Assessment of the Avifauna of the Red Hill Valley

Hamilton Naturalists' Club

Colin Macdonald March 1996 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna

Acknowledgments

Since this report required me to review all available material on the avifauna of the Red Hill Valley, as well as locate suitable external sources of comparative data, I was necessarily dependent upon many people for information and advice. This report could never have gotten off the ground without the help of many concerned and dedicated southern Ontario naturalists that I had the pleasure of dealing with over the course of this project.

Firstly, I would like to thank Don McLean, the project manager, for doing a wonderful job of providing me with the information I needed where he had it, or contacts for those who did. Ken Symington and Paul Rose were also helpful in providing additional insights on their source material. Anthony Goodban, the inventory’s botanist, went out of his way to help me, providing air photos and information to aid me in visualizing the valley during the warm months of the year in which the source studies were actually carried out.

Thanks also go to John McCracken and Mary Gartshore at the Long Point Bird Observatory, and Brian Pomfret at the Royal Botanical Gardens for providing me with insights and information to guide me in tackling the complexity and challenge of analyzing avian migration in Ontario. Madeline Austen also went out of her way to further my understanding of southern Ontario’s avian communities, and she put me on to Steve Hounsell at Ontario Hydro who provided the GIS forest cover maps that greatly enrich this report.

Finally, I would like to thank the reviewers: Bruce Duncan, Bob Curry and especially Rob Dobos who all provided me with very detailed and useful critiques to improve my understanding and expression of avian ecology.

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Introduction features. The valley has long been known to local naturalists and members of the Hamilton Naturalist's The 1995 biological inventory of the Red Hill Valley Club (HNC) have been recording their birding included three separate avifaunal studies and a wealth of observations from the area for decades. supplementary data. Extensive migratory surveys were conducted in the spring by Paul Rose and in the fall by Previous Avifaunal Studies in Red Hill Valley Ken Symington, with the assistance of numerous The first systematic attempt to enumerate the breeding volunteers. A breeding bird survey was also carried out birds of the valley was undertaken by Wormington by Michael Patrikeev. His data was supplemented by (1976) in conjunction with the original ESA studies. Rose’s observations during the spring migratory survey Since then the area was examined during the Ontario as well as breeding information gathered by William Breeding Bird Atlas (OBBA) program (Cadman 1987) Lamond during his 1995 inventory work on and again by Wormington and others in 1990 and 1991 herpetofauna and butterflies. In addition, Lois Evans in conjunction with the NAI. In addition during the late culled historical data from the Noteworthy Bird Records 1980s participants in the Ontario Rare Bird Breeding of the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club for the period from Program (ORBBP) took interest in the Van Wagner's 1947 to 1994. Kevin McLaughlin provided Christmas Marsh because of the threatened Black Tern colony bird count data for the period from 1974 to 1995. there. Dobos (1989) has summarized the biological Evans’ report is published in this volume. Portions of significance of this small but productive Class 1 the reports from Rose, Patrikeev and Symington are wetland, citing its importance not only to the Black Tern included as Appendix C at the end of this report. This but to other significant species such as the Least Bittern wealth of material forms the basis of this assessment of and Common Moorhen. the avifaunal features of the Red Hill Valley. The 1995 field studies carried out by Patrikeev, Rose The Study Area and Symington comprised over 700 hours of field work. The boundaries of the study area covered in this report The various components of the breeding bird study are described in the major source papers (Patrikeev were carried out between 8 April and 10 July. The 1995, Rose 1995 and Symington 1996) and are spring migratory study period covered the months of generally coincident with two Environmentally Sensitive April and May while the fall migration field work was Areas designated in the Official Plan of the Regional done between 14 August and 31 October. Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth. These are the Redhill Creek - King's Forest (ESA 23) and Redhill Creek Marsh - Van Wagner's Marsh (ESA 28). Background

These areas make up a total of approximately 683 ha Many forest bird species are experiencing significant covering over 9 km of the Redhill Creek watershed population declines. Several recent papers (Terborgh from the southern end of the Mount Albion 1992, Herkert et al 1993, Askins 1995) have Conservation Area above the escarpment to Van summarized the nature of these declines and the reasons Wagner's Ponds near Lake Ontario, just upstream of behind them. where the creek empties into Windermere Basin. Detailed descriptions of the location, geology, Forest fragmentation has been identified as particularly hydrology, flora and fauna of these areas as well as detrimental to forest interior songbirds because it discussion of their regional significance and linkages to increases the ratio of forest edge to forest interior, other natural areas can be found in the recently reducing the percentage of forest that is free from edge completed Hamilton-Wentworth Natural Areas effects. The many small woodlots that dot eastern Inventory (NAI) under site summaries HAMI-69 and North America, though they appear healthy, are HAMI-61 (Heagy 1993). essentially all edge and consequently are very hostile to many neotropical migrants. Surrounded by extensive and continuing urbanization, the Red Hill Valley stands out as a ribbon of natural and It is not the edges that are the problem, but the semi-natural space in the east end of Hamilton, Ontario increases in nest predators and parasites associated with exhibiting a good variety of physical and biological them. The residential developments and farmlands that

March 1996 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club 123 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna have replaced the forests, sustain high populations of Many migratory species breed and overwinter in nest predators such as raccoons and feral cats, as well ecologically similar habitat (Welty and Baptista 1988) as Blue Jays and American Crows which are maintained suggesting that these species have specialized or adapted year round with waste grain, garbage, and suburban their foraging and other behaviours to a certain habitat bird feeders. The Brown-headed Cowbird, type. The degree of habitat specialization seems graminivorous and gregarious and North America's especially high in species of the forest interior. These leading nest parasite, has also thrived under these birds simply may not have the plasticity to switch to conditions, expanding dramatically in numbers and other habitat types, and it is reasonable to surmise that range over this century. this limitation may also apply during migration. However, there is some evidence that migrants can be Edge enhanced nest predation extends more than 100 fairly flexible in stopover habitat selection and do not metres into a forest, and female cowbirds have been necessarily require the same large pristine habitat tracts known to venture much further than that in search of on migration as they find necessary for breeding host nests. Although the minimum forest size necessary (Winker et al 1989). to support neotropical forest dwelling birds depends to some extent on local variables, results of several studies Concern over the fragmenting effects of present and in Eastern North American deciduous forests suggest planned future development in the Red Hill Valley have that 150 ha of contiguous forest may be the bare partly provided the impetus for this study. minimum needed to attract some area-sensitive forest Unfortunately, the valley is a textbook case of forest interior birds like the Cerulean Warbler. fragmentation, with a high degree of patchiness reflecting various past and present land-use management The mere presence of a species during the breeding plans. season, however, does not ensure its breeding status. Aside from heavy nest predation and nest parasitism The original Carolinian forest was cleared for farming in rates, forest-interior species in small woodlots may be the last century and the second growth which has been suffering reduced reproductive success simply because allowed to return is broken up by conifer plantations, they are going unmated. Several studies indicate that golf courses, playing fields, old landfills, quarries and density and pairing success in the Ovenbird is positively cut areas. At present, it is also dissected by many paths correlated with forest fragment size and regional forest and trails as well as several arterial roads, sewage mains cover (Gibbs and Faaborg 1990, Villard et al 1993, and two rail lines. Only the King's Forest Park area Robinson 1992). This trend is best explained through contains a patch of forest large enough to contain any sexual selection by females that avoid low quality males interior. found in marginal habitat. Purpose The significance of habitat fragmentation to migrating The purpose of this study is to describe the use of the birds is not as well studied, but some logical inferences valley by breeding and migratory birds, to assess its can be made based on what is known about their significance in the greater region, and to make foraging ecologies and their physiology during recommendations for the management of the area with migration. respect to maintaining and enhancing its value to bird communities. Migration is an extremely energy stressful event for birds. Songbirds store up fat at stopover sites prior to and during migration, with body mass gains of up to 100% of non-migratory levels (Bairlein 1992). Moreover, since breeding success in many species has been correlated with arrival time on the breeding grounds, migrants are under pressure to get the resources they need quickly and keep moving with a minimum of searching around for suitable habitat (Moore and Simons 1992).

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Methods interpreted cautiously since it may not properly reflect biologically significant information. For example an area Due to the methodological differences among the could contain low numbers of rare or uncommon various avifaunal studies in the Red Hill Valley and in the species with large home ranges, such as raptors, but studies of other areas chosen for comparison, analysis rank as less diverse than an area lacking these species by inferential statistics was generally not possible. The but with a more even distribution of commoner species. methods and rationale used to analyse the data are discussed throughout the paper as necessary.

Migratory Surveys Breeding Birds Appendix B provides a checklist of the 60994 birds of 177 species recorded in the Rose and Symington Temporal trends migration studies. Annotations are provided classifying these birds by species assemblage, migratory strategy, Table 1 presents a list of 92 species confirmed or preferred habitat type, area sensitivity, and nest suspected of breeding in the Red Hill Valley over the vulnerability. past two decades. Representatives from all major species assemblages breed or have bred in the valley, Regional significance follows Lamond and Dyer (1995). illustrating that a wide variety of habitats in reasonable The habitat categories are meant to describe where ecological condition exist in the area, despite multiple species are most likely to be found foraging and nesting stresses. Columns are given for findings from the four during the breeding season. main study periods in which data was collected.

Area sensitivity is essentially an evaluation of a species’ The 1976 and 1988-1991 data sets are roughly tolerance to disturbance and habitat fragmentation. comparable since the main study in 1976 (Wormington) Assignations were drawn from the literature (see was essentially duplicated for the 1991 NAI. These appendix B) which occasionally conflicted over the studies involved 11 plots in the King's Forest Park and classification of a species. This is understandable since 10 in the lower valley. Data from the Van Wagner's they are subjective measures and some species are Ponds and Marshes ESA was incorporated for both known to exhibit differences in habitat preference and periods as well as ORBBP data from the later. area sensitivity over their range. Conflicts were resolved either by going with the majority, weighting The data from the other two study periods are also studies by proximity to Red Hill, and using the author’s roughly comparable since they covered the same area understanding of a species’ ecology. with about the same intensity. The data for the OBBA column are mostly taken from atlas square 17NT98, The nest vulnerability annotation is a scale incorporating which incorporates the entire 1995 study area with the three risk factors: vulnerability to cowbird parasitism, exception of the Van Wagner's Marsh. Since the Red proximity to ground, and open cup nest (see Gartshore Hill Valley is the only sizeable natural area in this square, 1994 for details). These classifications are obviously the atlas coordinator for this block indicated that most designed to evaluate forest dwelling land birds and were of the records reported for 17NT98 were obtained from drawn from studies examining the effects of forest observations in the Red Hill Valley (Robert Curry, pers. fragmentation on birds, particularly neotropical comm.). On the advice of highly experienced birders passerines of the forest-interior. knowledgable of the region, species reported in the OBBA that were sighted in the study area but likely bred Calculation of Species Diversity outside it – such as Common Nighthawks – were The Shannon-Weiner diversity index (Shannon and excluded from this list. With the help of Dobos (1989), Weiner 1963) was calculated for all the migratory study OBBA records pertaining to the areas as Patrikeev (1995) had done for the woodland/grassland survey routes censused for breeding birds. This index is a measure of both species richness and evenness; it increases as these values increase. As a mathematical formula it should be

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Van Wagner's Ponds and Marshes (in atlas square recorded in 1976 and the Eastern Phoebe in 1991. 17PT08) were added to this list. The OBBA records are These species were likely not missed but were not summaries of five consecutive years of observations present in the valley as breeders. (1981-1985), and are therefore quite comprehensive, There were also several regionally rare and uncommon with a good chance of catching species that breed birds found only during the OBBA program (Table 1) erratically in an area over time. but they do not make as convincing a case for species composition instability. Some of them are nocturnal or The 1995 data are from Patrikeev’s study that found 61 secretive (Long-eared Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, breeding species, along with significant contributions by Sora) and because the comparison study is only one Rose (1995) who classified 74 breeding species while season long instead of five, these species could conducting the spring migration study, and Lamond. conceivably have been missed in 1995. Appendix A provides species accounts of all birds confirmed or suspected of breeding in the study area in The owl surveys were particularly unsuccessful in 1995 1995. (Patrikeev 1995, Symington 1995) and due to logistical errors should not be regarded as conclusive. Purple Variation in Species Composition Martins and Chimney Swifts were seen in the valley in As noted in the NAI site summary for Red Hill Valley 1995 but were thought to breed outside the study area. (HAMI-69), species richness (34 species in 1976 versus This may have also been the case during the OBBA 33 in 1991) and composition (85% found both years) program. These aerial foragers can breed in urban were relatively stable on the Kings Forest, but declined structures in the surrounding area but may still rely on from 32 to 20 in the lower valley plots. Successional the valley to support the insect populations upon which changes in habitat in the latter area were proffered as an they feed. explanation for the drop in diversity. Some indication of stability however is indicated by plots that maintained Significant Species identical composition and numbers of species between Among nationally and provincially significant species, the two periods (Wormington pers. comm.). the Cooper's Hawk is a new addition to the avifauna of the valley. The Carolina Wren may be continuing its Seventy-five species were recorded during the OBBA slow northward re-colonisation of the area after (64 confirmed or probable) and 78 species were found population declines in the late 1970s (Austen et al in 1995 (67 confirmed or probable) in the Red Hill 1994). It was first reported as a possible breeder in Valley. However, the species composition was 1989 (Lamond and Dyer 1995). In 1995 a territorial somewhat dissimilar with only 74% of confirmed or male was observed in King's Forest Park (Rose pers. probable species found in both periods. comm.). The Carolina Wren has been well re- established locally since the early 1990s (Dobos pers. This relatively low degree of overlap could have several comm.). explanations. Biases due to different observers and study methods between study periods may be partly The only sighting of the Yellow-breasted Chat in the responsible, but these can be partially discounted by area was a singing male recorded during the OBBA looking closely at the differences between the two period. This species is very rarely seen in Hamilton- periods. For the common and introduced species there Wentworth but was known to hold breeding territories is almost complete agreement between the two periods. in the valley in the past (Robert Curry, pers. comm.). However for breeders that are moderately significant in The possible breeding records for Orchard Oriole and Hamilton-Wentworth, the 1995 studies confirm the Louisiana Waterthrush are based on one and two breeding of Eastern Phoebe, Rufous-sided Towhee, Pine sightings of singing males. It should be noted that these Warbler, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher which all go birds, along with the Carolina Wren and the Yellow- unmentioned by the OBBA. Since these species are not breasted Chat, are at the northern edge of their ranges particularly cryptic or secretive, especially the first two, where erratic occurrences are likely to be the norm. if they were present in the Red Hill Valley between 1981 and 1985 it’s hard to see how the atlasers could have Other species first reported in 1995 as possible breeders missed all four of these species five years in a row. It include the regionally uncommon Brown Creeper and is notable that the Rufous-sided Towhee was also Yellow-throated Vireo, both sighted in the King's Forest

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Area and noteworthy because of their sensitivity to combined to generate an overall importance ranking for habitat fragmentation (Appendix B). However if any of each species (Table 2). This was compared with the the possible breeders on Table 1 did in fact breed, it was fifteen most important species from two other bird likely one or two pairs at most with uncertain monitoring studies in southwestern Ontario's Carolinian reproductive success. life zone.

In the Van Wagner's Ponds and Marshes, neither the Comparative Breeding Studies threatened Least Bittern nor the regionally rare Pied- The Dingman Creek Life Science Inventory (Bowles billed Grebe have been reported since the 1970s; and 1994) was a bio-inventory of a portion of the Dingman neither the nationally threatened Black Tern nor the Creek on the outskirts of London, Ontario, in Middlesex regionally rare Common Moorhen have been confirmed County. This study area has many affinities with the nesting there since 1989. Changes in the Van Wagner's Red Hill Valley. It comprises a wooded creek bed of Ponds and Marshes over the last decade have probably nearly the same size with a patchy mosaic of natural and made the marshes unsuitable breeding habitat for these semi-natural habitats including upland deciduous forests, significant species. The marsh was partly in-filled pine plantations, cedar swamps, marly fens, old fields, during the QEW widening in the 1980s and has become artificial and natural ponds, and disturbed floodplain silted in since the last Black Tern nest was found in communities dominated by Common Buckthorn and 1989, possibly due to overpass construction upstream in Manitoba Maple. Anthropogenic impacts on the area are the valley. The Red Hill marsh is most productive when more agricultural and rural in nature than in Red Hill, but water levels are high enough to allow standing water to there are subdivisions, golf courses, quarries and other exist amongst the cattails. Birds like the Black Tern developments adjacent to the valley as in Red Hill. need about one metre water depth for their floating nests (Peck and James 1983). Ninety probable breeding birds were reported from Dingman Creek exhibiting a remarkably similar Conclusion composition to the Red Hill avifauna. Species found only Given these considerations, the real degree of overlap in at Dingman Creek include Red-bellied and Pileated species composition between these periods is probably Woodpeckers, Eastern Bluebird, a confirmed Veery, higher than described. Although the 1995 studies Blue-winged and Golden-winged Warblers and reported more species than any of the other studies, this Chestnut-sided and Mourning Warblers (Bowles 1994). increase is undoubtedly a function of survey intensity. If Although these birds may reflect habitat differences anything, species composition might be expected to between the two study areas, the presence of any of decline over time due to large scale declining trends in these species, especially the warblers which are breeding bird populations (Askins 1993) and incremental considered only moderately significant in the Hamilton- degradation of habitat quality in the valley over the last Wentworth Region (Lamond and Dyer 1995), would not 20 years. be surprising in the Red Hill Valley given its location and habitat composition. The presence of these birds at Dingman Creek may illustrate the advantages of rural Spatial Trends: versus urban environmental impacts. comparison with other areas The data gathered by Patrikeev (see Appendix C) at 14 The second study involved Forest Bird Monitoring stations in the study area (see Map 1), in accordance Program surveys in Rondeau Provincial Park (Gartshore with the methods of Forest Bird Monitoring Program, 1994). At 3254 ha, the park is almost five times the size was used to better evaluate the species composition and of the Red Hill Valley study area and encloses a large habitat trends of the breeding birds of the Red Hill relatively pristine mature forest. However, the Valley. Data from the two surveys for each site was underlying nature of the dune topography, park visitor combined for analysis by taking the highest value for programs and facilities, as each species on either survey. In the majority of cases this was the first survey.

The 46 species found are ranked by total abundance and occurrence across all stations and these ranks are

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Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna well as heavy deer browse have not left the park could change if all or more of the community was undisturbed. included.

Breeding birds observed during the monitoring program Forest-edge species dominated breeding bird survey at Rondeau that were not found in the Red Hill or results in the Red Hill Valley, making up 45 percent of Dingman Creek study areas include American Bittern, the individuals and 35 percent of the species (Figure 1 - Red-headed Woodpecker, Acadian Flycatcher, Magnolia Figures are found at the end of the report). Open and Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Canada interior/edge area-insensitive species were also well Warbler and Prothonotary Warbler. Of course, this represented. Percentages of area-sensitive species were abundance of rare, area-sensitive birds is a function of very low, especially for abundance. Forest interior Rondeau Park's large size, diverse and high quality area-sensitive species were composed of exactly two habitats, and more southerly location. Even if fully Ovenbirds, one Louisiana Waterthrush and one restored to pre-settlement conditions it is unlikely that American Redstart. The same class of birds formed the Red Hill or Dingman Creek study areas would ever eight percent of the birds and 21 percent of the species support all of these species. The Rondeau Park results at Rondeau Provincial Park (Gartshore 1994). are included on Table 2 to provide a reference to a large, high quality habitat. Nest Vulnerability Species in all nest vulnerability classes were about Trends in species composition equally well-represented in the Red Hill Valley, both in Some trends are discernible in species composition abundance and number of species (Figure 2). Results in across the three areas. Most of the common species in Rondeau were similar, suggesting that the distribution of the Red Hill valley are disturbance-tolerant habitat species by nest vulnerability is not correlated with the generalists. Of the top 15, five are classified as open amount of habitat fragmentation around its nest-site. habitat users, seven as edge and only three as interior/edge species with no birds being area-sensitive. Spatial Trends: within the Red Hill Valley The Dingman Creek results have eight overlaps with the Figure 3 gives the species composition by habitat type Red Hill top 15 but include more forest associated for each monitoring station. The percentage open species, with three open, five edge and seven habitat value is estimated from Patrikeev's field notes interior/edge species, one of which is classified as area- and should only be considered a rough qualitative sensitive (Red-eyed Vireo). measure.

Finally Rondeau Park has seven overlaps with the Red The King's Forest stations have the only forest interior Hill top 15 and is composed of one open, eight edge, birds recorded in the study. Stations 2 and 3 are in five interior/edge, and one forest interior species. Three middle-aged deciduous forests with low percentages of of these (Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, open habitat in the interior of the King's Forest Park American Redstart) are area-sensitive species. main forested block. These remnants are probably the closest in composition to the historic forests of the Although these results seem to indicate increasing region. KF2 has the lowest number of open habitat habitat quality, interpretation should be cautious since birds while KF3 has one of the lowest amounts of edge they are not strictly comparable. The forest bird dwellers. These two stations along with KF4 have the monitoring program at Red Hill was fairly limited, only forest interior area sensitive species found in the detecting only 46 of the 78 species observed over the woodland/grassland bird survey. breeding period, and some of the stations were deliberately put in grasslands and pine plantations which While the number of open and edge species is loosely are areas of lower bird diversity. At Dingman Creek correlated with the percentage of open habitat, other methods were different: all birds observed over the bird-habitat correlation factors are operating. KF1 was study were scored for occurrence and abundance, located in the dense Norway Pine plantation towards the negating the validity of a direct comparison. The results southwest corner of the King's Forest Park area. There of Patrikeev’s monitoring program represent only a is little undergrowth in this monoculture plantation and it subset of the breeding birds of the Red Hill Valley which is adjacent to the large open field to the west of Mount

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Albion Road. This habitat, although considered forest, The Mount Albion Conservation Area south of Stone is biased towards edge and open habitat species. Church Road supports a good variety of songbirds in its many habitats, as well as several raptor species that The stations between Lawrence and Barton Street report regularly hunt in the area. The quarry pond in this area lower numbers of birds overall, significantly lower than is also one of the best places to find breeding waterbirds stations in King's Forest, but not Mount Albion in the valley. (Patrikeev 1995). This area has lower quality habitat dominated by non-natives species such as Manitoba Patrikeev also notes that the areas adjacent to the Maple. parking lot at Albion Falls support representatives of most of the passerines known to bred in the valley. Mount Albion Conservation Area features two open This area was affected by expressway construction in grassland stations (MA2, MA4), with the expected high the valley in May 1995 and its future is unclear. abundances of open and edge species, and two wooded stations (MA1, MA3), with greater numbers of The King’s Forest Park, especially the upper valley interior/edge species. MA1 was in a young forest (7-11 portion, is a critical area to birdlife in the valley. It is the m trees) with dense undergrowth on the creek, while only area with a forest large enough to have any interior MA3 was in a 30-40 year old Christmas tree plantation. and as such supports the only forest interior area- sensitive species found in the entire valley. The Mount Albion plots illustrate the effect successional stage has on bird communities. MA1 is in an early Finally Patrikeev notes that the area in the lower valley successional stage and supported a lot of edge dwelling between King Street and Queenston Road also provides birds even though the abundance of open habitat species nesting habitats for many species of songbirds that has dropped to less than half that of the stations with breed in the valley. The small Sycamore grove and high percentages of open habitat. The older forest site other Carolinian species found here add to the value of (MA3) reported many fewer edge dwellers and more this area for breeding birds. interior/edge area sensitive species although birds preferring open habitat remained high. The Van Wagner’s Marsh and Ponds should also be included as an important area for breeding birds because To look for interrelationships by habitat preference, I it is the largest wetland in the study area. Although plotted abundance of disturbance tolerant birds and degraded, it has supported several rare and threatened abundance of area sensitive birds (Figure 4). species in recent years. Classification of tolerant birds was taken from Cheskey (1991) and included the following: Rock Dove, Mourning Dove, European Starling, House Sparrow, Nest Predation and Parasitism Northern Cardinal, Chipping Sparrow, Common A high rate of nest predation is suspected in the Red Hill Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird and House Finch. A Valley (Patrikeev 1995). Several songbirds were Spearman correlation test showed a very weak negative observed incubating small clutches suggesting predators correlation (r = -0.13) between the two variables. The had discovered them and begun consuming eggs. Avian sample size of area sensitive birds was likely too small nest predators (Blue Jay, American Crow, Common to be of much comparative use. Grackle) were among the most abundant and ubiquitous species recorded in the bird surveys (Table 2) and were Significant Breeding Areas confirmed breeding at various sites throughout the study Patrikeev (1995) outlined some important areas for area. After fledge in June, many crows and grackles breeding birds in the valley. These areas are spread from outside the study area were seen foraging in the along the length of the valley and were chosen for their valley, adding to those already resident. ability to support a variety of breeding birds, and for their importance to specific species or species The high degree of fragmentation, and many informal assemblages. The species accounts in Appendix A paths dissecting the valley, undoubtedly allow easy provide location details for all species confirmed or access to most parts of the valley by suburban pets, suspected of breeding in the Red Hill Valley. squirrels, raccoons and other potential nest predators.

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Brown-headed Cowbirds also ranked high in importance by Ontario Hydro from satellite imagery show forest in the bird surveys (Table 2) and nestlings of this cover and interior core area size (area > 100 m from species were documented in a Yellow Warbler nest and edge). The King's Forest portion of the Red Hill Valley being fed by a Song Sparrow (Patrikeev 1995). Given has two core areas of less than 5 ha (Map 2A). This the abundance of Cowbirds in the area and the two classification may even be a little generous since the confirmed cases of parasitism, the rate of nest pixel resolution of these satellite images is only about 30 parasitism in the valley is likely to be high. m (Hounsell, pers. comm.) meaning that small but significant incursions into this forest fragment such as large paths and small clearings are overlooked. Analysis Regional Context of recent air photos (1990) verifies this suspicion. These population trends can partially be explained by processes occurring at the regional level. The nesting Nonetheless, the Red Hill Valley is clearly the most success of many neotropical migrants has been tied to isolated large woodlot in the area, only tenuously the size of the forest fragment they nest in, and the connected, especially to the west, to other forests with degree of forest cover in the surrounding region (Askins interior cores (Map 2B). This makes it both a very et al 1987, Robinson et al 1995). Rates of nest vulnerable and a significant forest fragment along the predation and parasitism have been positively correlated escarpment rim. The nearest large core forest is in the with increasing fragmentation at the landscape level in Dundas Valley Conservation Area 15 km to the west. the American mid-west (Robinson et al 1995). To the east, forest fragments are scattered and small Predation and parasitism rates on some common forest culminating 21 km away in the Grimsby Mountain core interior species currently found in the Red Hill Valley area of 20-50 hectares. (Wood Thrush, Red-eyed Vireo, Ovenbird) approached or exceeded 80 percent in small woodlots in regions Considering this spatial information, along with what is with less than 20 percent forest cover (Robinson 1992). known about fluctuations in species composition and Under these circumstances, local populations become nest predation and parasitism in the valley, a source-sink "sinks" where local population dynamics and local metapopulation dynamic may be applicable to some of productivity become uncoupled and these populations the species breeding in the Red Hill Valley. Species become dependant on replenishment each year from often disappear from and recolonize small habitat distant "source" populations. fragments (Brawn and Robinson 1996) and this may explain some of the variation in species composition in A study presently underway comparing woodlot the Red Hill Valley. diversity in four areas across southern Ontario indicates that the Red Hill Valley is in a region of approximately The low numbers of some neotropical migrants and 20 percent forest cover (Austen 1994). In this study others found in the valley (often just one or two males each area is divided into sub-areas of high regional or pairs) may be low quality floaters that do not often forest cover (30-40%) and moderate regional forest successfully breed and have dispersed from larger more cover (10-20%). The Red Hill Valley is located in the productive source populations in the Dundas Valley or moderate forest cover sub-area for the escarpment area elsewhere. Studies of nesting success and dispersal are which stretches from the Dundas Valley to Lincoln, just needed to investigate this hypothesis. Even if true, the north of St. Catharines. Preliminary results show, as presence from year to year of various forest interior expected, that in general the number of forest interior migrants suggests that the valley – especially with some bird species increases with woodlot size and with the rehabilitation – has potential habitat to support degree of regional forest cover. In particular, the successful populations of these species. escarpment moderate forest cover sub-area had the lowest number of interior species of any area in the Assessment of Breeding Bird Significance study. The high degree of urbanization and agriculture Although heavily degraded, the Red Hill Valley has in this region, coupled with the extreme linear nature of maintained a good number and diversity of breeding many of the woodlots, are given as explanations for this species for an area almost completely surrounded by result. urban development. Geographic Information System (GIS) maps generated The most conspicuously under-represented group of

March 1996 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club 133 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna breeding species in the Red Hill Valley are parulid (Symington 1995). For habitat descriptions of these warblers. Species seen on migration (Appendix B) that areas refer to Appendix C and the source studies. The may have once bred here include Chestnut-sided, nine areas are shown on map 3. Mourning, Blue or Golden-winged, and Cerulean Warblers. Reduction of forest interior size and the Interseasonal differences associated increases in nest predation and parasitism Roughly 50% more birds and 25% more species were may have eliminated these species from the valley a long seen in the spring than in the fall. Since the total field time ago. The same conditions may be keeping breeding hours were virtually identical (Table 3A), there were populations of other area-sensitive birds such as the significantly more birds seen per observer hour in the Louisiana Waterthrush, American Redstart, Yellow- spring (t=2.75, df=10, p=0.02). There are several throated Vireo and Veery at very low levels and possible explanations for this difference, some of them uncertain status. procedural.

Since the principle investigator and some of the minor Migration contributors to the field work changed between seasons, observer bias will have affected the results in Until 1995, the use of the Red Hill Valley by migrating undetermined ways. It appears that observers in the birds was never systematically examined. However, spring recorded more overheads; that is birds simply Wood Duck records and the personal records of long- flying over the area and not observed putting down to time local naturalists clearly indicate the significance of rest or forage. When these records were removed from the valley in supporting a high volume and diversity of both data sets, the gap between spring and fall birds on their annual migration routes. abundance and number of species narrows to 35 and 18 percent respectively (Table 3B). Since 1947 more than 263 species have been recorded including many rare and out-of-range species (Evans Independent of observer bias, the birds themselves are 1995). These incidental records emphasize rare or generally more difficult to observe in the fall than in the unusual species and were collected haphazardly over spring, reflecting differences in pre- and post-breeding several decades by many observers. They serve mainly condition. Fall migrants are not in conspicuous to indicate the potential of the area to support any given breeding plumage or trying to attract attention with species or group of species as breeders or migrants. mating calls or behaviour, nor are they in such a rush to Many of the birds deemed notable could be casual reach their breeding grounds. In the spring they would visitors, spring overshoots, infrequent irruptives, or be more likely to congregate at stopovers like Red Hill, simply rare migrants, thus representing species to which waiting for the warming climate to allow them to push the Red Hill Valley is not significant as a habitat or them on northwards. Foliage cover is also more location in their life histories. extensive in the fall, again making observation more difficult. A large subset of these birds was seen in 1995 during the spring and fall migration surveys with a total of 177 All of these factors should be outweighed, however, by species recorded (Table 3). Eight areas were chosen for monitoring in the spring, covering the study area from the Mount Albion Conservation Area above the escarpment to Barton Street in the lower valley (Rose 1995). The area immediately south of the escarpment rim in the Mount Albion Conservation Area had to be abandoned in mid-May because of disturbance from freeway construction, which eliminated approximately 70 percent of the vegetation cover in this area.

In the fall, the seven undisturbed areas were re- surveyed and an eighth was added at the lower end of the creek between Brampton Street and the QEW

134 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club March 1996

Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna perhaps collectively delaying migration until the first individuals, but tropical migrants had the greatest strong frost or other harbinger of winter. Migratory number of species, reflecting the higher niche patterns in these species are discussed below. specialization pressure on this group.

Species diversity climbed to a peak in mid-May in the Because of the variation in observer effort (number of spring, while in the autumn started high and climbed to areas surveyed per day), bird abundance is examined in a slight peak at the end of September before dropping the following analysis. Species abundance was not off over the rest of the season (Figure 6). The pattern examined since it will not vary as predictably with for Red Hill appears roughly typical, with a higher more observer effort as total bird abundance. To control for contracted peak in the spring versus the fall. the daily variation in observer effort, all daily sums of the dependant variables to be plotted were divided by the To gain more precision in determining peak migration number of areas surveyed that day to obtain an average periods, abundance and number of species are presented abundance per day. To allow general trends in the data for area 1A alone so as not to be limited to the eleven to be more easily comprehended, in some cases the data dates for which data from all areas were combined were smoothed by using a moving average with a period (Figure 7). Area 1A was chosen because it received of three days. In this way some of the variation due to extra attention in the fall, bringing its level of birds and differences in weather, observer and time of day should species closer to those of the spring, and because it be dampened. These manipulations do not come received relatively even coverage over the fall study without a price in accuracy but over the entire study period (Symington 1995: Table 4). period their effect is to elucidate, not to obscure or mislead. Although there was a high degree of fluctuation, the number of birds and species exhibited an increasing Separating out birds by migration strategy helps explain trend in the spring peaking on 12 May and 16 May the two peaks found in Figure 5. Short-distance respectively. The fall data was similarly erratic but temperate migrants were present in the valley at the exhibited no general trend or peak. beginning of April, increasing to a peak at the beginning of May before gradually returning to low levels again by The spikes in the graph in the fall, as well as the spring, the end of the month (Figure 9). Over the fall period likely correspond to large movements of migrants on temperate migrants gradually became more abundant, dates when weather conditions were favourable. but more erratic as well, indicating the presence of Analysis of the fall data indicate that greater numbers of flocking where species concentrate in time as well as migrants are likely to be found on days when space. Late fall influxes of American Robins, Dark- temperatures and wind speeds are lower. However, eyed Juncos and others were common in the area. daily correlation of migrants against these variables was weak (Symington 1995). Cloud cover, precipitation, Migrants from the neotropics were rare in the valley barometric pressure and other climatic variables may until the third week in April, except for Killdeer and also play a role in triggering pulses of migratory birds. Eastern Meadowlarks, species which actually have significant wintering ranges in North America. Then Numbers of birds and species did co-vary predictably neotropicals started arriving in increasing numbers, over spring and fall migration (r=0.76, p<0.01, df=53). peaking in the third week of May, before rapidly Not surprisingly species diversity by date exhibited a dropping off by the end of the month. In the fall, long- similar pattern (Figure 8). distance migrants were observed in relatively moderate numbers at the beginning of the study period in mid- Migration by Species Assemblages August. They had all but disappeared by the end of To better understand some of the overall trends in bird September, with a very low peak occurring about the and species abundance it was necessary to break the second week of September. total migratory assemblage down into smaller components. Songbirds far outstripped any other These two disjunct migrant populations go a long way species assemblage in abundance and number of species towards explaining the springtime peak in the overall (Table 4). Within songbirds, temperate migrants, which population. Some populations of birds classified as tend to be habitat generalists, formed the majority of temperate migrants are actually found in the region

March 1996 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club 137 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna throughout the year. The flycatchers, with the exception of the Eastern Phoebe, were very late arrivals, not peaking until the last In addition, the average temperate migrant has a shorter week in May. They also spent the least amount of time distance to go to reach the breeding ground, and thus on the breeding grounds, the majority of fall migrants arrives in the valley earlier than the average neotropical having passed through by mid-September. With the migrant which has already crossed thousands of exception of the Eastern Phoebe, all of the flycatchers kilometres before reaching the Red Hill Valley. recorded here are neotropical migrants, while the long Concomitantly, in the fall the neotropicals pass through staying woodpeckers and the most abundant raptors first, still facing weeks ahead on their southward (Turkey Vulture, Red Tailed Hawk) are temperate journey, while temperate migrants can afford to linger in migrants. the north for a longer period before starting their much shorter trip. The two remaining major species assemblages, Resident bird levels stayed relatively even overall during waterfowl and marsh birds, do not show any real the 1995 study periods (Figure 10). Many of the patterns in their occurrence in the Red Hill Valley occasional spikes reflect sightings of large flocks of (Figure 13). Many of the marsh birds are hard to find, European Starlings, Rock Doves and other common and as their obscurity increases so does the randomness urban birds foraging in the valley. Residents such as with which they will be sighted. Great Blue Herons and Black-capped Chickadees and American Goldfinches Black-crowned Night-Herons made up eighty percent of will form large flocks in the fall in preparation for their this assemblage and since they have different migration nomadic winter lifestyle. Although common winter strategies their sightings did not overlap very much, residents, these species are also partially migratory and spreading an already thin field further apart. appear to stage a late fall migration in the Red Hill Valley. American Crows are also partially migratory but Waterfowl data are similarly ambiguous which is sightings of high numbers of crows in the late fall may probably partly a matter of scale. Doubtless many have been large roosting flocks of resident birds that thousands of ducks and geese fly over the area in large form in the fall and winter in Hamilton. high altitude formations every year, but as such would not have been recorded by observers studying the Red Since more than 80 percent of the temperate and Hill Valley. Sixty percent of the records were of Canada tropical migrants seen in the valley in 1995 were Geese with another twenty percent for Mallards, two songbirds, the similarity between the seasonal species that can be found year round or nearly year distributions of this subset and the entire community of round in the area. False migrations of juveniles and temperate and neotropical migrants is not surprising. other local movements further complicate assessment of Figure 11 presents abundances of temperate and this assemblage. neotropical songbirds on the same scale; again the disjunct peaks of the arrival times of the two groups is obvious and at no time did the neotropical passerines Regional Context exceed their temperate counterparts in abundance over The volume and diversity of the migration through the the 1995 study period. Red Hill Valley seems impressive for such a small urban natural habitat fragment, but without comparative Figure 12 presents the migratory components of some migration studies from elsewhere in the region it is hard of the other functional species assemblages passing to make any concrete assessment of the significance of through Red Hill. The woodpeckers (>90% Northern the Red Hill data. Unfortunately no closely comparable Flickers) and raptors peaked relatively early, at the end studies are available. There is an abundance of data of April, with the woodpeckers also exhibiting a fall from Long Point Bird Observatory, but that area is not peak in the last week of September. particularly close to Red Hill, survey methods are quite different, and it is a well known hot-spot receiving The shorebirds, dominated by Killdeer (65%), are hard about 265 species on migration every year (McCracken to assess as a group since they were relatively low in 1994). numbers and migration timing varies considerably amongst the component species. Comparison with RBG Surveys Bird surveys done by the Royal Botanical Gardens on

138 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club March 1996 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna two of their plots over most of the 1995 calendar year pers. comm.). Since area 3B had to be abandoned part are more likely to be of comparative value (Pomfret way through the spring study, comparison was done unpubl.). The two plots known as the Berry Tract and with area 3A. This is a larger area than Berry Tract Lamb's Hollow are within 12 km of the Red Hill Creek requiring greater average effort per visit and mouth on the northwest side of Hamilton Harbour. They consequently was not as ideal as the Lambs' Hollow - are roughly the same size as the smaller Red Hill area 1A comparison. migratory survey areas. Survey effort was less intense than at Red Hill with each site being visited about every In the spring, 7.5 hrs of study revealed 864 birds of 60 six days for approximately 45 minutes. species in the Berry Tract which resulted in an average of 115 birds per hour, considerably less than the 156 Red Hill area 4A was identified as the best birds per hour reported from area 3A over the same approximation to Lamb's Hollow by virtue of sharing period. Only two unique species were seen in the Berry similar habitat (Pomfret pers. comm.) and requiring the Tract, an Orchard Oriole and an Olive-sided Flycatcher. same average survey effort, being roughly the same Even though these are interesting records, as a pair of size. single sight records in a large data set they indicate, if only by their isolation, that Red Hill site is likely richer in Using only data from the same time period as the Red avian abundance and composition. Hill study, 918 birds of 63 species were observed in 7.5 hrs of observation by Pomfret which results in 122 Again comparison of the fall data reverses this perceived birds observed per hour, very close to the 128 birds trend. At 158 birds per hour, bird abundance in area 3A seen per hour in area 4A (Table 3A). In keeping with in the fall is equivalent to that of spring and exceeds the the general similarity of the two sites, species 137 birds per hour reported from the fall survey of the composition was also consistent, with only four species Berry Tract. However, composition remains skewed, seen solely in Lamb's Hollow and all of these being with the Berry Tract reporting 12 more species overall single sight records – observations that would not likely than area 3A in about two-thirds the survey time. be statistically significant even in repeat surveys of the Twenty-nine species were seen in the Berry Tract but same area by the same observer. not found in area 3A in the fall, including nine species of parulid warblers, four neotropical flycatcher species, Although these results suggest a strong similarity and other area sensitive birds like Scarlet Tanager. between the two areas with respect to avian abundance and composition, the fall data tell a different story. At Assessment of Survey Results 1693 birds of 83 species found between 14 August and With overhead sightings removed, 25% less birds and 28 October, Lamb's Hollow reports an encounter rate of 15% less species were found in fall than in the spring in 130 birds per hour, slightly higher than that for the the Red Hill Valley. The RBG project on the other hand spring. Red Hill area 4A received more attention than found the opposite, approximately 25% more species any other fall plot, and five times that of Lamb's Hollow. outright and 50% more birds (after controlling for However, only double the abundance of 86 species was observer effort) were detected in the fall than the detected (Table 3A). spring.

Species composition was also markedly different Although inter-habitat and inter-observer differences between the two areas in the fall with 17 species seen in exist here, these data suggest that while the two areas Lamb's Hollow that were not observed in the Red Hill may have the same value to birds over the spring (if not area 4A. Although ten of these were based on a single favouring Red Hill slightly), in the fall the numbers sightings that could be passed off as chance or inter- increase on the RBG lands while Red Hill habitats observer bias, the similarity which seemed so strong become less attractive to migrants. from the spring data is cast under some suspicion. Topography and Forest Cover Patterns These trends repeat themselves in the comparative analysis with the other Royal Botanical Gardens' plot: These opposing trends in the spring and fall migration the Berry Tract. This plot is described as being most need to be considered in light of the general topography similar in habitat to Red Hill area 3A or 3B (Pomfret and forest cover pattern of the region. These factors help explain the local disjuncture of spring and fall

March 1996 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club 139 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna migratory routes and why the Red Hill Valley, seems to natural areas of Grindstone Creek, Sassafras Woods and be particularly important to spring migrants. the Royal Botanical Gardens grounds on the other side, including Lamb’s Hollow and the Berry Tract. These Migrating land birds, especially those that move by day, areas are connected to the now north-south trending try to minimize their time spent over large expanses of escarpment natural corridor and higher forest cover open water. Many birds migrating north into Ontario in areas to the north (Austen unpubl.). Having taken the the spring are blocked by Lakes Erie and Ontario and “mini-migration” corridor offered by the Red Hill Creek are forced westwards between the two along the Valley, these birds neatly avoid much of the inhospitable Niagara Peninsula. Observations from the Beamer terrain of urbanized Hamilton. Hawkwatch and other studies confirm that this is the scenario for many migrating raptors. On the return journey southward in the fall, many of these same birds along with the young of the year may The only major east-west trending corridor of natural follow a different path. Upon reaching the north shore habitat left in the northern part of the peninsula lies of Lake Ontario, the shoreline directs them south- along the Niagara Escarpment. Spring migrants could southwest to the varied and sizeable habitats in Coote’s be expected to follow this corridor to the east end of Paradise and beyond to the even larger and more Hamilton city limits and the head of the Red Hill Valley, secluded forests of the Dundas Valley. At this point which stands out as an oasis of natural habitat in a stopping in Red Hill would be precluded as these birds heavily developed area. There is very little forest cover drift south, perhaps passing through the still heavily north of the escarpment in the urbanized regions of forested Six Nations Reserve and heading southwest Grimsby, Stoney Creek and Hamilton itself, and the land along the Grand River to the Cayuga forest area or south of the escarpment in this area has been mostly southwest toward Long Point. In fact the proximity of cleared for agriculture and development. the Red Hill Valley to the end of Lake Ontario may be the only reason why, as a south shore location, it gets a Looking at the GIS forest cover map generated by significant amount of diurnal migrants at all. remote sensing (Map 2B) for the region, Red Hill Creek Valley appears at the epicentre of a very depauperate Without having any solid evidence that these events region, making the relatively small King’s Forest Park occur or even knowing how rigid many of these forest the largest woodlot for at least 8-9 km to the east or birds are in their migration itineraries, it remains a west and 15 km or more to the south. theory. As a theory it explains the feeling among local birders that a remarkable number of birds and bird As suggested by Rose (1995), the small woodlots of the species use the valley during migration and also that the Mount Albion Conservation Area could serve as a valley is more heavily travelled in the spring than the fall. migrant “trap”, attracting migrants pouring along the It applies more convincingly to diurnal than noctural escarpment or crossing the gauntlet of barren land to migrants which may be navigating by other cues than the south. At this point the re-entrant creek topography topography and forest cover Map 4 shows the proposed naturally directs the birds north in their preferred migratory pathways described above. springtime direction where fortunately a combination of forest, shrubland, grassland and creek-bed habitats awaits them in King’s Forest Park.

From there they are funnelled north along the valley floor finding forage and shelter along the way. Herons and other waterfowl find suitable stopover habitat in the lower valley and in the Van Wagner’s Marshes and Ponds near the creek mouth. Kestrels, Red-tails, Harriers and others can circle in search of prey over this marsh or those above the escarpment.

From the creek mouth it is only a short flight across the apex of Lake Ontario at Hamilton Harbour to the larger

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Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna

Spatial Trends is comparable across areas. In the fall, extra study As noted in the introduction, the Red Hill Valley is a effort was given to certain areas and denied others. heavily fragmented patchwork of habitats with some Since the data collected is categorical it is not possible older second growth deciduous forest, extensive to control for bias after the fact: how to decide which shrubby and open grassy areas, creek and riparian species were not seen and where they were not seen? habitat, conifer plantations, two small and one larger marsh, and other natural and semi-natural habitats. Area F10 around the creek mouth was included as an exception since it was an area not surveyed in the This diversity of micro-habitats and resulting extensive spring. It is also part of a well known natural region edge effects may be a liability for breeding birds, but (Van Wagner's Marshes and Ponds), and on the spring could be an asset for migrants. Territorial forest and scale of effort it was surveyed approximately in grassland birds require high quality habitat for attracting proportion to its size. In addition, of the ten species only and retaining mates and for providing sustenance and seen in the fall, half were from area F10. protection for their offspring. None of these criteria necessarily apply to stopover habitat selection. If sites are surveyed in proportion to their size, then the number of birds per hour can be calculated to generate a Habitat with good quality forage is essential to counter comparative statistic across differently sized areas. the high energetic stresses of migration (Moore and Finally to allow comparison among assemblages that Simons 1992). The definition of high quality forage differ greatly in their abundances values are converted varies across the taxonomic order, but some habitats to percentages. will be more productive for a greater number of birds than others. Forest interior area-sensitive specialists like Distribution of Non-Passerines the Northern Waterthrush and Swainson's Thrush have The distribution of the non-passerine species been observed foraging successfully in habitat assemblages across the study areas are found in Table fragments as small as one hectare. While the Red Hill 4 and illustrated in Figures 14 and 15. The forest- Valley has lost some breeding birds to habitat dependent assemblages of woodpeckers and owls were fragmentation and degradation, the remaining area most commonly observed in the heart of King's Forest would logically still support migrating birds of those Park (area 1B). However, woodpeckers were found species and as such still contributes to their fairly regularly throughout the valley, while owls were preservation. not seen much outside of King’s Forest Park except in the lower valley between Queenston Road and Barton In the course of the 1995 migration surveys, nine Street (4B). species with national and provincial rarity designations as well as six more with provincial designations were Hawks were most commonly seen in the open area of reported. Twenty-three additional species considered the Mount Albion Conservation Area (3A), where highly significant regionally were also observed in the Northern Harriers, Red-tailed Hawks and American valley (Appendix B). Detailed first-hand observations Kestrels are known to hunt, as well as in the upper and impressions of the use of various locations in the King’s Forest Park under the escarpment rim (1A). study area by these and other migrants are noted by the This last area reported many hawk sightings partly principle investigators in their reports. because it was the site of a Cooper’s Hawk nest. It also provides good vantages of the escarpment rim along Relative Importance of Sub-Areas which hawks are known to travel on updrafts during In order to evaluate the relative importance of sub-areas migration. In fact, a site in this area was used for this in the valley, the records of overhead migrants were purpose for many years by local birders before the eliminated from the data, since their use of any given Grimsby hawkwatch was established. area they may be observed flying over is negligible, limited to at most some sort of navigation aid. It should be noted that these assemblages are very broad Furthermore it was only feasible to use the spring data and the component species can exhibit a wide range of because the fall data could not be standardized for effort habitat preferences just as the areas are made up of a across the valley. In the spring, areas were visited variety of natural features. For example, area 1B roughly in proportion to their size, meaning that the data reports high numbers of Red-tailed Hawks, large soaring

142 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club March 1996 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna hunters of edges and fields, as well as Sharp-shinned breeding birds (Figure 4). Areas 1A and F10 are Hawks, which are agile interior forest predators and illustrative as extremes: F10 has been heavily disturbed would not be using the habitat of the area in the same by people (playing fields, landfill) and has little remaining manner. intact forest, while 1A in King’s Forest Park is one of The water associated species assemblages exhibit more the most diverse and productive areas in the valley. In distinct distributions in the valley. The vast majority of area F10, one is roughly 30 times as likely to encounter waterfowl were found in F10. Large flocks of geese a bird tolerant to disturbance than a member of an area- and ducks can be regularly found on the fields at Globe sensitive species, while in area 1A, one is equally likely Park. Of course the proximity to Van Wagner's Ponds, to encounter a member of either group. Windermere Basin, and Lake Ontario increases the likelihood of seeing waterfowl in F10. Of the marsh Significant Sub-Areas birds, the Black-crowned Night-Heron, which With or without overhead sightings, the high forest dominates this group by numbers, was particularly fond cover of King’s Forest Park areas (1A and 1B) of the lower creek valley as well as the marsh area of supported the greatest richness of species (Table 3A, F10. Again aside from habitat suitability, these areas are B). Area 4B was a close third in species richness. closest to the breeding colony in Hamilton Harbour. However, both 4A and 4B had higher overall Shorebirds were most often seen around the pond in the abundances of migrants than the King’s Forest areas in Mount Albion Conservation Area (3A) which has marsh the spring study. Although these lower valley sites are and gravel areas attractive to them. generally of lower quality, with lower plant diversity and more invasive exotic species, they are migration Distribution of Passerines bottlenecks in the Red Valley mini-migration corridor. The distribution of passerines was analysed using the same techniques employed for the breeding bird data The valley between King and Barton streets is very from the woodland/grassland bird survey. Distribution narrow, only 200 metres wide in some places, and by habitat preference in the migration data (Figure 16) tightly bounded by the surrounding residential areas. was found to be similar to that from the breeding bird The broader upper valley is less tightly encircled by data (Figure 1). The most notable exception was in development and is also connected to the Hamilton forest interior, area-sensitive birds which at five percent Escarpment and Felker’s Falls ESAs (Heagy 1993), of bird abundance and 21 percent of total species were allowing migrants more room to manoeuvre. Birds much higher than the same proportion from the moving north from the upper valley in the spring have breeding bird data and approach values found at no alternative natural space to travel over. Consequently Rondeau Provincial Park for the same habitat class. they are funnelled through the narrow lower valley, The abundance of interior/edge area-sensitive birds has resulting in high numbers of birds observed per hour. remained low, with only the number of species in that These include area-sensitive interior and interior/edge class increasing in the migration data. species (Figure 17) that prefer the larger and higher quality forests in the upper valley as indicated by the Figure 17 emulates Figure 3 for the migration data, breeding bird analysis. illustrating the distribution of birds by habitat type over the migration study areas. Results are much more Area 3A at the other end of the valley also reports high homogenous for migrating birds with proportions of bird abundance in the spring and the fall (Table 3A, B). birds observed per hour in each habitat class being fairly Located at the southern end of the Red Hill Valley ESA, similar across areas. This evenness is understandable, it would draw a lot of birds from the surrounding considering that each area is greater than 50 ha of varied developed areas, especially in the spring. It is also a habitat surveyed over several months; shelter and forage more open area than King’s Forest Park and other areas for a wide range of migrants is available throughout the in the valley which may make birds easier to observe valley. and result in a higher reporting rate. The fact that area 3A supports only a moderate species richness bolsters Abundances of area sensitive and disturbance tolerant this last argument; an average amount of migrants use species were plotted to look for trends in species the area but they are easier to observe. composition, and the same negative but non-significant Despite these differences, significant numbers and correlation was discovered (Figure 18), as was for species of birds were reported from all migratory study

March 1996 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club 143 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna areas, and the true value of the Red Hill Valley to breeding birds and accommodated 177 species on migratory birds lies in the strength of the inter- migration in 1995. A good cross section of species by connections within its sub-areas and between the valley habitat preference is exhibited in the breeding bird and other natural areas. The valley is dissected by five community and many nationally, provincially, and east-west running arterial roads and the golf course and regionally significant species were seen on migration. other developments also break up the linear continuity of natural habitat in the valley. This kind of fragmentation The valley is important to migrating birds, especially in is detrimental to the establishment of breeding bird the spring, providing a natural corridor circumventing communities. However, birds in flight are not deterred the heavily developed west end of Lake Ontario. Within by anthropogenic barriers to migration as strongly as the valley, the King's Forest Park supported the greatest wildlife restricted to terrestrial or aquatic habitats. As diversity of breeders and migrants including many of the noted in the NAI (Heagy 1993), the Red Hill Valley is a rare and/or area-sensitive birds. The relatively large, significant natural area because it serves an important mature forests here attract high and diverse bird usage, ecological function as a large greenspace area providing although other smaller forested areas in the valley rival it a link between the Niagara Escarpment and Lake in avian productivity. Ontario natural corridors. Part of the valley's significance derives from the rarity of other natural habitats in the surrounding area. The Overwintering Birds Red Hill Valley provides a link between the Niagara Escarpment and Lake Ontario corridors (Heagy 1993). The Red Hill Valley also supports significant birdlife No alternative north-south trending corridor in over the winter months. Kevin McLaughlin has reasonable ecological condition exists nearby (Map 2B). collected Christmas bird count data in the lower valley The Stoney Creek ESA immediately to the east is much for the last 21 of the last 22 years. Seventy-four smaller and more heavily encroached upon by species have been recorded from the area north of King development, which separates it from the Niagara Street, between 1974 and 1995 (appendix B). Many of Escarpment natural area. these species are regular winter visitors, twenty-six being recorded on over half the bird counts, which, it Impacts of Proposed Road Development should be remembered, are only conducted on one day Recent studies in the Netherlands indicate that high out of the entire season. traffic expressways have negative impacts on breeding bird habitat far beyond the actual footprint occupied by Notable sightings include a Northern Goshawk, a the highway (Reijnen and Foppen 1994, Foppen and Snowy Owl, and a pair of Common Redpolls, species Reijnen 1994). Density and reproductive success of not often seen this far south. Species at or beyond the Willow Warblers declined significantly within 200 m of northern edges of their established winter ranges include a heavily travelled highway. Given the highly linear the nationally significant Tufted Titmouse and Carolina nature of the Red Hill Valley most of the area not Wren. Other species seen out of season include Great destroyed by the construction and placement of the Blue and Black-crowned Night Herons, American Coots highway would fall within 200 m of the road. Clearly a and a Yellow-rumped Warbler. lot of breeding habitat would be destroyed in the building of the expressway, and the remaining areas Van Wagner’s Marsh attracts a good variety of would lose their ability to support interior and waterfowl and seabirds in the winter, including rarer interior/edge area-sensitive species. species not recorded in any of the 1995 breeding or migration studies. Notable species include Bufflehead, So much habitat in the narrowest part of the lower Common Goldeneye and White-winged Scoter as well valley between King and Barton streets would be as Iceland and Glaucous Gulls. destroyed or degraded, that the valley as a whole would lose a lot of value as a migration corridor, forcing many of the 60 000 birds seen on migration in 1995 to seek shelter and forage elsewhere. Since little other suitable Summary habitat exists nearby, birds that migrate through the region would have one less place to rest and forage, The Red Hill Valley supported over 70 species of

144 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club March 1996 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna adding further stress to these birds' energetics budgets condition. Ecological succession could be aided and on migration. accelerated by planting and protecting native tree species. Red Hill is on a heavily travelled migration route and its loss or degradation would impose increased energetic The trail system could also be redesigned to reduce costs on bird populations that formerly used it. travel through the forest core while still affording Incremental habitat destruction along migration routes visitors enjoyable and rewarding access to the upper makes birds more susceptible to variation in climate and valley. There is potential for the municipally-owned golf weather, increasing migratory mortality. As well, birds course that penetrates the northern part of the forested arriving on the breeding grounds stressed and underfed area to be redesigned and better managed for birds and have lower reproductive success (Moore and Simons other wildlife. Isolated habitat patches could be rejoined 1992). Thus the construction of an expressway in the with the main forest and some edges and open spaces Red Hill Valley could indirectly impact on wildlife connecting fairways could be renaturalized. communities far removed from the study area. These actions will increase forest size and quality and reduce access to the forest core by nest predators and Recommendations parasites as well as exotic ground cover species. King's Forest Park has stayed relatively free of invasive exotic plants such as Garlic Mustard that are common in the Several measures, large and small, can be taken to lower valley (Goodban 1996) and this remedial action improve the Red Hill Valley for birdlife. plan will help it stay that way. Removal of these invaders is very difficult once they are established. Van Wagner’s Marsh Proliferation of Garlic Mustard and other exotics affects The Van Wagner's Marsh and Ponds, being a remnant ground nesting species, such as Ovenbirds, by altering of the once extensive Lake Ontario wetlands in forage and nesting microhabitats. Hamilton-Wentworth Region, are in need of restoration. In-filling and heavy siltation over recent years has Other Valley Areas caused water levels to drop to the point where highly In general, the same principles discussed above could be significant species (Black Tern, Least Bittern) can no applied to the rest of the study area: increase the longer find suitable nesting habitat. The cattails are an integrity and connectivity of natural habitats, especially essential structural component of the marsh for many wooded areas, and renaturalize where possible. marsh birds but are in poor condition (Patrikeev 1995) Education and involvement of the surrounding probably due to the lowered water levels. Erosion from community is essential, not only to provide the labour heavy storm run-off and development in the urbanized and expertise necessary to create and implement a Red Hill Creek watershed has contributed to this remedial action plan, but to engender respect and problem. Improving the stream channel, storm water concern for the valley in the people that surround and diversion, and vegetating a larger buffer zone around the benefit from it. Fortunately several organizations in the area would all be useful measures. Hamilton area have been active in this area.

King’s Forest Park Future Study The King's Forest Park is another area where intensive restoration efforts could be undertaken. It has the oldest, largest and highest quality woods in the study The Red Hill Valley is perhaps the most studied urban area but the golf course, formal and informal trails and habitat fragment in Ontario. Much has been learned, but other disturbances threaten the integrity of this forest. there is still value in building on this knowledge with new studies and programs to monitor long-term trends Restoration efforts should be aimed at creating the in populations already examined. largest possible core area to attract and maintain populations of area-sensitive forest birds. To this end, Further Migration Studies open areas impinging upon the forest such as the old field areas to the southwest and southeast should be 1995 was the first year in which avian migration allowed and encouraged to return to a forested through Red Hill was systematically examined and a lot

March 1996 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club 145 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna of interesting and useful data was generated. Brian Pomfret visited two sites once a week for 45 min each. Pomfret's contemporaneous and as yet unpublished Four sites in the Red Hill study area could be examined work on the Royal Botanical Gardens lands, and data in the same way: one in the Mount Albion Conservation from the Grimsby Hawkwatch, are the only other Area, one in King’s Forest Park, one between King and current migratory studies in the region. Barton streets, and one near Van Wagner’s Marsh. This would mean only three hours of field work per week Analysis of the Red Hill data has broken new ground in and would generate some comparable data to evaluate understanding regional composition and patterns of migration patterns on both sides of Hamilton harbour. avian migration. If the study is to be attempted again, it should be modified to maximize the statistical and regional usefulness of the data generated: Breeding Bird Surveys 1995 was also the year of the highest intensity of C More attention should be given to study design; it breeding bird study but again study design could be should be planned to answer specific questions and improved to generate more usable data if the study is meet specific goals. It is better to satisfy the repeated. Overemphasis on nest searching at the assumptions of planned analyses through thoughtful expense of censusing meant that 18 species were not study design and execution than by trying to control reported by the principle investigator but by secondary for them after the fact through data manipulation. observers in 1995. The following recommendations to improve future studies are made: C Interseasonal biases should be reduced as much as possible to boost the comparative power of the data. C Searching for breeding owls should be done earlier in Ideally both spring and fall studies should have the the year than April, when these birds are most same principle investigator to eliminate inter-observer actively calling. bias. Observer effort should be evenly distributed throughout the entire study period and observations C Point counts and other censuses that provide should always be made at a prescribed time of day, information on occurrence and abundance of preferably in the early morning. Observer effort breeders should be expanded. Nest searching is not should also be evenly spread among the plots or critical. It is better to determine the full breeding transects. complement of the valley and the locations of as many pairs of each species as possible than to spend C Stricter protocols for classifying overheads should time trying to locate their actual nests. OBBA codes be adopted and agreed upon. It should also be based on observed behaviour are sufficient for possible to qualify observations of some species as determining breeding status. Analysis of hard data migration or local movements. This classification on occurence and abundance of species over plots would be useful for identifying and separating out and years allows insight into population dynamics flocking urban resident birds like European Starlings within the valley as well as comparisons with other and Rock Doves. studies. C Understanding habitat associations of breeding birds C Some attempt should be made to allow data to be is critical to their management and preservation. The harmonized with other migration studies at the Royal woodland/grassland bird survey stations should be Botanical Gardens or elsewhere to allow examination rigorously classified in terms of vegetation of the regional migration theory presented in this composition and density as well as other habitat study. characteristics.

If it is not deemed possible or necessary to repeat this study, organizers should confer with Brian Pomfret at the Royal Botanical Gardens. If he is repeating his study in 1996, it would be worthwhile to emulate it in Red Hill. It would not involve a large time commitment and could possibly be done by a volunteer.

146 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club March 1996 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna

C Any nest searching should be concentrated on certain species. Nests found deliberately and incidentally should be revisited and examined if necessary to get some idea of breeding success and the degree of nest predation and parasitism in the study area.

March 1996 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club 147 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna

Literature Cited

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Askins, R.A. 1993. Population trends in grassland, shrubland, and forest birds in eastern North America. Chapter 1 in D.M. Power, editor, Current Ornithology. Volume 11. Plenum Press, New York.

Askins, R.A., M.J. Philbrick, and D.S. Sugeno. 1987. Relationship between the regional abundance of forest and the composition of forest bird communities. Biological Conservation 39: 129-52.

Austen, M.J.W. 1994. The effects of regional landscape patterns and forest fragmentation on woodland biodiversity along southern portions of the Niagara escarpment. Unpublished draft report.

Austen, M.J.W., M.D. Cadman, and R.D. James. 1994. Ontario Birds at Risk: status and conservation needs. Federation of Ontario Naturalists and Long Point Bird Observatory, Toronto, Ontario. 165pp.

Bairlein, F. 1992. Morphology-habitat relationships in migrating songbirds. pp. 356-69 in J.M. Hagan and D.W. Johnston, editors, Ecology and Conservation of Neotropical Migrant Landbirds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C. 609pp.

Bowles, J.M. 1994. Dingman Creek between Lambeth and Delaware, life science inventory summary. McIlwraith Field Naturalists of London, Inc. 44pp.

Brawn, J.D. and S.K. Robinson. 1996. Source-sink population dynamics may complicate the interpretation of long-term census data. Ecology 77(1): 3-12.

Cadman, M.D., P.F.J. Eagles and F.M. Helleiner. 1987. Atlas of the breeding birds of Ontario. University of Waterloo Press. Waterloo, Ontario. 617pp.

Cheskey, E.D. 1991. Planning for the birds: an approach to ecologically based strategic planning in the Grand River forests. Unpublished MA Thesis. University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario. 306 pp.

Dobos, R.Z. 1989. Natural significance of Van Wagner’s ponds. Wood Duck 42(9): 148-51.

Ecologistics Ltd. 1976. Hamilton-Wentworth Region Environmentally Sensitive Areas Study. Hamilton Region, Grand River, Halton Region and Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authorities.

Evans, L. 1995. Noteworthy bird records, Red Hill Creek - Confederation Park, April 1947 - December 1994. pp.12-20 in Second interim report of the Red Hill Valley biological inventory project.

Foppen R. And Reijnen R. 1994. The effects of car traffic on breeding bird populations in woodland. II. Breeding dispersal of male willow warblers (Phylloscopus trochilus) in relation to the proximity of a highway. J. Applied Ecology. 31: 95- 101.

Freemark, K. and B. Collins. 1992. Landscape ecology of birds breeding in temperate forest fragments. pp.443-54 in J.M. Hagan and D.W. Johnston, editors, Ecology and Conservation of Neotropical Migrant Landbirds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C. 609pp.

Gartshore, M.E. 1994. Monitoring the response of breeding bird communities to a reduction in deer browsing at Rondeau Provincial Park: baseline survey - 1993. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. 37 pp.

Hamilton-Wentworth Natural Areas Inventory. Hamilton Naturalist’s Club. Unpublished data set.

Heagy, A.E., ed. 1993. Hamilton-Wentworth natural areas inventory Vol 2. Hamilton Naturalist’s Club.

148 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club March 1996 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna

Herkert, J.R., R.E. Szafoni, V.M. Kleen and J.E. Schwegman. 1993. Habitat establishment, enhancement and management for forest and grassland birds in Illinois. Illinois Dept. of Conservation, Springfield, Illinois. 20 pp.

Lamond, W.G. and M. Dyer. 1995. The breeding birds of Hamilton-Wentworth Region, Ontario. pp.8-1 - 8-44 in A.E. Heagy, editor, Hamilton-Wentworth Natural Areas Inventory Vol 1. Hamilton Naturalist’s Club.

McCracken, J.D. Seasonal Patterns of Bird Diversity in Southern Ontario. Unpublished data.

McCracken, J.D. and M. Bradstreet. 1994. eds. Long Point Bird Observatory Newsletter. 26(2): 19 pp.

McLaughlin, K. Christmas bird counts, Red Hill Valley, 1974-1977, 1979-1995. Unpublished data.

Moore F.R. and T.R. Simons. 1992. Habitat suitability and stopover ecology of Neotropical landbird migrants. pp.345-55 in J.M. Hagan and D.W. Johnston, editors, Ecology and Conservation of Neotropical Migrant Landbirds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C. 609pp.

Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas Database. Natural Heritage Information Centre. Peterborough, Ontario. Unpublished data.

Patrikeev, M. 1995. Breeding Birds of the Red Hill Valley. Hamilton Naturalist’s Club. 33pp.

Peck, G.K. and R.D. James. 1983. Breeding Birds of Ontario, Nidiology and Distribution, Volume 1: Nonpasserines. Life Sciences Miscellaneous Publications, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. 321pp.

Reijnen, R. and R. Foppen. 1994. The effects of car traffic on breeding bird populations in woodland. I. Evidence of reduced habitat quality for willow warblers (Phylloscopus trochilus) breeding close to a highway. J. Applied Ecology. 31: 95-101.

Robinson, S.K. 1992. Population dynamics of breeding Neotropical migrants in a fragmented Illinois landscape. pp.408-18 in J.M. Hagan and D.W. Johnston, editors, Ecology and Conservation of Neotropical Migrant Landbirds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C. 609pp.

Robinson, S.K., F.R. Thompson III, T.M. Donovan, D.R. Whitehead, J. Faaborg. 1995. Regional forest fragmentation and the nesting success of migratory birds. Science 267: pp. 1987-90.

Rose, P.A. 1995. Red Hill Valley Spring Migratory Survey. Hamilton Naturalist’s Club. Unpublished report. 15pp.

Shannon, C.E. and W. Weiner. 1963. The mathematical theory of communication. University of Illinois Press, Urbana, Illinois.

Symington, K. 1995. Red Hill Valley Fall Migratory Survey. Hamilton Naturalist’s Club. Unpublished report. 31pp.

Terborgh, J. 1992. Why American songbirds are vanishing. Scientific American 266: 98-104.

Welty, J.C. and L. Baptista. 1988. The life of birds. Fourth ed. Saunders College Publishing, New York, N.Y. 700 pp.

Winker K., D.W. Warner, and A.R. Weisbrod. 1992. The Northern Waterthrush and Swainson’s Thrush as transients at a temperate inland stopover site. pp.384-404 in J.M. Hagan and D.W. Johnston, editors, Ecology and Conservation of Neotropical Migrant Landbirds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C. 609pp.

Wormington, A. 1976. Hamilton-Wentworth Region environmentally sensitive areas field studies report on area no. 25. Hamilton Region Conservation Authority. 21pp.

March 1996 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club 149 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna

Appendix A RHV: AE Breeding Birds Checklist HWR: Rare; local. Vulnerable in Canada and Rare in Ontario. In early April, a nest of Cooper's Hawks was found in Taken from Patrikeev (1995). Observations by William King's Forest Park by P. Rose and J. Hanna. The nest Lamond (BL) are incorporated as well as those by Paul was in a pine tree in a small woodlot, and could be seen Rose (PR). The latter were located by migration study from an adjacent trail (nests of this species are usually area and were not dated. Previous breeding records from earlier studies are noted if significant (see Table well hidden). Adults carrying food towards the nest 1). were observed in late April and early May. Remains of a Northern Flicker were found under one of the perches. This species was not previously recorded breeding in the valley (Lamond & Dyer 1995; OBBAD). RHV: Breeding status in the Red Hill Valley HWR: Breeding status in Hamilton-Wentworth as Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis determined by Lamond and Dyer (1995). RHV: FY HWR: Uncommon; ubiquitous. These hawks were seen hunting throughout the study area, but mostly from Queenston Road south to the Confirmed breeding species Mount Albion Conservation Area. On 14 May, a Red- tailed Hawk carrying a Gray Squirrel (black morph) (presumably towards the nest) was recorded at the foot Canada Goose - Branta canadensis of the escarpment. On 8 July, a fledgling begging for RHV: NE, FY food and an adult were observed at King's Forest Park. HWR: Re-introduced. Common; very widespread. This species was also recorded in the area during the Canada Geese bred in Van Wagners Marsh (1-2 pairs) OBBA period. and the mill pond above Albion Falls (1 pair). In the latter area, a nest built on a mat of broken vegetation Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus along the creek was observed on 22 April. Two adults RHV: FY, NE with 4 young were seen there on 27 May. At Van HWR: Abundant; ubiquitous. Wagners Marsh, a territorial pair was recorded on 13 In the valley, Killdeer nest at golf courses, gravely May as well as a possibly territorial pair. Several non- roads, clearings and parking lots. On 13 May, a Killdeer breeding Canada Geese occurred at the marsh feigning injury to lure away intruders from its two throughout the period of survey. This species was also young was observed on the causeway at Van Wagner’s recorded at the marsh by Dobos (1989). Ponds. Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos Spotted Sandpiper - Actitis macularia RHV: FY RHV: NE HWR: Common; ubiquitous. HWR: Common; ubiquitous. Mallards nest primarily at Van Wagners Marsh (Dobos, A nest was found by P. Rose in the Mount Albion 1989), south of Barton Street, and in the Mount Albion Conservation Area. This species was also confirmed in Conservation Area. Pairs were observed from early previous studies (OBBA). April. A nest with eggs was observed in May south of King Street and a female with 13 young was observed at Rock Dove - Columbia livia the mill pond above Albion Falls on 11 June. On 14 June, another female with 4 young was observed at the RHV: AE quarry pond (BL). On 21 June, a female with 4 young HWR: Abundant; very widespread. was seen in the creek about 100 m north of CNR line Introduced urban species. Extensive nesting under (BL). And a female with 7 young was observed just bridges especially at King Street and Queenston Road south of TH&B line on 26 July (BL). (PR).

Cooper's Hawk - Accipiter cooperii Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura

150 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club March 1996 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna

RHV: NE, FY HWR: Abundant; ubiquitous. Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus This is an early nesting species. While territorial RHV: NY, FY, D conflicts were observed in Mount Albion Conservation HWR: Common; ubiquitous. Area in late April, other pairs may already have had their This species nests in woodlots throughout the valley. nests. No nests were found until early June. On 4 June, Calling males were heard and territorial pairs observed a nest containing 2 eggs was found in King's Forest from early April. On 18 June, a nest containing young Park. Another nest with incubating adult was observed was recorded in a dead tree in King's Forest Park. On on 8 July. Those nests were in 2.5 and 8 m above the 10 July, an adult accompanied by a fledgling was seen ground, respectively. On 10 July, a fledging was north of Lawrence Road. recorded north of Lawrence Road. This species probably nests throughout the study area (PR). Eastern Wood-Pewee - Contopus virens RHV: FS, T Black-billed Cuckoo - Coccyzus erythropthalmus HWR: Common; very widespread. RHV: FY (?), T, SH This species was observed in the upper canopy of HWR: Uncommon; widespread woodlots south of Queenston Road, where an adult with A calling adult and a juvenile were observed near the food was observed on 10 July. Rose reported territories cattail marsh south of Stone Church Road on 12 July north of Queenston Road and in the central area of (BL). On 21 June, one individual was recorded just King’s Forest Park. north of King Street along the creek, and another was seen on the west side of Red Hill Creek 300 m north of Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus Queenston Road (BL). On 10 July, one individual was RHV: NY, AE observed north of Lawrence Road (BL). Rose also HWR: Abundant; ubiquitous. reported a territorial bird in the northeast section of The Eastern Kingbird occurs in semi-open habitats King’s Forest Park. The Black-billed Cuckoo was throughout the valley. A nest containing young was recorded in the valley during previous studies (NAI; found in King's Forest Park on 25 June. Pairs were also OBBAD). confirmed above Albion Falls and in the lower valley between Lawrence and Queenston Roads (PR). Great Horned Owl - Bubo virginianus RHV: NY, AE Great Crested Flycatcher - Myiarchus crinitus HWR: Uncommon; very widespread. RHV: FS, T A nest of this species was discovered in King's Forest HWR: Common; very widespread. Park by P. Rose and J. Hanna. Great Horned Owls were These flycatchers inhabit woodlots with available tree- mostly observed in the upper part of the valley (north to holes. European Starlings may successfully compete Lawrence Road), including a pine plantation of King's with this species for suitable holes. No nests of the Forest Park, a spruce plantation in the Mount Albion Great Crested Flycatcher were found during the survey, Conservation Area and also adjacent areas (OBBAD). but an adult carrying food was observed in King's Forest Park on 8 July. On 28 June, two territorial males Downy Woodpecker - Dendrocopos pubescens were noted along the rail-trail (BL). RHV: AE, FY, P HWR: Common; ubiquitous. Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe On 4 May, a nest with incubating female was observed RHV: FY, FS approximately 100 m from the road construction area HWR: Uncommon; widespread above Albion Falls. The nest was excavated in a thin A singing male and territorial pair were observed north dead tree at the bank of Redhill Creek. The nest was of Stone Church Road Area in April and Rose confirmed eventually abandoned, possibly due to disturbance breeding in that area. On 21 June, two adults and three caused by the construction work. On 18 June, a male fledglings were recorded on the west side of the creek with food was recorded in King's Forest Park. A female 200 m south of Barton Street (BL). feeding a fledgling was observed along the rail-trail in 400 m from Mountain Brow Boulevard on 28 June (BL). Northern Rough-winged Swallow - Stelgidopteryx Pairs were observed by Rose throughout the valley.

March 1996 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club 151 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna serripennis Black-capped Chickadee - Parus atricapillus RHV: AE, FY RHV: AE, FY HWR: Common; very widespread HWR: Abundant; ubiquitous. On 14 June, six Rough-winged Swallows were Black-capped Chickadees occur in the valley year- observed near two nest sites at the quarry pond (BL). round, but few of them breed there. Most territorial On 21 June, a pair was recorded entering nest burrow pairs were recorded in wooded areas ranging from in a cliff face along the creek near Albright Road (BL). Barton Street to Stone Church Road. On 13 May, a pair On 21 June, a family group was seen under the excavating a nest-hole was recorded on a hillside in Queenston Road bridge (BL). King's Forest Park. The nest entrance was 1 m above the ground. A brood of 3 young accompanied by 2 Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustico adults was observed in King’s Forest on 18 June. On 21 RHV: AE June, one family group of 5-6 birds was seen along the HWR: Abundant; ubiquitous creek north of King Street, and another south of Barton Nest sites were identified in King’s Forest Park and in Street along the east side of the creek (BL). the lower valley between Lawrence and Queenston Roads (PR). House Wren - Troglodytes aedon RHV: FS, T Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata HWR: Common; ubiquitous. RHV: AE, FY This species was confirmed breeding on the west side HWR: Abundant; ubiquitous. of King’s Forest Park and in the lower valley between Territorial pairs mostly occurred south of Barton Street Queenston Road and Barton Street. Territorial males in the valley. Though this species requires trees for were observed throughout the study area by Rose. nesting, it was not confined to the larger woodlots, During the woodland/grassland surveys and nest occurring in small woodlots and even bushes with single searching, this species was observed and heard south of low trees. On 4 June, a nest was found in a tree (7.5 m Lawrence Road as well as in the Mount Albion above the ground) in King's Forest Park. On 21 June, a Conservation Area. On 14 June, a male was recorded in juvenile (fledgling?) was recorded south of Barton Street a field along the west side of Hannon Creek (BL). along the east side of the creek (BL). A juvenile was seen north of Lawrence Road on 25 June, and a flock Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea of five (possibly a brood) was observed in the same RHV: AE area on 10 July. A known nest predator, the abundance HWR: Uncommon; widespread of Blue Jays in the valley may have contributed Rose confirmed breeding of this species in the central significantly to songbird reproductive failure. part of King’s Forest Park. Probable nesting evidence (T) was also collected during the OBBA. American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos RHV: FY American Robin - Turdus migratorius HWR: Common; ubiquitous. RHV: NY, NE No less than 10-12 pairs nested in the valley and HWR: Abundant; ubiquitous. adjacent neighbourhoods, in areas such as the spruce This species nests throughout the Red Hill Valley study plantation in Mount Albion Conservation Area, in King's area, primarily in areas with thickets or tall trees. Robins Forest Park, and north of Lawrence Road. More crows looking for nest sites were observed in the valley from visit the valley during their foraging flights. They were late April-early May. Half of the eight recorded nests very aggressive towards durinal raptors, but especially were in bushes and vines at heights ranging from 1.1 to Great Horned Owls which were sometimes harassed by 1.8 m, while the other half were in trees (5-8 m). Six flocks of 20-25 crows, some of which may be coming nests failed due to predation including three of the four from outside the study area. Such numbers of crows in trees. On 6 May, a newly-built nest was found in a along with their aggressive behaviour are likely to pine tree in King's Forest Park. On 27 May, two nests discourage raptors and owls from nesting in the valley. ready for a clutch and one nest containing 3 eggs were Adult crows and their offspring roaming the valley after found in Mount Albion Conservation Area. A Robin with fledge may also have been responsible for reproductive food for the young was seen in King's Forest Park on 3 failure of many pairs of songbirds. June, and a nest containing four young (3-4 days old)

152 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club March 1996 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna was observed on 4 June. The first fledglings were HWR: Common; very widespread. evident in the valley in mid-June. This species was mostly observed in woodlots in the central valley south of Queenston Road. On 17 June, an Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis adult carrying food was observed there, and an adult RHV: NY, NE, FS accompanied by a fledgling was observed in the same HWR: Abundant; ubiquitous. area on 25 June. Rose observed an adult entering a nest Gray Catbirds occur in old field areas throughout the in upper King’s Forest Park. valley. The first territorial pairs were observed during the second week of May. A total of five nests was Red-eyed Vireo - Vireo olivaceus recorded, with the first nest found on 4 June in King’s RHV: AE Forest Park. That nest contained only one egg, but the HWR: Common; ubiquitous. female was incubating. North of Lawrence Road, two The Red-eyed Vireo inhabits wooded areas and old nests with three and one chicks respectively, were fields with low trees throughout the valley. recorded on 17 and 24 June. The young were 8-10 days Territorial males were present in the study area from the old in the first, and 7-8 days old in the second. On 25 last week of May. On 17 June, two nests of this species June, a plundered nest of this species was recorded in were found north of Lawrence Road. The nests were at King's Forest Park. A nest with two young ready to heights of 4 and 10 m and presumably contained young. fledge was found in the same area on 8 July, and a fledging was observed there in the same day. All Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia recorded nests were in low bushes or vines at a height RHV: N, NE, NY 0.7-1.4 m. On 21 June, a juvenile was observed on the HWR: Abundant; ubiquitous. west side of the creek 200 m south of Barton Street These warblers nested in bushes and forest edges (BL). Rose also reported confirmed nests in King’s throughout the study area. Territorial males were Forest Park as well as on the rail-trail near Mountain observed in the valley from the second week of May. Brow Boulevard. Seven nests of this species were recorded in the valley, all in low bushes at a height ranging from 0.4 to 1.1 m. Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum Breeding was asynchrous among pairs. On 27 May, a RHV: NE, FY, FS newly-built nest was found in Mount Albion HWR: Uncommon to common; ubiquitous. Conservation Area, and adults were seen carrying nest- This species mostly occurs in bushes south of Barton material in the valley well into June. Nestlings ready to Rd., but was absent from pine and spruce plantations in leave were observed on 18 June, but younger nestlings the southern part of the valley. A territorial conflict was were recorded as late as early July. On 17 June, a observed above Albion Falls as early as 16 April. On 27 cowbird nestling (6-7 days old) was found in a Yellow May, a nest 1.5 m above the ground in a bush was Warbler's nest. found in the Conservation Area. The nest contained only one egg, although the female was incubating. On 25 Pine Warbler - Dendroica pinus June, two adults and one young were recorded in King's RHV: FS Forest Park. Rose also reported nests from the HWR: Uncommon; widespread. Conservation Area and along the rail-trail. This species was not recorded as breeding in the valley previous to 1995. Rose confirmed nesting in the central European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris part of King’s Forest (FS). RHV: FS, AE, FY HWR: Introduced. Abundant; ubiquitous. This introduced aggressive species usurps nest cavities of many native species in the valley as it does elsewhere in southern Ontario. More than a dozen nests were recorded with the majority of the young fledged in mid- June.

Warbling Vireo - Vireo gilvus RHV: FS, AE, FY

March 1996 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club 153 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna

Ovenbird - Seiurus aurocapillus Rufous-sided Towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus RHV: FS, T RHV: FS, T HWR: Common; very widespread. HWR: Uncommon; widespread. A pair of Ovenbirds were confirmed breeding in the This species nests in throughout the valley south of lower valley between Queenston and Barton Street by Barton Street. On 22 April, a territorial pair was Rose. Territorial birds were also present in two observed north of Albion Falls in the area later lost to locations in King’s Forest Park during the woodland the construction. On 25 June, a female carrying food survey. Territorial pairs were also noted during the was recorded in the valley south of the golf course in OBBA. King's Forest Park.

Common Yellowthroat - Geothlypis trichas Chipping Sparrow - Spizella passerina RHV: NE, FS, FY RHV: FY HWR: Common; ubiquitous. HWR: Abundant; ubiquitous. This species occurs in grassy and bushy areas along the Rose confirmed nesting in the northeast section of creek, near Van Wagners Marsh and in other wet areas. King’s Forest Park during the spring migratory survey. A nest was found by Rose in the Mount Albion On 21 June, a pair with two fledglings were observed Conservation Area and an agitated female with food in about 300 m south of Barton Street (BL). Fledglings her beak was observed there on 9 July. A male feeding a were also seen near the old ski hill Mountain Brow fledgling was observed north of Lawrence Road on 24 Boulevard on 28 June (BL). June. Territories were detected throughout the study area during the spring migratory survey (PR). Field Sparrow - Spizella pusilla RHV: FS, T Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis HWR: Common; ubiquitous. RHV: NE, NY Field Sparrows were regularly recorded in Mount Albion HWR: Abundant; ubiquitous. Conservation Area, and occasionally in King’s Forest In the valley, cardinals inhabit bushland and woodlot Park during the summer when breeding was confirmed edges. Territorial males were observed from early April (PR). On 14 June, two males were observed in a field (up to three males were heard or seen from one station). along the west side of the creek north of Highway 53 On 27 May, a nest containing one egg was found near a (BL). parking lot beside Albion Road. The female was incubating. Another nest with an incubating female was Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia recorded in King's Forest Park on 18 June. Both nests RHV: NE, FY were in bushes near the edge. The heights above the HWR: Abundant; ubiquitous. ground were 1.8 and 1.2 m, respectively. On 28 June, a These sparrows occur in meadows and old fields fledged young was seen along the rail-trail, and a nest throughout the Red Hill Valley. Territorial males were with two young was found on the escarpment 200 m recorded from early April. On 17 June, an adult carrying north of Albion Falls (BL). food was observed north of Lawrence Road. On 18 June, a nest with three eggs was found in King's Forest Rose-breasted Grosbeak - Pheucticus ludovicianus Park, An adult feeding a fledgling was observed there on RHV: NY, FY the same day. In late June, adults with food and broods HWR: Common; ubiquitous. were observed throughout the valley. This species occurs in King's Forest Park, along Red Hill Creek's tributaries, and between Lawrence and Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana Queenston Roads. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were RHV: AE, T observed in the study area from the second week of HWR: Common; widespread. May. On 25 June, a nest with three young was found in Rose reported a nest in the Conservation Area as well as King's Forest Park. The nest was in a thin low tree in in the southeast area of King’s Forest. On 14 June, a about 3 m above the ground. On 10 July, a female and a male was recorded in the cattail marsh south of Stone fledgling were seen north of Lawrence Road. Church Road.

154 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club March 1996 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna

Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus (7-8 days old) was found in the nest of a Yellow RHV: NE, NY, FY Warbler. On 21 June, a fledgling was observed being HWR: Abundant; ubiquitous. fed by a Song Sparrow at Red Hill Bowl parking lot Red-winged Blackbirds occur throughout the Red Hill (BL). Although only two specific instances were Valley, but they were especially common at Van recorded, there is no doubt that cowbirds heavily Wagner’s Marsh (30-40 pairs), small wet areas west of parasitise on passerines in the valley, assisted by the Mount Albion Road, and in the Mount Albion extensive habitat fragmentation. Conservation Area (20-30 pairs). In the valley, the overwhelming majority of Red-wings nest in bushes and Northern Oriole - Icterus galbula low trees (1.4-1.8 m above the ground). Typical nests RHV: AE, FY in cattails were recorded only at Van Wagner’s Marsh. HWR: Common; ubiquitous. Even there, some pairs built nests in bushes along the The Northern Oriole nests in woodlots and single trees water’s edge apparently in response to a shortage of throughout the valley. Four nests were recorded during suitable cattail stands. A newly-built nest was recorded the survey, all in very thin trees at a height ranging from at Van Wagner’s Marsh on 13 May. On 27 May a nest 6 to 15 m. On 17 and 24 June, adults carrying food with four eggs was found in bushes north of Lawrence were observed near two nests north of Lawrence Road. Road, while another nest in the same area already A fledgling perching in a tree next to a third nest was contained a 6-7 days old fledgling. On 4 June, a nest also recorded in the same location on 24 June. On 21 with three eggs was recorded in King’s Forest Park. June, a nest with young was found in a field along the Fledglings of this species were recorded in the valley east side of the creek between Barton Street and from mid-June. Queenston Road, and a family group was observed along the west side of the creek 250 m north of CNR Eastern Meadowlark - Sturnella magna line (BL). On 25 June, a Northern Oriole flying with RHV: NY, NE, FS food towards a nest was seen in King's Forest Park. HWR: Abundant to common; ubiquitous. Eastern Meadowlarks were observed only in meadows House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus at the Mount Albion Conservation Area. Rose found a RHV: AE, T nest with eggs and on 18 June, a nest containing two HWR: Introduced; abundant; widespread. young (8-9 days old) was found south of Stone Church Territories were observed throughout the study area by Road. A meadowlark carrying food for young was also Rose who also found nests in the central part of King’s recorded there on 9 July. Forest and in the Mount Albion Conservation Area.

Common Grackle - Quscalus quiscula American Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis RHV: FS, FY RHV: NY, NE HWR: Abundant; ubiquitous. HWR: Abundant; ubiquitous. Although quite common throughout the valley, many of The American Goldfinch is a late nester. Territorial them nested outside the study area. This species is an behaviour was recorded from early July, when the field early nester, and a female feeding fledglings was work was almost over. No nesting evidence was observed in the Mount Albion Conservation Area on 27 collected in 1995, but a nest with three nestlings and May. In June, broods occurred in King's Forest Park one egg was found in the valley on 4 September 1994 and north of Lawrence Road. After the young were (north of Lawrence Road). fledged, grackles roamed the valley and vicinity, posing a threat to the clutches of songbirds. House Sparrow - Passer domesticus RHV: AE, T Brown-headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater HWR: Introduced; abundant; ubiquitous. RHV: NY, FY Territories were observed throughout the study area HWR: Abundant; ubiquitous. with nests identifed in the central part of King’s Forest Singing males were heard in the valley as early as 8 Park (PR). April in the Mount Albion Conservation Area. Females searching for nests of other species were observed from late April onward. On 17 June, a cowbird nestling

March 1996 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club 155 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna

Probable breeding species RHV: T, P HWR: Uncommon; very widespread. Wood Duck - Aix sponsa Kingfishers flying up and down the stream were RHV: P recorded in the valley between Barton Street and HWR: Uncommon; widespread. Lawrence Road and occasionally south of Lawrence. Pairs were observed in the central part of King’s Forest One or two pairs likely nested in sheer banks elsewhere Park and between Barton Street and Queenston Road in that area. One or two individuals are normally during the spring migratory surveys (PR). This species recorded overwintering in the study area during the was confirmed in the OBBA. annual Christmas Bird Count. Two pairs were also recorded in the valley during the OBBA period (OBBA). American Kestrel - Falco sparverius Hairy Woodpecker - Dendrocopos villosus RHV: P HWR: Uncommon; very widespread. RHV: T, P A male and a female often hunted over meadows in the HWR: Uncommon to common; very widespread. southern part of the Mount Albion Conservation Area. In April, a pair was frequently observed near the golf However, they could nest outside the study area. Rose course in King's Forest Park. This species was also sighted pairs on the rail-trail and in the lower valley previously confirmed nesting in the valley (NAI 1993; between Queenston Road and Barton Street. On 18 OBBAD). June, a female carrying food (likely towards the nest) was seen heading south of the conservation area. Least Flycatcher - Empidonax minimus According to OBBA, breeding of this species was RHV: T, P confirmed for the area (FY). HWR: Uncommon; widespread This flycatcher was present throughout the valley from Ring-necked Pheasant - Phasianus colchicus Van Wagner Marsh to the Mount Albion Conservation RHV: T Area. However, no nesting evidence was obtained HWR: Introduced: Uncommon, scattered. during the survey. This species was not previously Uncommon resident in the main valley (especially south recorded nesting in the study area. of Lawrence Road). The majority of records were made in the Mount Albion Conservation Area, especially in the Red-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta canadensis area subsequently impacted by the construction of the RHV: P east-west expressway. No less than 10-15 pheasants HWR: Uncommon; scattered. occurred in this area, but no nests or young were seen. Rose observed a pair in the southeast section of King’s Forest. This species was not recorded in either the American Woodcock - Scolopax minor OBBA or the NAI. RHV: T, D HWR: Common; very widespread. White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis Woodcocks were most often observed in King's Forest RHV: T Park and the Mount Albion Conservation Area. They HWR: Common; very widespread were vocally active from early April. Neither nests nor Up to five pairs were present in King's Forest Park and young were recorded in the valley in 1995, but nesting the adjacent areas where they almost certainly nested. was confirmed (AE) during the OBBA. However, no breeding evidence was collected. Territorial pairs were also observed during the OBBA Eastern Screech Owl - Otus asio period (OBBAD). RHV: T HWR: Uncommon; very widespread Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus Rose classifies this species as probable nesters in King’s RHV: T Forest Park where they were also present throughout HWR: Rare, very restricted to scattered. the summer. They were also classifed as probable Rare in Canada and Ontario nesters in the OBBA. A pair was observed in King’s Forest in May, but there Belted Kingfisher - Ceryle alcyon were no following records. This species was not

156 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club March 1996 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna recorded in the valley during the OBBA period, but possible breeding was reported during the NAI. Bobolink - Dolichonyx oryzivorus RHV: T, SM Wood Thrush - Hylocichla mustelina HWR: Common; ubiquitous. RHV: T A territorial bird was observed in the Mount Albion HWR: Common; ubiquitous. Conservation Area (PR). On 14 June, four males were On 18 and 25 June, a Wood Thrush was recorded west recorded in the same area along Dartnall Road (BL). of Mount Albion Road. It had also been observed earlier in King’s Forest Park and between Queenston Road and Possible breeding species Barton Street (PR). Nesting of this species was previously reported in the area in the NAI and the Green-backed Heron - Butorides viresens OBBA. RHV: SH HWR: Uncommon; widespread. Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottus Birds were seen in the lower valley between Queenston RHV: T Road and Barton Street (PR) but no studies were HWR: Uncommon; scattered conducted in the areas between there and Van Wagner’s This species was seen in the King’s Forest central area. Marsh where this species had been confirmed as It was confirmed as a breeder during the OBBA. breeding during the NAI and OBBA.

American Redstart - Setophaga ruticilla Northern Harrier - Circus cyaneus RHV: T, SM RHV: SH HWR: Uncommon; widespread. HWR: Rare; scattered. Territorial males were observed in the southeast section A bird was observed hunting in the Mount Albion of King’s Forest and in the Mount Albion Conservation Conservation Area during the spring migratory survey Area (PR). On 3 June, a singing male was heard in (PR). This species was not previously noted as a King’s Forest Park. This species was previously breeder in the study area. recorded as breeding in the valley by Wormington and during the OBBA. RuffedGrouse - Bonasa umbellus RHV: SH Scarlet Tanager - Piranga olivacea HWR: Uncommon to common; widespread RHV: T Rare resident in the valley. A Ruffed Grouse was HWR: Uncommon; widespread. flushed in King's Forest Park and in the valley just south A territorial bird was observed in the central area of of the Q.E.W. No nesting evidence is available. This King’s Forest Park (PR). This species was previously species was observed in the area (SH) during the OBBA noted in all earlier breeding studies (Wormington 1976; period (OBBAD). OBBAD; NAI). Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Archilochus colubris Indigo Bunting - Passerina cyanea RHV: SM RHV: A, P, SM HWR: Uncommon; widespread HWR: Common; ubiquitous Birds were seen throughout the study area during the On 14 June, a male was recorded in a field along the spring migratory survey (PR). One male was recorded west side of the creek north of Highway 53 (BL). On 21 north of Lawrence Road on 24 June. Territorial June, one male was recorded between Queenston Road behaviour (T) of this species was observed in the valley and King Street, and another one along the west side of during the OBBA. the creek 250 m north of CNR line (BL). On 28 June, an alarmed pair was observed on the escarpment 200 m Willow Flycatcher - Empidonax traillii north of Albion Falls (BL). Nesting of this species was previously recorded in the RHV: SM area in the NAI and OBBA. HWR: Common; very widespread On 14 June, two males were recorded along the creek

March 1996 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club 157 Macdonald Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna between Highway 53 and Stone Church Road (BL). Savannah Sparrow - Passerculus sandwichensis Nesting of this species was confirmed in previous RHV: SM studies. HWR: Abundant; very widespread. On 14 June, a male was recorded along the creek south Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum of Stone Church Road (BL).Nesting of this species was RHV: SH confirmed in the area during the OBBA. HWR: Common; ubiquitous. This species was observed in the central part of King’s Orchard Oriole - Icterus spurius Forest Park. It was recorded as breeding in previous RHV: SM studies. HWR: Rare; scattered. On 31 May, a territorial male was seen around the pond Yellow-throated Vireo - Vireo flavifrons near the clubhouse of the King’s Forest Golf Club (BL). RHV: SM This species was not recorded in the valley during any HWR: Uncommon; scattered previous studies. On 14 June, a male was recorded along Mount Albion Road between the bus pull-off and southern pull-off (BL). This species has not been observed as a breeder in the area before.

Louisiana Waterthrush - Seiurus motacilla RHV: SM HWR: Rare; restricted. Vulnerable in Canada and Rare in Ontario. On 27 May and 3 June, singing males of possibly this species were heard in the valley north of Lawrence Road and in King's Forest Park, respectively. There were no following records. According to Lamond & Dyer (1995), habitat of this species occurs locally along the Niagara Escarpment. This species was not recorded in the area previously.

158 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club March 1996

1995 Field Work Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna

APPENDIX C Migratory and Breeding Bird Surveys in 1995

Introduction Migratory Bird Surveys

Three avifaunal field studies were carried out in Red Hill Migratory bird surveys were carried out in Red Hill Valley in 1995. This report includes the methodology Valley in the spring and fall of 1995. The spring survey and some of the results of these studies, condensed took place under the direction of Paul Rose from April 2 from the reports prepared by Paul Rose, Ken Symington to May 31 and covered eight areas from Highway 53 and Michael Patrikeev. The full reports are available for north to Barton Street. They are identified on Map 3 as viewing at the offices of the Hamilton Region areas 1A, 1B, 1C, 2, 3A, 3B, 4A and 4B. The fall Conservation Authority survey, led by Ken Symington, began on August 14 and continued until October 31. It covered seven of the same areas done in the spring. Surveying in area 3B Breeding Bird Survey was abandoned in mid-May because of the construction activity associated with the cross mountain expressway A breeding bird study was carried out in Red Hill Valley and the Dartnall Road interchange which destroyed in 1995 by Michael Patrikeev. Field work included a much of the habitat in this area. An additional area, Woodland/Grassland survey, a search for nests, and a F10, located at the abandoned Brampton Street landfill limited owl survey. The field work was carried out on site and Globe Park was added to the fall survey. In 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 28 and 29 days of April, 4, 6, 13, addition to the two contracted surveyors, volunteers 14, 27 days of May, 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24 and 25 made a large contribution to both surveys (Table 4C).A days of June, 8, 9 and 10 days of July 1995. brief description of the habitat structure for each of the eight areas is given below. The woodland/grassland bird survey used Forest Bird Monitoring Program methods and adapted them to the Area 1A - King's Forest southeast. A unique feature of more open conditions of the study area. The locations this area is the mature Red Pine and Norway Spruce are shown on Map 1 which also identifies the area in plantation in the southwest corner of the area. Other which nest searching was conducted. Three routes of conifer species scattered throughout the area include three to five stations were established with stations at White Pine, Eastern Hemlock, and Eastern White Cedar. least 250 m apart. Surveys were usually started between To the south of the pine plantation lies the wooded 5:30 and 6:00 a.m. All birds (individuals) seen or heard escarpment rim which includes Sugar Maple and during the 10 minute sample period were counted. Each American Beech. To the north of the plantation is more station was surveyed twice with at least six days deciduous forest broken up by a small goldenrod between visits. The results are provided in Tables C1, meadow. The east edge of the area follows a hydro line C2 and C3. and is comprised of a small cattail marsh to the north, a wet grassy ditch, and a rolling shrubby field to the Other biologists working in the Red Hill Valley for the south. Approximate time to census: 1 - 1.5 hours. inventory project in spring-summer 1995 (notably, Bill Lamond, Paul Rose and John Hanna) also collected Area 1B - King's Forest north and central. To the information on breeding birds. southeast there is a shrub field with a patch of Staghorn Sumac. Moving north along the valley ridge there is a The overall breeding bird survey results are compiled in playing field bordered by a small grove of hawthorns Appendix A in the form of an annotated checklist. and other thickets. A further grassy field with hedgerows follows the hydro line. Down the ridge and along the creek edges are various riparian tree species such as willows, Black Walnut and Manitoba Maple. This wet deciduous forest extends north to the railway with a small grassy area south of the tracks. Adjacent to the open areas of the golf course lies a tree nursery

166 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club March 1996 1995 Field Work Biological Inventory of Red Hill Valley Avifauna with brush piles scattered around it. A tall hedgerow small area. Much of the area is grapevine, dogwood, extends south to meet the wooded valley ridge. Time to and hawthorn thickets. There is a small marshy area in census: 3-4 hours. the south between the creek and the playing field. Along the creek, low lying areas and along the west Area 1C - King's Forest southwest. A small young oak slope of the floodplain are forests of primarily riparian forest is located at the southern end of this area on top species. A few open shrub fields occur centrally in this of the escarpment and just north of Buttermilk Falls. To area. Time to census: .5 - 1 hour. the north of the oak forest is the escarpment ridge with a narrow forested talus slope. This mature forest is Area 4B - Queenston Road to Barton Street. A predominantly Sugar Maple with little understorey. The continuous stretch of deciduous floodplain woods forest floor is dominated by Garlic Mustard. There is a consisting of willow, ash, elm, walnut, and maple with stand of Staghorn Sumac wedged in between the maple some undergrowth in certain areas. A small field forest and the Redhill Creek. Following the escarpment surrounded by sumac is located in the northwest corner west it opens up into an open grassy field (old ski hill) and a patch of grassland occurs in the south. Halfway before continuing on as a rocky deciduous forest with into the area on the west side is a small hawthorn grove. more vine and shrub undergrowth. Time to census: 1 - There are some drier upland woods on the west side 1.5 hours. just south of the school grounds.

Area 2 - Mountain Brow Rail Trail. Primarily a large Area 10 - Brampton Street landfill site, Redhill Creek shrub grass field with hawthorn, milkweed, burdock, Marsh, and Globe Park. An extensive cattail wetland goldenrod, and low shrubs. Extensive thicket exists at the northern end of this area and it is bordered hedgerows line both sides of the rail trail and a scrub by narrow riparian woods. There are large playing forest follows upper Buttermilk Creek. A small mature fields to the northwest and a large grassy hill (the landfill pine stand centrally located adds additional cover. Time site) centrally located. Wedged between the east side of to census: 1 - 1.5 hours. the landfill and the Redhill Creek lies a small floodplain forest with patches of open shrubland. Time to census: Area 3A - Mount Albion Conservation Area south of 1 hour. Stonechurch Road. This area is predominantly covered by wet grassland and tussock. There is a small cattail Effort marsh to the north and a larger cattail marsh centrally On almost every day within the surveying periods, one located. To the southeast corner is a thick conifer stand or more observers would census 1-3 areas and identify of mainly spruce and south of it lies a quarry pond and record the number of individuals and number of surrounded by a deciduous maple forest. An old species by sight and sound. On six days in the spring orchard and hawthorn grove are located in the survey and three in the fall all eight areas were southwest while an extensive hedgerow separates the censused. Most of the daily censusing occurred in the wet grasslands from an abandoned field in the west. morning or evening when birds are most active. Time to census: 1 - 1.5 hours. Approximately 323 hours of field observations took place in the spring survey period and 307 hours were Area 3B - Mount Albion Conservation Area north of totalled during the fall survey. A breakdown of field Stonechurch Road. This area was predominately hours and contributors to the project is given in Table grassland and scrub. There was a series of wet potholes C4. The number of times each area was is recorded in on the east central edge, a marsh in the southwest Table C5. corner, and the millpond in the northeast corner of this area just above Albion Falls. Area 3B was heavily Results impacted by construction of the Dartnall Road A compilation of the results of the spring and fall interchange for the cross-mountain expressway and migratory surveys is found in Appendix B of this report. was not surveyed after construction began in early May. Time to census: 1 hour.

Area 4A - King St. to Queenston Rd. (Red Hill Bowl). Many different habitat types are found in this relatively

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