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Hello,Im BIGFRANK,your host and avid raptor watcher. Please read the information provided,then plan to join me in watching birds of prey flying along the shoreline of Lake Ontario from atop the western end of The Scarborough Bluffs. Possible sightings of 15 species of raptors(birds of prey),including Osprey,Redtailed Hawks,Golden Eagles,Bald Eagles and Turkey Vultures.

WHERE: Rosetta McClain Gardens
in Scarborough Ontario Canada,at Kingston Rd and Glen Everest Rd. One stop-light east of Kingston Rd and Birchmount Rd. If U have them bring scopes,binoculars,cameras or bird books. The gardens are wheelchair accessible and have bathrooms and many benches.(note: no dogs,no picnics,no bicycle riding or no ball playing are allowed in the Gardens)

WHEN: From Sept1-Nov30 almost daily I will be present counting migrating raptors.Peak migration is from mid-September to mid-October. Peak time of day is most often 10am-2pm.Optimal conditions for large movements of raptors are on days with moderate north-west winds and nice white puffy clouds,though high volumes of Sharp-shinned Hawks occurred on winds with a south element.

WHAT IS SEEN: Any given day any or all of 15 species of migrating birds of prey can be seen,migrating along the shores of Lake Ontario. Some birds will land briefly in the trees of the gardens,some circle briefly,while most fly past. Last season nearly 6000 birds of prey were seen,including Bald Eagles,Golden Eagles,Osprey,Turkey Vultures,Northern Harriers,Rough-legged Hawks,Red-tailed Hawks,Broadwinged Hawks,Red-shouldered Hawks,Northern Goshawks,Coopers Hawks,Sharp-shinned Hawks,Peregrine Falcons,Merlin and American Kestrels. Our best count was over 750 raptors in one day.

Please check back often once fall migration season starts for daily reports.If U decide to join me,I will do my best to show U whatever comes our way and pass on information to you. Contact me at raptor.watch@hotmail.com

Another very sucessful season of the Rosetta McClain Gardens Raptor Watch has come to a close. Thanks to everyone who came out this fall. As well as a record count,many enthusiastic new folks joined us this fall. It was a pleasure to meet you all and teach you what I could.Thanks to the many experienced birders,who joined us and offered their expertise and knowledge. Thanks to the staff of Rosetta McClain Gardens,who offered flyers and encouraged park goers to join us,for allowing me to store equipment and get much appreciated and needed hot coffee. Thanks to those who allowed the use of their photos on the blog. Each and every one of you added to the success of the watch in many ways. Incredible views of all 15 species of raptors were enjoyed over the course of the season. Our lakeside,bluff-top view is an incredible vantage point,offering unique sight-lines. This years count was the highest ever,5845 and a park record 755 raptors was enjoyed on September 15th.
Final totals for this season were:
Turkey Vulture......... 1061(previous best 436)
Osprey.........................94(previous best 92)
Bald Eagle....................33
Northern Harrier..........389
Sharp-shinned Hawk..2691(previous best 2561)
Coopers Hawk..............92
Northern Goshawk.........10
Red-shouldered Hawk....18
Broad-winged Hawk.....177
Red-tailed Hawk...........715
Rough-legged Hawk..........6
Golden Eagle...................12(previous best 11)
American Kestrel...........431
Merlin..............................44
Peregrine Falcon..............72(previous best 58)
2007 Season Total.......5845(previous best 5675 in 2006)

74 days were counted on,totalling 440 hours of observation. 12 days over 100 raptors were counted 9 of those days were over 200. As mentioned the 15th of September 755 raptors were counted which is the most every at Rosetta McClain Gardens in one day.

Species High Days
TV.......393 Oct 14
OS..........7 Sept 28
BE...........5 Sept 15
NH.........65 Sept 28
SS........569 Sept15
CH...........7 Oct 14
NG...........3 Sept 28 and Oct 16
RS............4 Oct 12 and 14
BW..........63 Sept 12
RT.........185 Oct 28
RL.............4 Nov 7
GE.............3 Oct 12 and 14
AK..........105 Sept 28
ML.............5 Oct 24
PG.............18 Oct 10

Over the fall,many new birds for the park were seen including,Pine Grosbeak,Pine Siskin,Evening Grosbeak,Common Redpoll,Purple Finch,Rusty Blackbird and Surf Scoters.Thanks again to everyone! 88 Days Till Spring Raptor Migration Starts At Beamer!

ASHBRIDGES BAY RARITY:Yellow-breasted Chat

Since the raptor migration has all but officially come to a close,I went today to Ashbridges Bay Park,just near Woodbine and the Lakeshore. For the past week there has been a Yellow-breasted Chat out near the southwest tip. Directions posted online at a few birding sites were excellent and got me right in the general area. A helpful birder I met hadnt had good luck,but did point me in the right spot. I waited about 20min and decided to sit down on a nearby bench. Within 5minutes,Ross and 2 of his friends arrived. Ross disappeared around the corner where I had previously been standing,and soon called out.."Guys over here!" With that,we clamoured over,scopes,binoculars and my camera at the ready. What a beautiful little bird..sort of a warbler on steroids..its about 7.5 inches tip to tail. The yellow was wonderfully illuminated by the bright sunlight,giving us all fantastic views. It ate berries,moved around and preened unbothered by either us or the Pointer that ran roughshod all over the area. For 3 of us,the Chat was a life bird,so all gathered were very happy with the sighting. I was very pleased with my photos,especially with all the "shmutz" around the bird.

Soon I will post a final summary and note of the raptor watch season..stay tuned.

Northwest Winds Push Raptors And Our Total To A Record

Today,thanks to the day long healthy northwest winds and some hardy observers,168 raptors were seen. 2 Different Coopers Hawks landed in the park,one very co-operatively in the top of a bare tree. A Redtailed Hawk also landed in the park briefly today. The bulk of todays sightings were Redtailed Hawks,high,low,above and below. Todays total was made up as follows:
1-Bald Eagle(juvenile)
2-Northern Harriers
3-Sharpshinned Hawks
6-Coopers Hawks
3-Northern Goshawks
149-Redtailed Hawks
2-Redshouldered Hawks
2-Golden Eagles
One of the Redshoulders and one of the Goshawks gave terrific views,at very close range. This brings this years total well beyond last fall's 5675,currently totaling 5826. With a southwest wind tomorrow I will NOT be present. If U decide to go to Rosetta please email me what see,if anything. Special thanks to Ann,for my ride,lunch,photos and hot tea.

Nov15 24 Raptors...YTD..5658

It was a cold wind today,and several local Redtailed Hawks kept showing themselves just to confuse things. Those gathered saw :
1-Bald Eagle(juvenile distant)
1-Northern Harrier
4-Sharpshinned Hawks
1-Northern Goshawk(flew through low and fast)
16-Redtailed Hawks(high low near far)
1-Golden Eagle(juvenile)

Tomorrows conditions looked great the last time I looked..lets hope for a big day! or at least18raptors so I can achieve the highest count ever at Rosetta McClain Gardens Raptor Watch. Dress warm if U are coming!

Slow Day But Good Views

Despite early NE winds,the count was very low. Raptors definetly stayed north of the lakeshore in our area. Good but fast views of a Peregrine Falcon and Merlin were enjoyed. A few close Coopers Hawks and the star of the day,an immature Bald Eagle at 10:30am gave us hopes for a better day then we ended up with. Todays 15 raptors consisted of :

1-Bald Eagle

4-Sharpshinned Hawks

2-Coopers Hawks

4-Redtailed Hawks

2-American Kestrels

1-Merlin

1-Peregrine Falcon

Right now,Tuesday holds abit of promise. As the migration winds down,there are still some great birds to see.

Few Raptors Near The Lake..Day Count 53...YTD..5619

While conditions were very good and both Cranberry Marsh and High Park Raptor Watches saw over 200 birds of prey,many fewer followed the lakeshore in Scarborough. Among the 53 raptors seen today,the best birds were 2 low,close dark-morph Roughlegged Hawks. We had terrific views of them. The bulk of the birds as expected were Redtailed Hawks. Hoped for Golden Eagles never came. I hung in until 330pm

Among non-raptors,a Common Loon and a Red-throated Loon were seen swimming together on the lake,as well as a feeding frenzy which involved hundreds of Red-breasted Mergansers and Ring-billed Gulls. A number of Common Goldeneye and a number of huge rafts of Long-tailed Ducks were also seen on the lake. Ron heard a Pine Grosbeak fly over and both he and I saw an Evening Grosbeak. A Pine Siskin landed briefly in an Elm tree,before moving onward.

Todays total consisted of:

3-Northern Harriers

8-Sharpshinned Hawks

1-Coopers Hawk

1-Red-shouldered Hawk

36-Redtailed Hawks

4-Roughlegged Hawks

This brought the year total to 5619,which is 56 short of last years final total. There are still a few 100+ days out there,but conditions will have to be nearly perfect. The next several days do not look very promising. Its unlikely I will be present over the weekend,unless conditions improve.