The American Kestrel is the smallest raptor in North America. It is the smallest member of the Falcon family. It ranges from 22-30cm(9-12inches) in length and has a wingspan of up to 55cm(22inches). Females are larger then males. The appearance from one sex to the other is very different. The wings of the male are a blue/grey colour with the back being rusty/brown,while the females wings are more rusty/brownish in colour,as are their backs. The wings like all falcons are pointed. Both have a strong moustache around the eye,which can often be seen when in flight with binoculars. Perched it is very obvious and a big field mark to look for. They bob their tails alot when perched also. The tails of both males and females are a rusty colour with a thick black band at the end. Something to look for which doesnt exist on Merlins are as Colin and I have named them "Christmas Treelights" along the trailing(back) edge of the wings.(I also call them beads). The chest of the male is light to very bright rust coloured.
Kestrels can often be found hovering over fields or grassy type areas. They are hunting rodents,when doing this. American Kestrels are also often seen sitting on hydro wires. Watch for their bobbing tails. At migration time they often fly very early in the morning,starting at first light and often are the last birds flying on a good day. One day I counted 44 before 9am.

Cheats:Remebering our elimination identification,if U see a small bird,immediately U can hone in on 4 species. Sharpie,Coopers,Kestrel and Merlin. U have eliminated 11 species. Check if the wings are pointed. If the wings are distinctly pointed(triangular as opposed to rounded like a Sharpshinned Hawk) U are down to 2 of 15,and have given yourself a much better chance of identifying the bird correctly. Merlins often flap all the way,and their speed is sometimes incredible. We see several hundred Kestrels and around 50 Merlins,chances are its a Kestrel. Look for the "moustache",the "Christmas Tree Lights" and the rusty tail. Remember to keep on a bird if there is time.All species will often tilt slightly giving you just the angle U need to decide what it is. Over the winter in your spare time learn all 15 species we see regularily in southern Ontario. This will allow you to go through them in your head very quickly when trying to ID by elimination. If U find a nesting bird you are unsure of,officially very very few(some say none) Merlin nests are known of in Toronto. Kestrels nest in cavities(holes).

Redtailed Hawk

The most likely to be seen Buteo(large,long winged soaring hawks) in our area and at migration time at Rosetta(elsewhere at migration its the Broadwinged Hawk) is the Redtailed Hawk. Redtailed Hawks average a 120cm(49inch) wingspan and a length of 45cm-60cm(19-25inches),with females being as much as 1/3 larger then males. Aside from the obvious rusty(red) tail,which in flight isnt that obvious sometimes,there are a few things to look for to call it a Redtail. Its a good idea to really study Redtails,as they are quite abundant and use them to compare to other species of Buteo and smaller hawks. Distinct to the Redtails is a bellyband,which even at long distances is visible. Perched roadside birds U can often see the white on the upper chest like a beacon.The head is dark,the chest white/creamy coloured,the breast below the bellyband is streaked with brown,underneath it can appear very light,the back is mottled brown and white. The tail of an adult is rusty coloured,while a juvenile is striped brown and white. Also very noticable and with other signs are the "commas" on the wings at "the wrist". These are usually very dark on Redtailed Hawks. Albinoism is most common among Redtailed Hawks(among raptors).
In flight,the Redtail soars with a very slight dihedral,the tail somewhat short and wide. Its flap is usually very strong and definite. When gliding if U watch enough Redtails the shape is very distinctive,though it can give U many looks. While several raptors can hover,Redtails are the one that most commonly kites. Kitting is when the bird sort of hovers but without moving its wings at all. It stays in one place in the sky,adjusting using its tail. Ive viewed a Redtail in one place for 20 minutes.
CHEATS:Assume in our area that large raptors are Redtailed Hawks. Look for characteristics to confirm Redtails or count them out. Looking quickly at the shape..is there a dihedral or slight V in the wings? Is there a bellyband(white chest and brown streaking underneath it)? Is the tail red?(juveniles tails are not red) Does the bird have strong "commas" at the wrist? If U can see a few of those signs you can be confident it is a Redtailed Hawk. If U go through that list each time it becomes almost an instant ID.
Learn to ID using elimination,if U go through the list of 15 raptors seen in southern Ontario,it becomes automatic,as does looking for the above mentioned clues. Example: U see a raptor..a reasonably large one. So in saying large,U have eliminated Kestrel,Merlin,Sharpie and Coopers right away. Since Redtails are the most likely buteo,keep them in. Also in are Turkey Vulture,Osprey,Roughlegged Hawk,Broadwinged Hawk,Bald and Golden Eagle. Depending on the time of the migration season,U can eliminate reasonably safely some species. Most Turkey Vultures move in October. Broadwinged Hawks move in a very small window around September 11th(sadly easy to remember date) for about a week to 10 days. Golden Eagles and Roughlegged Hawks move late in the migration calander,usually late October or November. After September 30 few Osprey are still migrating. Bald Eagles are massive,flying with level wings.Leaving...the Redtail. This identification through elimination can be done with all families of birds and sizes. U can really narrow your choices quickly if U remember the distinctive marks,size and wingshapes.
When viewing a perched bird,particularily in the winter,note where and where in the tree/bush the bird is perched. Most birds perched along highways in the winter are Redtailed Hawks. In trees,a Redtail usually sits out on a branch to the side(example like at 3 o'clock),where as a Roughlegged Hawk(winter visitors) sits on the very top of the tree/bush. I hope these hints help.

Sharp-Shinned Hawk/Coopers Hawk ID Tips

I thought Id get this out of the way,as its a toughie.Its almost impossible to describe a Sharp-shinned Hawk,without refering to the Coopers Hawk,so why make things tough? Sharp-shinned Hawks are the smallest Accipiter,with a wingspan of just under 60cm( 24in) and a length of 25-35cm(10-14cm),with females being up to 1/3 larger then males. There is no overlap in size with the Coopers Hawk! The largest Sharp-shinned Hawk is smaller then the smallest Coopers Hawk.They have short,rounded wings. The tail is square and often appears knotched,whether perched or flying. This can be tricky to distinguish in flight,but careful study,and U can see that each individual feather is square on a Sharp-shinned Hawk,while those on a Coopers are rounded. Perched a Coopers Hawks tail is much longer. Feet,legs,head and length of the tail on a Sharp-shinned Hawks are all smaller. The eyes of a Sharp-shinned Hawk appear to be set further forward then that of a Coopers Hawk. With nothing to compare it to in the field,these differences are often hard to distinguish.

Adults have a rusty barred chest,with blue/grey back and a banned tail of the same blue/grey colour and white. Juveniles are brown backed with brown on white streaking on the chest. Coopers Hawks are the same...colour wont help distinguish between the 2. Coopers Hawks are 36-51cm(14-20inches) in length and have a wingspan of 74-94cm(29-37inches).
In flight,the cadence of a Sharp-shinned Hawk is a series of frequent flaps and glides. Flap,flap,flap glide.They look abit frantic like they believe they will fall out of the sky if they dont flap often. . Sharpies are very aggressive and may often attack other Sharp-shinneds or even much larger birds of prey. After their last flap,they push their wings forward,making it appear that their heads DO NOT extend beyond the wings. A Coopers Hawk's flight pattern is similar,but it seems more sure of itself..more definite and their heads appear to stick out further. The difference in the heads are again sometimes very difficult to differentiate.
A GOOD CHEAT to remember,is that in migration,many sites report the ratio of Sharp-shinned to Coopers Hawks is as much as 30-1,therefore most birds U will see will be Sharp-shinned Hawks. When seen around feeders,compare the bird to other birds around your feeder. A Sharp-shinned Hawk will scare Doves or pigeons but is unlikely to ever take something so large.
Most important to remember...even experts have troubles sometimes,telling the difference between a Sharpie and a Coopers,never feel too badly if people disagree with your decision. NOONE is right 100% of the time.

Northern Harrier Identification Tips

Inspired by an emailed photo from a friend Chris,inquiring as to its identification,Ive decided that over the next serveral cold winter weeks to highlight at least one species per week,using photos,slihouettes and information to help with identifications in the future. Chris' photo was of an adult male Northern Harrier,so I will start with the Northern Harrier.
Sizes for Northern Harriers varies greatly. Wingspan is as much as 105cm(42inches) Length is 42-60cm (17-24inches),with females being 1/3 larger then males,as is the case with most birds of prey. Females and juveniles look similar,with alot of rusty streaking on the chest. Juveniles have more. Their backs are brown. Males look completely different,appearing blue/grey on top. From below,they are very pale,appearing to be very white,with black wing tips. Many bird guides describe the wingtips as looking as though they've been dipped in ink. This is very diagnostic. All Northern Harriers have a prominent white bum patch. This is not soley a means of identification,but confirming evidence when other field marks are observed. In flight,all Harriers appear to have a long slim tail with long wings. To me on a down flap the wings look triangular and its very diagnostic. They appear to have a facial disk,owl like. When flying U will notice a strong dyhedral or v-shape.
At migration time Harriers often fly in heavy winds. Seeing males is a treat,as often migration sites see them at a rate of 8 females/juveniles to 1 adult male. Juveniles are often difficult to sex. The Perched birds are an adult female and a juvenile.

Best Of The Season

Thanks to Lee for organizing our end of season Raptor Watch dinner. A great time was enjoyed by all. We'll do something each month over the winter in addition to some birding outtings.

To all of you Merry Christmas or best of the season if U celebrate something different. Its been a great year and I hope everyone has a happy,healthy and bird filled new year.

End of season extravaganza!

Hey everyone, this is Lee. Frank's computer is acting crazy so I'm posting on his behalf.

We're having an end of season get together on December 14th at 6 pm at Fanny's Sports Lounge. It's located near Rosetta, if you're coming from the west, go past Rosetta and at the end of the second block, turn right into the plaza. If you've gone past Shoppers Drug Mart, you've gone too far!

The address is 2277 Kingston Road and it's next door to the Bo Peep Restaurant, across the street from Tim Horton's. Both Fanny's and Bo Peep are owned by the same people so we can order bar food or from the restaurant's menu.

If you've already confirmed, you don't have to send an email, but if you haven't, please email Frank at raptor.watch@hotmail.com and he'll hopefully get it :)

We currently have 10 people attending and have a reservation, so if you are coming we need to know. They've given us the section at the back of the bar and I'll have to contact them a few days before to let them know if there will be more than 10 people coming. Hope to see everyone again!

COMMENTS AND CUDOS

Thanks to my friends and fellow raptor enthusists for their kind words and comments. Keep them coming,I will contiune to add your memories.

From Ann:
Every day that I got to spend at Rosetta McClain Gardens at the raptor watch was special. Watching hawks, falcons, and eagles fly over me, beside me and even high above us is a thrill. I have so many special memories from this year that I hardly know where to begin. First of all thanks to all the friends I have made over the past few years, especially Frank,Walter,Carol,Lee,Chris,Peter,Beryl,Mary,Mike and Les. My favourite memory this year has to be when Frank, Walter and I were there early one morning and were greeted by 2 sets of peregrine falcons. At 9am 2 young peregrines flew on by right over us and then came the highlight of 3 more peregrines (1 adult and 2 youngsters) who were playing, calling, talon touching/clasping, and bumping each other and just having a great old time. They flew over us and then turned around and came back. Two disappeared and came up behind Frank no more than 5 feet from him. Man was that fun to watch. I also got some great photos. What a great morning. My second memory was the wonderful trip I took to Hawk Cliff with Carol for one week. Close to 15,000 hawks, falcons and eagles we saw. Wonderful time - great food, new friends and well a fantastic trip with Carol.
I will miss not seeing the hawks every day but I have some wonderful memories and look forward to next year. Thanks everyone. Ann

From Les and Mike:
The numbers may have been down, but the birds seen generated a lot of excitement. Also, you encouraged new birders and made the local community aware of the watch. Congrats and thanks for all you do. I know each year I'm getting better at this. My favourite pic of the year is all of us looking at the sky, while Mike reads the newspaper.

Lee submits:
Memories of this year's raptor watch:
My favourite part of the raptor watch is knowing that someone will be there when I drop by almost every time, and as you all know, dropping by and leaving shortly after is my specialty! It's great to see the birds, especially eagles and kettling turkey vultures, but there is so much downtime so the best part for me is all the laughs we have.
My favourite bird moment was when nobody else was there and I saw a juvenile bald eagle go along the bluffs below me. I couldn't believe my eyes and even though I knew crows didn't grow that big, I still didn't feel confident enough in my abilities to say I saw an eagle. I was looking around, hoping Frank or Walter would materialise out of thin air to say "oh, it was definitely an eagle" but Frank didn't show up at all and Walter came by 5 minutes later. Fortunately, there was a woman doing Tai Chi a little way over and she looked at me and said "was that an eagle or a hawk" and I knew it was an eagle because no hawk is that big or dark. Now just don't ask me if it was a bald or golden because I have no clue!(maybe next year)

Mary writes:
Dear Frank,
I just want to thank you for all you do in promoting raptor watching in(east) Toronto. People like you not only make raptor watching interesting, but fun as well. I have learned a lot from you and am able to apply this knowledge when I am out in the field.
I look forward to seeing you again when the warblers start to fly. Best regards,
Mary

Peter writes:
GREAT Raptor watch, Frank. The past few months have been like an advanced course on birding.From the top of the bluffs, it was amazing to get those close upviews and to see the birds, many I didnt know even existed, from all angles, not just from underneath. And the information passed along, to newbies like myself, was friendly and informative. Definitely the hilight was the day Walter and I saw the golden eagle circling, soaring, and crossing back and forth for ten minutes outover the lake. I never would have thought those types of birds flew through this area. Of course, it was not just about the birds, the many humorous conversationsand puns (a 'pair-a-grins'?!) and Ann's side splitting impersonations made the hours fly by. Thanks again, everyone!

Walter writes:

Well my comments about the Raptor Watch start way back in the spring when I first met Frank. I said "Frank, I'm getting ticked off, I keep seeing big birds along the Bluffs and I can't identify them at all (looking back now, it was probably the same local Red-tailed Hawk over and over out hunting each day). Frank's reply to me was "Oh don't worry about them now, wait until the Fall and I'll teach you everything you need to know about birds of prey, they come by very close here and once I point out some of the shortcuts in identifying them, it will become very easy for you". That sounded fair enough. As Spring went on, Frank had told me so many stories about the Raptor Watch that it was really sounding like it was going to be a lot of fun and sure enough, it was. Here are some of my favourite moments: Sitting in the shade of trees during August to see the first few birds of the Fall migration was great, but very hot! Seeing the 3 Peregrine Falcons flying and playing with each other along the way was really neat to see and hear. Seeing a little Hummingbird chasing after a Red-tailed Hawk was an unbelievable sight that I'm sure I'll never see again. Sitting at home the night of the 845 birds and feeling the pain running through my arms and making my hands numb (caused from holding my binoculars up almost the entire afternoon!) was pretty special to say the least. Seeing large numbers of Vultures flying through the centre of the park and just above the trees was beautiful to witness. Seeing the Bald and Golden Eagles flying below us along the Bluffs (us looking down at them for a change) was amazing. Seeing 6 Golden Eagles in one day was very high up on the list as my favourite moment...unfortunate that several of the regulars including Frank, were not present to share in the excitement. Seeing the juvenile Northern Goshawk flying back and forth all day, the one day, was really cool, many times it flew by very close to us. Watching a Red-tailed Hawk come screaming out of the sky talons first at a nice fluffy Black Squirrel (BTW - he missed!!!) and then to have him turn and fly right passed me 10 feet away was incredible to watch. Wow, I could just go on and on with special moments there were so many. But most of all, going from a complete "novice" at Birds Of Prey to a "semi-pro" (lol!) and being able to turn around and teach others what I had just learned in such a short time was very satisfying and rewarding for me and was by far the best "moment". I cannot thank you, Frank, enough for all that you have taught me over these last couple of months, it really has been an incredible time and, yes, we will get the number to match somehow. And to all of the others, way too many to mention here, I would like to thank all of you as well for teaching me what you know, sharing endless laughter and enjoyment (especially the comedy duo of Lee & Ann), freezies, coffees, hot chocolates, donuts, pizza, car rides, and whatever else you had to offer, it's all been very much enjoyed and appreciated. I look forward to doing it all again next year. Walter

Tu writes:Dear Frank
Thanks for creating the blog on the internet,which lead me to my first time ever at Rosetta McClain Gardens. I was able to see some action from the Crows chase of the Goshawk up close and personal. For next season you bet I will be there. Nice to meet you all, Ann, Lee, Walter and Frank.
Tu Dong

Keep them coming gang.