one at 2536 Ridgeside Lane, Oakville 17 Aug (GPr); one at Richard’s Memorial Park [PL] 17 Aug (RM). Mourning Warbler#: One at Forty Mile Creek, Grimsby [NG] 1 Jun L (BD); one at River & Ruins Trail, Lowville [HL] 8 Aug F (BO).Hooded Warbler#: One SM at 10th Side Road, 500m NE of Guelph Line [HL] 2 Jun (MJa

Fish Crow at Sioux Lookout - 17 Aug - photo Bob Curry.

Tree Swallow - 3 July - Windermere Basin - photo Barry Cherriere.

Northern Mockingbird at Windermere Basin, 3 July - photo

Barry Cherriere.

Cedar Waxwing fledglings at Rock Chapel - photo Sandy

Darling.

Hooded Warbler, female (carrying food) at Headwaters Trail, Dundas

Valley - 22 June - photo James Lees.


et al.) and again on 4 Jun (LMa); three SM at Hilton Falls C.A. [HL] 9 Jun (KDa); one along Bruce Trail at Forty Mile Creek, 100m S of Gibson St, Grimsby [NG] 13 Jun (BD) and 3 Jul (BD); one SM at Cave Springs C.A. [NG] 14-28 Jun (BD); one along Brice Trail, 100m W of Woolverton Rd [NG] 11 Aug (BD). In the Dundas Valley: Two SM at Mineral Springs Trail in Dundas Valley C.A. 14 Jun (JL); one at Spring Valley Trails, Dundas Valley C.A. (JL); three nesting pairs at Headwaters Trail, Dundas Valley (JL); three (SM and pair feeding yg.) near Martin Rd, Dundas Valley 11 Jul (JL); three in separate locations along Martin Rd and Headwaters Trail, Dundas Valley 15 Jul (RPa); one along Paddy Greene Trails, Dundas Valley 2 Jul (RP). Based on these reports it appears there were six nesting pairs in the Dundas Valley in 2018 – fide James Lees. American Redstart: One at Oakville backyard 5 Aug F (PSt); eight at Woodland Cemetery 19 Aug (RD,CE).Cape May Warbler: Four at Woodland Cemetery, six there 19 Aug (RD), nine there 23 Aug (MM) and 10 there 26 Aug (RD/BCha).Northern Parula: One at Waterworks Park, Brantford 2 Jun L (CSt); one at Woodland Cemetery 25 Aug F (RD,CE).Magnolia Warbler: One at 15 Side Rd, west of Speyside [HL] 2 Jun L (YS); one at Joe Sam’s Park, Waterdown 11 Aug F (TT); two at Waters Edge Park [PL] 17 Aug (RM); one at Lakeside Park [PL] 17 Aug (RM).Bay-breasted Warbler: One in a Hamilton backyard ** 11 Jun L (KDi); one at River & Ruins Trail, Lowville [HL] 9 Aug F {photo} (BO).Blackburnian Warbler: One SM at Britton Tract [HL] 30 Jun (RM); one at Joe Sam’s Park, Waterdown 13 Aug F (TT); five at Mineral Springs Trails, Dundas Valley 16 Aug (JL); seven at Waters Edge Park [PL] 17 Aug (RM); 14 at Woodland Cemetery 19 Aug (RD,CE), nine there 23 Aug (KO), and 14 there 26 Aug (RD et al.).Yellow Warbler: One in a Stoney Creek backyard 4 Jun L (LM); one at a Brantford backyard 9 Jul F (BL).Chestnut-sided Warbler: One at Riverwood Conservancy [PL] 2 Jun L (LF); one at Petro Canada Park [HL] 11 Aug F (GPr); one at Edgelake Park [HM] 11 Aug F (RD,CE); 10 at Woodland Cemetery 19 Aug (RD,CE); 10 at McNally Forest, Waterdown 23 Aug (TH).Blackpoll Warbler: One at Woodland Cemetery 26 Aug F (RD et al.).Black-throated Blue Warbler: Two SM at Britton Tract [HL] 30 Jun (RM); two SM at Currie Tract [HL] 2 Jul (CaW); one SM at Turner Tract [HL] 17 Jul (JV); one at Waterdown 26 Aug F (RP); one at 2536 Ridgeside Lane, Oakville 26 Aug F (GPr).Palm Warbler: One at Concession 11, Puslinch [WL] 26 Aug (FU).Pine Warbler: One at 157 Blythe Cres, Oakville 30 Aug F (JWa).Yellow-rumped Warbler: Two at Smith Property Loop [WL] 10 Jul (MC); one at Grimsby Wetlands [NG] 10 Aug F {photo} (DE); one at Waters Edge Park [PL] 17 Aug (RM).

Prairie Warbler#: One male at Woodland Cemetery ** 24-25 Aug {photo} (MV/MJa).Black-throated Green Warbler: One at Lennon Rd, Flamborough 2 Jun (AD,MJa); one at Britton Tract [HL] 30 Jun (RM); three SM at Preservation Park, Guelph 1 Jul (FU); one at 8575 1st Line Campbellville [HL] 3 Jul (RWo); one SM at Crieff Bog [WL] 12 Jul (MHa); four SM at Smith Property Loop, Puslinch [WL] (RvT); one at 7631 Cooks Mill Rd, Puslinch 25 Jul (DRi); one at Woodland Cemetery 18 Aug F (RD).Canada Warbler: One at 2536 Ridgeside Lane, Oakville 13 Aug F (GPr); one at Shoreacres Park [HL] 13 Aug F (RB,m.obs.); three at Richards Memorial Park 15 Aug (RM).Wilson’s Warbler: One at River & Ruins Trail, Lowville [HL] 23 Aug F (BO); one at Woodland Cemetery 23 Aug F (KO).Eastern Towhee: One SM at Walkers Line at Lake Ontario [HL] 22 Jul {photo} (RMa).Clay-colored Sparrow#: Two at Dragonfly Park Hills, Guelph 9 Jun (RH); four at Westover Southwest Complex ESA, S of Conc. 6 along hydro corridor 26 Jun (DSz).Grasshopper Sparrow: Six SM at S end of Southgate Rd, Guelph 3 Jun (FU); eight at Oak Park Rd & Hardy Rd area, Brantford 19 Jun (MH); four at Westover Southwest Complex ESA, S of Conc. 6 along hydro corridor 26 Jun (DSz); five SM along Forestell Rd, 1 km from Wellington Rd 35 [WL] 5 Jul (FU).Summer Tanager#: One at HCA office, Mineral Springs Rd [HM] ** 22 Aug (TU).Scarlet Tanager: One at Grimsby Wetlands [NG] 26 Aug F (DE).Dickcissel#: One calling overhead at Rodgers Rd, Guelph ** 15 Jun (FU); one SM at McClung property along McClung Rd, 800m NNE of Caledonia Soccer Complex ** [HD] 29 Jun (TP).Bobolink: Eight at 2401 Burnhamthorpe Rd, Oakville 2 Jun (DJ); eight at 7255 Trafalgar Rd, Milton [HL] 8 Jun (LFo); eight at Fern Hill School, Oakville 8 Jun (RL); 10 on 3rd Line, S of 15 Side Rd [HL] 14 Jun (YS); 15 at hydro line at Conc 6, W of Westover [HM] 1 Jul (RD,MM); 20 at 455 11th Rd E [HM] 10 Jul {photo} (BD); 12 at City View park, Burlington 30 Jul (BKr); 20 at Ruthven Park [HD] 15 Aug (RL); 31 at River & Ruins Trail, Lowville [HL] 23 Aug (BO); 22 over Woodland Cemetery 26 Aug (BCha).Orchard Oriole: One at Water's Edge Park [PL] 20 Aug L (JMe,MMe); one at Haldibrook Rd E of Mines Rd [HD] 26 Aug L (RD). Reported from 33 locations in this period throughout the HSA (m.obs.).

Prairie Warbler, male 24 August 2018 - Woodland Cemetery - photo Mike Veltri.

The Wood Duck - May, 2017Page 90

B i r d S t u d y G r o u p M e e t i n g S u m m a r y – O c t o b e r 2 9 , 2 0 1 8

Birding in The Gambia with Justin Peter by Michael Rowlands

The October meeting of the Bird Study Group was held late in the month due to the Thanksgiving holiday pushing out both

the HNC and BSG meetings. One surprise was that, contrary to last month’s announcement, refreshments were provided by Bruce and Laurie Mackenzie and some BSG members. Bruce pledged we would continue this practice and hoped that we could find one or more volunteers to help with this activity for future meetings.

After some announcements, Bruce introduced our speaker for the evening, Justin Peter, Director of Programs and senior naturalist for Quest Nature Tours in Toronto. A graduate of the University of Guelph specializing in biomedical toxicology, he worked from 2006 to 2013 in Algonquin Park as Senior Naturalist and moved to Quest Nature Tours in early 2013. Aside for his oversight of all Quest tours, Justin personally has led tours to such places as Point Pelee and the shores of Hudson Bay in Canada and to worldwide destinations such as India, Peru, Namibia, the Galapagos Islands, and The Gambia.

Justin first clarified that the term “The Gambia” is short for the “Republic of The Gambia” and refers to the former British colony and smallest country in West Africa and “Gambia” usually refers just to the river that runs through it. The country measures less than 50 kilometres wide north to south and over 300 kilometres long west to east, and is landlocked on three sides by Senegal, a former French colony. It consists of about 11,000 square kilometres of land on either side of the Gambia river, with its densely populated capital, Banjul, an important port on the

Atlantic coast. Climatically, it lies on the southern edge of the dry zone that includes the Sahara Desert, so it’s dry most of the year, except for the monsoon season from July to September. There are three major regions along the river, called lower, middle and upper, and the landscape becomes more rustic and unkempt as you move east. Tides are experienced along much of the river so only mangroves will grow on its shores.

Justin explained The Gambia was a safe country in which birders can freely move around, English being the official language, and much of the land outside the capital being open for roaming as it’s devoted to agriculture, rice being the most important commercial crop. There are also many national parks and nature reserves throughout the country, including 13 Important Birding Areas recognized by BirdLife International. There are about 600 species of birds seen there, Justin claimed, most of them Afrotropical birds with many European migrants staying there in the winter.

In the rest of his presentation, we were treated to dozens of Justin’s excellent photos of the many fascinating and colourful birds to be found along the Gambia River and his interesting anecdotes about the habitats and habits of the birds that live in each region. It was almost as if we were on one of his tours being informed about each species that the group came across! Justin was a well-informed, well-spoken and charismatic speaker.

In one story, for instance, he explained that peanuts are widely cultivated and are pulled out of the ground in November to dry in the sun. As a result, they attract Abyssinian Ground-Hornbills, one of the largest species of hornbills found in Africa. The widespread rice crops also appeal to many of the smaller birds, such as weavers and finches. Along the river at low tide, there are mudflats that attract many waders, such as Whimbrels, birds that also contribute to the amazing morning chorus of

birdsong that he would experience at daybreak.

Red-throated Bee-eaters are small, red and green colonial nesters that live in cavities in the walls of sand quarries and their family groups of five to seven individuals include older youngsters that help the parents raise the new nestlings. Egyptian Plovers, known as “crocodile birds,” also have interesting nesting behaviour: they lay their eggs in warm sand and bury them like crocodiles. The

Justin Peter from Quest website.

Mike Rowlands selfie.

Black Herons - photo Justin Peter.


adults soak their breasts in water and then lie on the buried eggs to cool them off. (It’s a myth that they will clean food debris off a crocodile’s teeth.)

Adding some humour to his talk, Justin showed us his pictures of Black Herons, which can shroud themselves by pulling their wings almost completely around their bodies. It was like a daytime/nighttime peek-a-boo game! He said that these birds are so wary of birders that try to sneak up on them that he had to crawl on his hands and knees to get close enough for photos. He eventually discovered that using a vehicle as a slowly-moving bird blind also worked to get close to the skittish birds, as they seemed to be immune to the presence of vehicles!

After answering many questions from an audience stimulated by the wonderful photos and thought-provoking narratives about the birds in this appealing destination, our speaker was thanked for his talk by Peter Thoem. Justin mentioned he was leaving for his third birding excursion to The Gambia in early November because he enjoyed it so much. From what we had seen in his slides, it certainly looks like a good place to safely and comfortably add a lot of Afrotropical species to one’s life list.Red-throated Bee-eaters - photo Justin Peter.

Corn Harvesting Beavers in Brantfordby Bill Lamond

Here is the third article in the Wood Duck about American Beavers harvesting corn. George Naylor wrote the first

article in Wood Duck Vol: 71 page 76 and Rick Ludkin wrote the second, in Wood Duck Vol: 71 page 118. This third one might seem like overkill, but I think it is worthwhile to publish it to show that the behaviour is likely a widespread phenomenon.

On 4 November 2018 while birding on the Alan Wormington Fall Bird Count, my daughter Sarah Lamond and I noticed an area of corn along the Grand River in Brantford that had been harvested much in the manner shown in the article by George Naylor. The area harvested was about 16 m x 20 m, fairly extensive. A few photos are included here to show the extent as well as the paths made by the beaver(s).

Perhaps the beavers are harvesting the stalks simply as a quick

method to get the corn cobs down to the river. Once at the river, they remove the cobs and either eat them immediately or store them, perhaps in the den in the river bank. I doubt they use the stalks for anything, although it is possible they use the stalks to line their dens in the banks of the river.

It is interesting in the one photo that it looks like

the beaver(s) has lined the trail from the field to the river with cornstalks. It seems doubtful that it would do this purposely but it is possible. Perhaps the beaver(s), after moving the stalks a short distance, decided at that point to remove the corn cobs and leave the stalks where they are. The bank though has been engineered. The beaver(s) has obviously dug into the bank at least 0.5 m to make it easier to climb up from the river.

Area of corn stalks harvested by beaver, Brantford - 4 November 2018 - photo Srah Lamond.

Beaver trail seemingly lined with corn stalks, 4 November - photo Sarah Lamond.

Beaver trail dug into the river bank, 4 November - photo Srah Lamond.


H N C M o n t h l y M e e t i g – 1 5 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 8

Mushroom Collecting with Kriss Gandierby Bill Lamond

On 15 October 2018, the HNC held their Annual General Meeting. Of course, this is a requirement for all registered

charities to hold a meeting of this nature and we are more than happy to do this to let our members know what is happening with the HNC Board.

It is also essential that we let our members know the Club’s financial situation as the HNC does have control over a lot of money. However, as Treasurer Jim Stollard pointed out, although we have a lot of money in several different funds, most of this money is ear-marked for certain functions and roles. So although it may appear that we are a wealthy Club, the money is not very “liquid”. We will have to continue being frugal to keep the money flowing into funds that need ready cash. The General Fund which pays for the Wood Duck and for rental of the halls to host our Club meetings is an example. On the whole, the Club is in good shape and it was a “good news” night. Your HNC has been doing good work and will continue this tradition.

After the Treasurer’s report, Jackson Hudecki took the reins to give the report of the Nominating Committee. He subsequently announced all the returning Directors as well as the new ones.

After the AGM it was time to hear from the evening’s speaker. Our speaker was Kriss Gandier and she was there to talk fungus. Despite the title of the evening talk, “Fungi, the Fifth Kingdom” which made it sound like it was going to be a scientific talk on this fascinating kingdom, it was more of a discussion on mushrooms, their identification and their suitability for the pot.

Kriss has been foraging for mushrooms since she was a child in the Thunder Bay area. She currently collects mushrooms in southern Ontario for herself but also for a few high-end restaurants. She stressed right

from the beginning that it is not an easy task to ID all the species and great care must be taken with collecting the edible types. Some species of varying edibility are quite similar so one must start with the readily identifiable types. Good textbooks are very helpful and as with most pursuits, you become better with time.

Kriss suggested that people join the Mycology Society of Toronto. This group is quite active and has many forays out into the wild through the year. Mycology experts attend these rambles, helping

to identify all species. Many edibles are collected which results in picnics with variable mushroom dishes. The Society has produced a recipe book to help collectors and cooks, in which they have carefully included rules to prevent poisoning.

Kriss described her life in Thunder Bay. Her dad took her on fishing and forest adventures that often included mushroom collecting. Her dad, from eastern Europe, had a lot of experience collecting mushrooms in the homeland. In the Thunder Bay area, he found several special spots for collecting, especially for the very common and tasty Honey Mushroom. Her father taught her how to clean and prepare the mushrooms for eating and as he passed on this knowledge to her, she passed it on to her children and grandchildren. This has resulted in many forays into the field for the extended family for the last 20 years; including her father who at 94, is still collecting mushrooms. Kriss has travelled in her pursuit of mushrooms to British Columbia in the Okanagan where morels are very common. On Vancouver Island she has sought chanterelle mushrooms which can be very common.

She described in detail her field trips which often reveal more than mushrooms. She has seen the rare spring plant Harbinger-of-Spring and in the summer, Indian Pipe. And she often finds Redback Salamanders when harvesting mushrooms.

Many species such as Chanterelles (several species), morels, Chicken of the Woods, Giant Puffball,

Bear’s head, Hedgehog Mushroom, Black Trumpets and Milk Caps are easy to identify using guides such as her favourite, the Audubon Society Field Guide to the Mushrooms, or Mushrooms of Ontario and Eastern Canada by George Barron. Harvesters learn to check for characteristics such as spore prints, cap size and shape, odour, taste (careful here), gills (or pores or teeth), stalk, habitat, season, gills attacked to stalk or not.

Obviously for culinary purposes 100% certainty in identification is required. One

Kriss Gandier and granddaughter Taylor after a successful foray

picking mushrooms.

Honey Mushroom - 22 Oct 2015 photo Kriss Gandier.

Black Trumpets - 12 October 2014 - photo Kriss Gandier.


must learn how to identify the poisonous ones such as the Aminitas which are responsible for 90% of mushroom poisoning fatalities. Kriss then highlighted the eight groups of poisonous mushrooms. She advised that once you know what is poisonous, you get confidence in non-poisonous ones. However, you still

have to be cautious. For instance, she warns never to eat a wild mushroom raw. And don’t eat too many at one time, especially with a lot of alcohol. Don’t eat old ones either.

Mushroom collecting is a very old practice. “Otzi the Iceman”, the 5,500-year-old mummified man found in the Italian alps in 1991, was carrying a couple of edible mushroom species in his pack. In eastern Europe mushroom collecting has been

carried on enthusiastically for generations and it is also popular in Italy and France. Surprisingly, Kriss mentioned that among Anglo-Saxon people, eating mushrooms is viewed with suspicion, perhaps because they fear how lethal eating the “wrong” species can be.

Kriss explained how important mushrooms (fungi) are to the natural world. They are absolutely everywhere. There are currently

about 10,000 species described. However, this is suspected to be only 3% of what may actually exist; 97% of fungal species are yet to be described. Fungi are vital regarding decomposing dead plant and animal tissue. Some fungi such as the mycorrhizal species are of critical importance to forest health as they form a network between plants/trees between the fungal hyphae and the plant roots for nutrient and water transmission. Scientists are just beginning to scratch the surface of this important interdependent relationship. For example, they know that several species of trees essentially become malnourished without the presence of the right mycorrhizal species. This is hugely exciting and points to an important relationship previously unknown.

Finally Kriss took several questions from the floor with emcee Jackson Hudecki eventually stepping in to end the evening, telling those with questions to ask them directly to Kriss at the back of the room afterwards. Kriss and her husband Dave had a table set up at the back of the room where Club members could see samples of several of the incredible variety of mushrooms that occur in Ontario.

Many thanks to Kriss and Dave Gandier for taking the time to speak with the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club on this night.

Club meeting and keenly sat in the front row, an innocent, not knowing that I was beginning the HNC immersion program. Following an inspiring Peninsula Field Nats’ talk on Peregrine hacking programs, I shyly agreed to go out for a beer with several young biologists, John Struger, Christine Bishop and Rob Dobos. Without pomp or circumstance, they warmly welcomed me aboard the Conservation Committee”.

“Next thing I knew I was keeping a close eye on our own peregrine hacking program on the roof of Mohawk College with a man who was to be one of my mentors, Bruce Duncan”. Brian soon became the Membership Director of the HNC for a year beginning in 1988 and he became the Conservation Director in 1989, a position he held until September 1992. “As Conservation Director I knew that there had never been a comprehensive Hamilton natural areas inventory (NAI), so we did one, raising $275,000, and I entered the world of working with municipal government (not to be the last time) and protecting habitat through land use planning where our work led to 67 newly protected environmentally significant areas in 1995 (and many more since). We were really focused on the protection of natural areas, identifying them through the NAI work and working with the Region of Hamilton-Wentworth to see those areas protected in the Official Plan. We also helped with a similar project in Halton. This worked carried on with another Hamilton NAI in 2000. As you know, the NAI has provided one of the best species databases in the country - not to mention our excellent member species records, and the Herpetofaunal and Mammal Atlases”.

Life cascaded from there for Brian. He joined the first municipal environmental committee in 1989, the Task Force on Sustainable Development and Vision 2020 in 1990. Encouraged by Christine

Bishop and other HNC’ers, he quit his job in sales at age 29 to pursue an undergrad degree in Environmental Studies at the University of Waterloo. He spent the summer of 1993 studying Orca vocalizations on Hansen Island in the Johnstone Strait off Vancouver Island. Brian was back in September to begin a five year stint for the Canadian Wildlife Service working on wildlife habitat restoration throughout the Great Lakes Remedial Action Plans. “It was clear to me their [Canadian Wildlife Service] interest in me stemmed directly from my volunteer work with the HNC”. In there somewhere, John Hannah and Brian started the Green Planet Tour Company and won the Financial Post Award for the most environmentally sustainable company.

Brian then took another academic break to learn about rural development and planning, including six months in India. “After realising how negative about humans I was getting, I left Environment Canada to do a MSc in Rural Planning and Development at the University of Guelph. I did my thesis research in India on a Gandhian farmers’ movement and met the Dalai Lama – a life changing experience”.

Brian rejoined the HNC Board in 1997 again as Conservation Director, followed by a turn as Vice-President for a year starting in October 2000, followed by being the Club President from October 2001 - October 2003.

Brian then entered another phase of his life when he entered Hamilton municipal politics. In 2003 Brian was elected as Councillor for Ward One, a position he held until 2014. I’m sure there are more than a few readers who helped hand out brochures for Brian door-to-door in Ward One. Brian was also the Past President for the HNC concurrently with his Ward One duties. I remember I used to like to exclaim that Brian was the HNC

(continued from page 93)


representative on Hamilton City Council! Of course, it was quite a workload for Brian on City Council and he had to relinquish his Past-President role in the winter of 2005 when Jim Stollard stepped in to fill this role.

In 2003 Brian met Elaine Blau, a family doctor, and they were married in 2004. Elaine’s son Mitch immediately bonded with Brian and their relationship is more of a friendship than a father-son relationship.

As most of you know, Brian ran for Mayor of the City in 2014, and despite a very strong and impressive campaign, Brian fell short of the mayor’s chair. He couldn’t translate his extreme popularity in Ward One across the City. A shame really. Just think how exciting it would have been to have a former President of the HNC, and a very progressive candidate, socially and environmentally, as the Mayor of Hamilton. Too bad for us.

“Following the 2014 municipal election when I lost the mayoral race, we changed our focus to Elaine’s rural medicine career and moved into our cottage in Tobermory where she became the local family doctor. I worked 18 months with the County of Bruce as a land use planner, and currently work with Parks Canada as the Acting Partnering and Engagement Officer for the Georgian Bay Ontario East Field Unit. Our son Mitch recently graduated from University of Windsor Law School and is working with a law firm in Toronto where he lives with his partner Gillian”.

“In the community I am Vice Chair on the Sources of Knowledge Forum, write articles for the local newspaper, share a veggie plot at the community garden, chair the Northern Bruce Peninsula Sustainable Tourism Management Action Plan, and enjoy swimming, stand up paddle boarding and kayaking in Georgian Bay”. Brian and Elaine like to travel across the country. Their goal is to visit all the national parks in Canada and to date have seen 25 of them. They will visit the northern national parks when they retire! One of their favourite national parks is Pacific Rim in Tofino and they also love to camp in the original prairie landscape of Grasslands National Park and visit the Cypress Hills “next door”. Other memorable places they have visited include Gwaii Haanas, Tadoussac, and Pukaskwa National Park. They are not totally “parochial” as they count the Galapagos Islands as one of their favourite places.

“You see, joining the HNC brings with it a ‘can-do’ attitude, and pretty soon you start feeling that nothing is impossible – I think this arises from our decades-long history, leading to the century of service we are just about to celebrate, being the first Club to purchase our own nature sanctuaries in the 1960s, and our rich history of having the top birders in the country. The HNC is a can-do organisation which was my real university, source of inspiration, social group and guide for 30 years. Today, I work for Parks Canada in Tobermory, and they don’t know it, but I am really still ‘working’ to implement the clear vision of the HNC and nature conservation. I am a lucky man!”

Brian is indeed a lucky man and the HNC was fortunate to have him contribute so much to this Club and this community. We are all the better for it. A rich legacy.

A beginning

Positions available: Publicity Director

Website Co-ordinator Bird Study Group set up

Hours – you determine Benefits- Decades of enjoyment and making a positive contribution to your community and to the world. Just ask people like Robert Bateman, Bill Lamond, Jim Stollard and Bob Curry, and the person sitting beside you. We can’t start our second century without you.


Hamilton Naturalists' ClubProtecting Nature Since 1919

Black-throated Gray Warbler at LaSalle Park - 10 November 2018 - photo Phil Waggett.


Affix Label Here

40048074Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: The Hamilton Naturalists’ ClubWestdale P.O. Box 89052Hamilton, ON L8S 4R5

Celebrating 100The grand finale of a year of celebration

SAVE THE DATE 2 NOVEMBER 2019

Join us for the banquet at Liuna Station

Mark your calendars. Invite your neighbours. Spread the news to supporters of the HNC far and wide

**********************************************Join us here each month for centennial news and activities

Rob Porter, Bronwen Tregunno and a host of volunteers are aiming to offer 100 activities to celebrate HNC’s 100th. Make the HNC a central part of your 2019

***********************************************Look for the new centennial logo on the newly designed back

cover in January 2019. Becca Serena has volunteered her creativity, time and graphic skills to help us highlight our special year.

journal of the hamilton naturalists’ club december...

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