Let me start by thanking all those who came to observe and help count raptors this fall at
the 2006 Rosetta McClain Gardens Raptor Watch. In addition to a fall with more normal weather patterns contributing to a record count,all of the extra eyes certainly added to the number of sightings as well. Thanks to all my raptor/birdwatching friends who came,for their comraderie and support. Many thanks to the many new folks as well. It was a pleasure to share the birds with U all. Id hoped this fall to attract some new people and show them alot and teach them at least a little about the amazing raptors we have the priviledge of observing in southern Ontario. I was very pleased with the turnout. Im also very glad that Scarborough or eastend birders have a local spot to enjoy the spectacle that is the fall migration. Special thanks to Rosetta McClain Gardens staff for keeping me full of coffee,allowing me to hang flyers and handing them out to interested members of the public,as well as their continued friendship. Amazing views at eyelevel of all species were greatly enjoyed. Several species co-operatively perched in the park,including Broadwinged Hawk,Merlin,American Kestrel,Sharpshinned Hawk,Coopers Hawk,Redtailed Hawk and Northern Goshawk.

Record numbers of all 15 species were recorded this fall. The greatest factor in this was undoubtedly the weather,but again as above,the great amount of help from all who joined in watching is also responsible for the increased number of sightings. On Oct 25 and 26th,13 of 15 species were counted and on Sept 29th and Oct.24th 12 species were seen. On 19 days more then 100 raptors were counted. Among them was the new one day record of 559(almost one per minute for 10 hours),3 days over 400,3 days over 300 and 8 days over 200.(note if over 300 counted,that is included in over 100,200 and 300 and so on as applicable) The highest hourly total this year was 125,or just over 2 raptors per minute,for that hour. In all there were 82 days of observation,as I count from August till the end November,for 510hours(best estimate without checking records),for an average of just over 11 birds an hour. This is undoubtedly significantly more hours,then some sites,but I as this is only year 3 of counting at Rosetta McClain Gardens,and the 2nd year of extensive coverage,I am still learning which times are active and need coverage.

SEASON DAILY HIGHS OF NOTE:

10 Merlins on Sept.9

10 Peregrine Falcosn on Sept 24

12 Ospreys on Sept. 9

142 American Kestrels on Sept. 20

282 Sharpshinned Hawks on Sept.20

48 Northern Harriers on Sept. 20

204 Red-tailed Hawks on Oct 25

Monthly Totals

Specie..........................Aug..................Sept.................Oct.............Nov...........Total

Turkey Vulture.................7......................206................222................1.............436

Osprey........................14.......................69....................9................0..............92

Bald Eagle......................3.......................35....................7.................1.............46

Northern Harrier.............10.......................309................144................25...........488

Sharpshinned Hawk..........11....................1656.................859................35.........2561

Coopers Hawk.................7........................50..................63..................7..........127

Northern Goshawk............0..........................5..................13...................6..........24

Redshouldered Hawk.........0..........................0..................21....................8.........29

Broadwinged Hawk............8......................207...................10...................0.........225

Redtailed Hawk...............16.......................69.................488..................255........828

Roughlegged Hawk...........0.........................0....................3.....................8..........11

Golden Eagle..................0.........................1.....................6.....................4..........11

American Kestrel............34......................596....................40....................9.........679

Merlin..........................0........................40....................18....................2...........60

Peregrine Falcon.............2........................40....................15....................1...........58

Final Totals..................112.................3283....................1918.................362.........5675

A complete document comparing the southern Ontario raptor migration sites will follow. BIGFRANK

Nov 20 3rd Time Lucky: 114 Raptors YTD 5672

With a 3rd day of favorable winds in a row,todays being the strongest,I was hopeful of a good day,but this late in the season didnt expect the day I had. To my surprise I had several small kettles of Redtailed Hawks,ranging from 3 to 10. There were also several times when the Redtails were streaming. One lowish Red-shouldered Hawk circled offering a great view. 2 Crows chased what was probably not a localish Northern Goshawk,through the park at a low level. I had a wonderful view as the Gos went over me at only about 20ft..almost too fast for binos. The same 2 crows also harrassed a Redtailed Hawk,providing a bit of a thrill for Gail. A dark-morph Roughlegged Hawk circled somewhat low,and was bird #100. I was very pleased to get a day of 100+ in November. The final total was:
Sharpshinned Hawk......5
Coopers Hawk.............2
Northern Goshawk.......1
Red-shouldered Hawk...2
Red-tailed Hawk.........100
Rough-legged Hawk.....3
American Kestrel.........1 These days it pays to hit your favorite raptor watch on days with a strong element of north in the winds. While it is definetly winding down,thats the best chance to see a number of raptors this time of year.

13 Raptors YTD 5537 + Piliated Woodpecker

Decided to give today a try,after another stretch of poor weather for birds of prey.I had a few raptors,then at 12:50pm a flurry of 10 went by,including 9 Redtailed Hawks and a single Northern Harrier. I thought maybe the skies were about to rain raptors but it was not to be. Final total was 2 Sharpies,10Redtails and a Harrier. My count is now 5537 for the season. A Sharpshinned Hawk landed in a tree in the park briefly,before carrying on its way. The best sighting of the day was a Piliated Woodpecker,that flew through the middle of the park,and landed in a tree in a yard at the end of the park. I suspect it may be around for a few days now,but of course thats purely speculative. It was my first sighting of a Piliated this year. Tomorrow should bring some more raptors by the park. The winds are to be favorable to SOME movement. I will be present early,but dont expect much raptor action until at least 11am or later. Bathrooms are still open until at least Tuesday,Nov 21.

Nov 12 97 Raptors including 2 Golden Eagles

Finally today a good north element wind,after a day of rain,brought raptors past Rosetta McClain again in higher numbers. Try as I mite,I couldnt drag 3 more birds over the park no matter how much looking I did. From 10am onward things were reasonably steady for this time of year until about 230pm. A flurry of Redtails came about 215pm,as 14 kettled together,followed closely by 2 others. A very low Red-shouldered Hawk gave Carol and I terrific views(it was her first sighting of one ever) and another later provided a great contrast in size with an adult Golden Eagle,which it circled with briefly. A dark morph Rough-legged Hawk,became Carols first RL sighting ever,and we both enjoyed it. Earlier a light morph Roughie circled co-operatively as we ID'd it. We may have seen why Loons are called Loons,as a Common Loon actually seemed to take a few runs at the Rough-legged Hawk as it circled! Todays 4 Rough=legged Hawks brought my year total to 8,which is the highest Ive counted at Rosetta McClain Gardens in a season(3 years). Year to date I surpassed the 5500 mark,now at 5518 raptors identified. Todays total included:
Northern Harrier.....................1
Sharpshinned Hawk................2
Redshouldered Hawk..............2
Redtailed Hawk....................84
Roughlegged Hawk..................4
Golden Eagle...........................2(adults,one at 12:45pm,the other 2:20pm)
American Kestrel.....................2
Thanks to Keith and Carol for their company on a terrific day! It was great to see that High Park and Cranberry Marsh both had amazing days as well. High Park got close to 400 raptors and Cranberry Marsh had over 700!

Nov 10 A Typical November Count:28,YTD:5421

Today after several days of very poor winds,we finally had another wind with a north element in it. It wasnt very strong,so the bulk of todays movement passed out of my range to the north,but some good birds were seen over Rosetta McClain Gardens. A male Northern Harrier was seen nicely,as well as a very large female. A juvenile Goshawk passed through the park low. A flurry of Redtailed Hawks,brought the bulk of the days count with Leon and I counting 12 Redtailed Hawks and a Harrier in one stream,around lunch time. Depending on if it rains,Sunday could provide a decent movement of raptors.(the pictured Harrier was taken Nov4)

Nov 2 A 3 Eagle Day Total:27 YTD 5345

After a slow end to October,November started slow too,with only 5 raptors on the first. Today was somewhat better and a more normal November count of 27. Today I shared an adult Bald Eagle with buddy Terry at 940am. We had a very nice view of this bird. Sundry Harriers,Redtails,Coopers,Sharpies.Peregrine and Kestrels later,Leon and I saw 2 juvenile Golden Eagles. One was at 12:40pm the other at 1:53pm. Always a special thrill,both of these birds circled higher and higher out over the lake,eventually going onward to the southwest. We watched each for at least 10minutes or more. A very high but nice male Nothern Harrier went past. The final total consisted of a Bald Eagle,5 Harriers,6 Sharpies,2 Coopers Hawks,a Northern Goshaw (#20 of this years watch,a new record),7 Redtailed Hawks,2 Golden Eagles,2 Kestrels and a Peregrine Falcon.

End of October Totals

October closed with several terribly slow days. Rain one day,very very high winds another meant few if any migrants. That said,it was a terrific October otherwise,with great views of record numbers of Red-shouldered Hawks,Redtailed Hawks and Golden Eagles. Brilliant views of a few Northern Goshawks and a strange albino Redtailed Hawk seen on Oct 25th. That Albino Red-tail was seen on the 29th at another hawk watch at Holiday Beach Raptor Watch,on Lake Erie,nearish the Detroit River. Kind of cool to know where some of the birds we see end up. October also saw record numbers of Turkey Vultures pass Rosetta McClain Gardens,while not an astounding total by any means,none-the-less it was more then ever b4.Octobers and this years totals so far are:
Turkey Vulture...........222.............435(new record..old 372)
Osprey..........................9...............92(new record..old 64)
Bald Eagle.....................7...............45(new record..old 25)
Northern Harrier.........144.............463(new record..old 129)
Sharpshinned Hawk....859................2526(new record..old 1618)
Coopers Hawk.............63................120(new record..old 94)
Northern Goshawk........13.................18
Redshouldered Hawk.....21.................21(new record..old 8)
Broadwinged Hawk.......................225(new record..old 22)
Redtailed Hawk............488...........572(new record..old 336)
Roughlegged Hawk...........3................3
Golden Eagle.....................6...............7(new record..old 6)
American Kestrel.............40............670(new record..old 294)
Merlin..............................18..............58(new record..old 25)
Peregrine Falcon...............15.............57(new record..old 40)
Total.............................1918..........5313(new record..old 3042)
Thanks to all my raptor watching friends too numerous to mention,for making the watch both sucessful and fun. Things will slow down in November but I look forward to some good days.

Slow Start..Great Finish 284 Raptors:13 of 15 Species YTD 5297

In the end today,as hoped for,it was another great day of raptor watching. High birds and blue skies were sometimes a challange,but many birds were still in nice and close,and there were a few surprises. The day started slower than I expected,there wasnt a significant upflight,as between 8 and 11am I saw only 18birds. Things began to pick up around then,becoming a terrific day. Things had seemed to slow down for awhile,and I was abit out of gas,so I was going to pack things in at 3pm. Luckily I didnt,and as I was beginning to leave,I spotted 1,then 2,now 3 Redtails. I stopped to see if there were more...oh oh there is a few Turkey Vultures! Now I cant leave. From 3-5pm I saw 127 raptors,the best of which was an Osprey at 4:40pm,which barely cleared the park office I was by now sitting in front of on a bench. In the last part of the day,adding the Osprey and a late Kestrel,again today I saw 13 of 15 usual species,today missing Broadwinged Hawk and Northern Goshawk. I saw a single dark-phased Rough-legged Hawk again today at 1:30pm. Many late in the afternoon Turkey Vultures,made surpassing my best previous season total by 61,with the total now at 434 possible. Todays total included:
Turkey Vulture......................93(new high season 434)
Osprey...................................1
Bald Eagle..............................1
Northern Harrier.....................2
Sharpshinned Hawk..............19
Coopers Hawk.......................4
Red-shouldered Hawk............3
Redtailed Hawk..................156
Roughlegged Hawk.................1
Golden Eagle...........................1
American Kestrel.....................1
Merlin......................................1
Peregrine Falcon......................1
This brings the season total to 5297.
Thousands of Robins and Redwinged Blackbirds flew past in the early morning. At least a dozen Common Loons were seen. Many ducks were seen barely skimming the very calm lake. A few Tree Sparrows were seen.

Oct 25 Great Count Great Views Day Count 432...YTD 5013

Todays weather held true,with good northwest winds all day. I arrived at 830am and by 10am,Id seen 70 raptors,a terrific upflight. Today was filled with highlights,both birds and numbers. Gunner,Carol,Lyn and myself enjoyed an amazing day of raptors,with great views of many birds. We saw 13 of the 15 species seen in southern Ontario,the missing 2 somewhat difficult to see this time of year Osprey and Broadwinged Hawk. Several of the Red-shouldered Hawks again provided fantastic views,Redtails were everywhere,a low Merlin blasted through,several Goshawks gave fantastic views and a dark morph Roughlegged Hawk were all very special sightings. The oddest/rarest sighting of the day was in a stream of Redtailed Hawks,which were hugging the bluffs,moving along aside the lake. We all saw what was either an albino Redtailed Hawk or a Kriders Redtailed Hawk? Its head and body were all white,the feathers on top of the wings seemed to be all white to one observer. Either is a first for me. (need to confer more with all to make a better determination..my impression is albino) This was at 1:15pm. Our final tally for the day was 432 Raptors consisting of:
Turkey Vulture....................34
Bald Eagle.............................1(juvenile)
Northern Harrier....................2
Sharpshinned Hawk.............157(ytd record 2505)
Coopers Hawk......................13
Northern Goshawk..................4
Redshouldered Hawk.............11
Redtailed Hawk....................204(one day record..ytd record 410)
Roughlegged Hawk..................1
Golden Ealge............................1(ytd record 6)
American Kestrel......................1
Merlin.......................................1
Peregrine Falcon.......................1
Just an incredible day,thanks to everyone for their help and enthusiasm. This takes the year to date total to 5013. Never dreamt Id count that many at a little park 10minutes from my home!

Terrific Day Of Viewing Day Count 232...YTD 4582

Today was a terrific day for raptor watching. Gunner,Colin,Carol and myself enjoyed some wonderful sightings of 12 of the regularily seen raptors. A juvenile Northern Goshawk gave us great views. 3 of the 4 Red-shouldered Hawks seen today also flew by allowing us clear views of their field marks. Several male Northern Harriers were seen very well. A Merlin did magic trick...it flew in plain view giving us a chance to observe it well,banked and headed towards some thinning trees,giving us the illusion of watching it through the tree branches,as we followed it through the branches...or so we thought. Coming out of the trees 3 of us thought we were still watching the Merlin zoom out,when we realized the Merlin had changed into a Northern Flicker. It clearly had spooked the Flicker and contiuned on out of sight...the Flicker emerging in its place. Eat your heart out Kris Angel! As the day was winding down,at 3:55pm Colin and mine's (oh wouldnt my highschool english teacher love me) patience was rewarded with an immature Golden Eagle,the 5th of the season seen at Rosetta McClain Gardens. Todays totals included
Turkey Vulture........................3
Bald Eagle...............................1
Northern Harrier.....................20(ytd 450)
Sharpshinned Hawk...............127
Coopers Hawk..........................6(ytd 101)
Northern Goshawk.....................1
Redshouldered Hawk..................4
Redtailed Hawk.........................62
Golden Eagle..............................1
American Kestrel........................4(ytd 668)
Merlin........................................2
Peregrine Falcon.........................1
Year to Date,4582 raptors have been counted. Also seen today were thousands of migrating Red-winged Blackbirds and Robins. At least 15 Common Loons flew over the park,and we observed at least 40 on the lake among many Mergansers,Cormorants and Gulls all involved in a feeding frenzy.

Oct23 Weather Cleared:Some Good Birds:Day Count 38 YTD 4338

Today,I made the mistake of watching the weather forecast. At 930am it said rain would start up again at 11am so I didnt see the point of rushing over to the park for one clear hour. I went about my day,and started watching the radar on the noon news. With no rain in sight,I walked over to the park arriving about 12:30pm. I learned a few folks had been at the park earlier,so todays count is subject to change if they were able to ID any birds whilst there. On my watch from 12:30pm-3pm,I had some great birds,including 2 first of season Red-shouldered Hawks,which were below eye-level and along the bluffs quite closely,providing the best views Ive ever had at Rosetta McClain Gardens of this specie. Shortly after,the first Rough-legged Hawk passed over the park,at a good level for ID,though somewhat high. With luck the next few days will bring more of each species. Very shortly before 1:15pm,a new raptor watching buddy Brian showed up. He joked(or maybe not? ) that I was under pressure to produce a Golden Eagle for him today,as he'd received a $65 speeding ticket on his way to the park. He says "Ok BIGFRANK where is my Golden Eagle?" and without exaggeration at that very moment I turned,looked towards the lake and saw....a juvenile Golden Eagle on our side of a ridge of trees which goes down the side of the bluffs.The view was brilliant,and Brian was very excited. We could clearly see all of the field markings and enjoyed a close view,while watching the eagle gain serious altitude,eventually going very high and somewhat out over the lake. I told Brian he could go home now . We also saw several Northern Harriers with one great view of a male. It seems there is a young Goshawk sticking around near the park,lately puting in an appearance each day. Todays total of 38 raptors included:
Northern Harrier..................10
Sharpshinned Hawk...............8
Coopers Hawk......................1
Northern Goshawk................2
RedShouldered Hawk............2
Redtailed Hawk.....................8
Roughlegged Hawk................1
Golden Eagle..........................1
American Kestrel....................5
Thanks to Carol for her observations,and I await speaking to Gunner for any further additions to the count.

Oct.21 High Birds and Reverse Migration:Day Count 188 YTD 4300

Finally after several slow and rain days,another good day of migrating raptors. While many birds were quite high,a smattering of lower birds kept the enjoyment level high. From 8am-12pm,I saw 142 raptors,with things slowing down considerably after that. The last 29 birds,were a reverse migration of birds not seen that day,so were counted. Sometime between 2pm and 3pm part of The Peel Birding Class,which I sometimes bird with,joined me. I was about ready to pack things in as they arrived but stayed to be sociable. No birds came until group leader Brete looked west and asked whats this..2 Turkey Vultures,followed by 23 others. The 26th bird,Brete urged us to look at. Immediately I recognized it as a Golden Eagle. It flew past us going west to east(reverse migrating) giving the gathered throng a fine look at it. Next a male and female Northern Harrier went "backwards" and lastly flying below us and very close to the bluff before landing in a bluff-side tree was a juvenile Northern Goshawk. We suspect the raptors wanted to land for the evening and couldnt see a good spot beyond us,so went back to find a suitable spot..they also could have seen/sensed poor weather ahead of them and turned back to wait it out. Final Tally included:
Turkey Vulture..................25
Northern Harrier...............11
Sharpshinned Hawk........130
Coopers Hawk...................7
Northern Goshawk.............2
Redtailed Hawk..................3
Golden Eagle......................1
American Kestrel................5
Merlin.................................3
Peregrine Falcon.................1
Of note,thousands and I mean 20000 or more Red-winged Blackbirds and Robins were seen migrating early in the morning. Sometimes very high,clouds and clouds of them. It was awe inspiring. Many thanks to Keith who spent the morning with me and The PBC for their contributions to an enjoyable day. Keep an eye on Tuesday through Friday,as possible big days at your favorite raptor watching site. Rather strong Northwest winds are forecast,which could bring more Golden Eagles and possibly some Rough-legged Hawks in addition to your regularily scheduled migrants. DRESS WARM no matter where U attend! A reminder that bathrooms are open till Nov 7th 9am-3pm weekdays,9am-5pm weekends.

Oct15 Milestone Day + Golden Eagle Day Count 52..YTD..4029

Though my count wasnt as high as Id hoped for today,I did reach several milestones and see good birds. The milestones first...I saw Northern Harrier number 400 today,Sharpshinned Hawk number 2000 and Raptor number 4000 today! Totals not previously counted at Rosetta McClain Gardens before.
MidOctober Totals look like this
Speceis.................................Day...................Oct1-15....................YTD..........
Turkey Vulture........................2.........................61........................274..........
Osprey...................................0..........................8..........................91...........
Bald Eagle..............................0..........................4..........................42...........
Northern Harrier.....................8........................85..........................404..........
SharpShinned Hawk.............36......................348........................2015..........
Coopers Hawk.......................3.......................27...........................84.........
Northern Goshawk.................0........................3.............................8..........
Red-shouldered Hawk.............0........................0.............................0.........
Broadwinged Hawk................0.......................10..........................225.......
Redtailed Hawk.....................1.......................46..........................131.......
Rough-legged Hawk..............0........................0.............................0.......
Golden Eagle.........................1........................1.............................2.......
American Kestrel....................0......................23..........................653.....
Merlin...................................1........................8............................48.....
Peregrine Falcon....................0......................10.............................52.....
Totals..................................52......................634.......................4029.......

The highlight of today was easily the adult Golden Eagle,which I spotted out over the lake abit at a distance. Immediately I started fumbling through my napsack for my camera hoping the eagle would get closer. I soon remembered DOH DOH!! that I had my camera around my neck. I finally got the camera focus on the Golden Eagle when it went behind the big Poplar tree atop the ridge....I have a lovely photo of the Poplar tree...oops. It then popped up and along the side of the bluffs almost right beside Keith and I. It was Keiths first Golden Eagle,and it passed within 30ft of us,at almost eye level! What a view we enjoyed for over 5minutes. After I got a blurry shot of the eagle,I gave up and just watched it with binoculars. What a beauty!! Keith was very happy,and couldnt believe how close it had passed. With luck I will get another photo opportunity like that. Im told from October 20th onward the Golden Eagles start to fly in greater numbers. Thanks to Keith for a fun morning and it was great to meet Brian and I look forward to seeing him again.

Poor Counts But Some Decent Photos..YTD 3949

The last several days have held promise,but apparently the birds arent reading or watching the right weather forecasts. A Merlin landed in the park with food one day,and today a Redtailed Hawk landed in a spot very near me for photos. There are still many birds out there to come,so I am sure eventually a few more big days will happen. Thanks to all who have attended lately,for their company and contributions. (Pictured Redtail,Merlin,Redtail)

Oct5 Not The Flight I Hoped For Day Count 105...YTD 3845

After 2 days of poor weather,with NE winds expected all day today,I had hoped for the very large raptor count that other sites had today. Todays 105 wasnt too bad,but most birds were very high. A young Bald Eagle was spotted by Ron,low over the lake,and we enjoyed a good long view of it. A low Merlin also gave great views,as did a low Coopers Hawk. Turkey Vultures were somewhat distant,hinting that official count sites (like Cranberry Marsh in Oshawa)were probably seeing alot(and they did). Todays count included:
Turkey Vulture.........................10
Osprey......................................1
Bald Eagle.................................4
Northern Harrier......................19
Sharpshinned Hawk.................42
Coopers Hawk..........................3
Redtailed Hawk.......................18
American Kestrel.......................3
Merlin........................................2
Peregrine Falcon........................3

Thanks to Ron,Carol,Tim and Paul for their contributions today.

October Off To A Flying Start: 245 Raptors..YTD 3640

October got off to a flying start as(so what else is new?) the weatherman was wrong again,and not only did it only rain about 15min and not till after 2pm,but the winds were predominantly northwest(high winds). Another busy day meant I was very thankful for all the help I had. Rodger and Jane,Keith,Bill,Leslie,Mike and friends and later Brete all added not just birds and expertise but to the fun of the day.
The final total was 245 raptors and included:
Turkey Vultures............................25(all thanks to Rodger spotting one)
Osprey...........................................5(several giving great views)
Northern Harrier...........................27
Sharpshinned Hawks..................160(high,low,other)
Coopers Hawk..............................6
Northern GOshawk.......................1
Broadwinged Hawks.....................10
Redtailed Hawks............................2
American Kestrels..........................7
Peregrine Falcons..........................2
Watching a Ringbilled Gull harass a Northern Harrier down on the lake was a highlight. A very close Peregrine Falcon was also exciting. Flurries of Sharpies kept me hopping. Thanks again to everyone for a fun day and your contributions.

2006 Year To Date Totals

Here is this falls total for Aug and Sept:

Specie.............................2006Total
Turkey Vulture....................213
Osprey.................................83(new record,old 64)
Bald Eagle............................38(new record,old 25)
Northern Harrier.................319(new record,old 129)
Sharpshinned Hawk..........1667(new record,old 1618)
Coopers Hawk.....................57
Northern Goshawk.................5
Broadwinged Hawk............215(new record,old 22)
Redtailed Hawk....................85
Golden Eagle..........................1
American Kestrel................630(new record,old 294)
Merlin...................................40(new record,old 25)
Peregrine Falcon...................42(new record,old 40)
Total Aug/Sept ................3395(new record,old 3042)
Its been an amazing September,with more birds seen this month then last falls entire count. In Aug I saw 112 raptors,a good start. This month of September I saw 3283 raptors. I had 12 days this month with more than 100raptors seen. Bring on October! Thanks to everyone who came out,hope to see U in October!

First Good Vulture Movement:Day Count 471 YTD:NEW RECORD 3384

Todays weather was perfect..eventually for a great raptor flight. We were begging for some clouds at first,and Ive no doubt we missed some birds in the blue blue sky,though we did our best. Todays final tally was 471,which put me way past last falls final year total of 3042. My current total is 3384 for 2006! Much thanks to Rodger and Jane,Lyn,Tim and Carol,for their help today,spotting and almost keeping me sane. I surpassed 300 Northern Harriers for the season,and have seen more Sharpshinned Hawks then all of last fall(1667 vs 1618),with adults yet to come in the coming weeks of October. Todays final tally of 471 included:
Turkey Vulture.........................186
Osprey........................................2
Bald Eagle...................................5
Northern Harrier........................22
Sharpshinned Hawk.................155
Coopers Hawk............................9
Northern Goshawk......................2
Broadwinged Hawk....................45
Redtailed Hawk..........................25
American Kestrel........................15
Merlin..........................................4
Peregrine Falcon..........................1
Again we had a terrific look at a juvenile Northern Goshawk. Turkey Vultures were to the north so Ive no doubt we missed a few,but with everyone working hard,we had a terrific day. We had one 3rd year Bald Eagle,one adult and 3 juveniles. While many birds were very close we had many high ones today,and even Turkey Vutures out over the lake. (Pictured are Turkey Vulture and Redtailed Hawk)

Sept.28th Bad Weather Good Count 82...YTD 2913

Despite todays poor weather,we still had a good count. Colin,Rodger and Jane joined me. There were many close birds,and a few very high ones. The bird of the day,a quote from Colin:
"Today >>> at the Bluffs with Big Frank ... 80+ raptors ... highlight >>> "big" juvenile female Gos' flying with a Harrier ... separating from the Harrier's flight path, Gos' made a quick right hand turn to fly past Big Frank and I at eye level ...and just 20 to 30 feet away from us ... we could see her eye(s) !!! "
Todays final tally of 82 included:
Turkey Vulture.........................2
Osprey.....................................2
Northern Harrier.....................17
Sharpshinned Hawk................47
Coopers Hawk.........................3
Northern Goshawk...................1
Broadwinged Hawk..................2
Redtailed Hawk........................1
American Kestrel......................4
Merlin.......................................1
Peregrine Falcon.......................2

Sept27,All In The Upflight: 61 Raptors..YTD 2831

Todays count slowed down a great deal after 11am,so most of the birds counted were the"upflight" or birds that spent the night nearby and left early the next morning. Carol and Terry joined me today,and helped pass the slow periods between birds. Of interest today,a Kestrel that landed atop a Spruce tree(pictured) and interaction between 2 Peregrine Falcons. I spotted 2 Peregrines flying together,one harrassing/attacking the other. They went behind a tree,and only one emerged which I watched out of sight along the lakeshore to the west. The "attacker" I lost track of but assumed it had continued on,just evading my sight. Later I saw 2 Peregrines again,this time there was vocalization between the 2,something I always love to hear,as one attacked the other. This time I saw the atackee out of sight again,but saw that the "attacker" went back to a spot further on along the bluffs. Still later in the day I saw what I believe was a Peregrine,some distance out over the lake to the east,eventually making its way back to the distant shoreline. Conclusion:there is a female juvenile Peregrine who has decided to hang out along the top of the bluffs somewhere for awhile. In coming days I will watch closely for more such interactions.
Todays count included:
Osprey..............................2
Northern Harrier................6
Sharpshinned Hawk..........23
Coopers Hawk..................1
American Kestrel..............25
Merlin................................1
Peregrine Falcon................3
With a big day on Friday,when good raptor movement conditions are predicted I will surpass my 2005 Final Count,with 2 months remaining in the count. Lets hope the weatherman gets Friday right!

Sept26 Another Fine Day 118raptors...YTD...2770

Another good day,with high winds being northwest till around noon. Thanks to Ron,Gunner,Richard and Kira for their coming out to enjoy the day and spot me some birds. A great view of a Peregrine Falcon was enjoyed again today,and several Northern Harriers passed by very closely. I had a nice kettle of 6 Northern Harriers today,and one with 15 Sharpshinned Hawks. An Osprey circled offering great views to Peter and I,as Peter took a break from his walk to check it out. Todays total of 118 raptors was the 11th day with greater than 100,and included:
Osprey.........................2
Northern Harrier.........31
Sharpshinned Hawk....63
Coopers Hawk.............2
Redtailed Hawk............1
American Kestrel........18
Peregrine Falcon...........1
With luck the predicted Friday northwest winds will bring a good movement of raptors. If the northwest winds predicted hang in until Friday,get to your favorite raptor viewing site.
Other birds seen today were Brown Creepers,many Golden Crowned Kinglets,a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and a Northern Mockingbird. Blue Jays continue to migrate in good numbers.

Sept25 Day Count 211...Year To Date 2652

Today was another fantastic day. The weatherman was happily wrong,we had high winds that were northwest much of the day. How does the old joke go? If U dont like the weather wait a minute and it will change? We had the bluest blue skies,perfect hawk skies (with nice puffy clouds in the blue sky) and completely cloudy skies,but still counted 211 raptors.I had plenty of help spotting and IDing.Thanks to Colin,Rodger and Jane,Mary,Gunner,Carol and Ron,for their contributions to the count and very enjoyable days. Peregrine Falcons are moving alot along the lakeshore,with fantastic views of several 19 in the last 4 days. Todays total included:
Turkey Vulture......................1
Osprey..................................3
Northern Harrier..................29
Sharpshinned Hawk...........120
Coopers Hawk......................3
Broadwinged Hawk.............13
Redtailed Hawk.....................2
American Kestrel.................34
Merlin....................................1
Peregrine Falcon....................5
The season total of 2652 wasnt achieved until Oct19th last season.

Sept24 More Then A Pair O Grins Day Count:75 YTD:2441

I had plenty of visitors/helpers today. Thanks to everyone who enjoyed great views and helped spot birds today. Guests included Ron and Jean,Eleanor,Gunner,Terry,Andrew,Carol,Colin and all the way from the UK Rodger and Jane. We had better than predicted weather,resulting in a decent flight of 75 raptors. We had terrific views of a few Harriers,a 2nd year Bald Eagle,a few Osprey and many Peregrine Falcons. We saw one juvenile Peregrine Falcon takea run at an Osprey as it went past. That needless to say caused some excitement among us. Several of the Peregrines came right along the bluffs affording us great viewing. Our 75 raptors included:
Osprey.......................4
Bald Eagle..................1
Northern Harrier.........8
Sharpshinned Hawk...43
Coopers Hawk...........2
Redtailed Hawk...........1
American Kestrel.........5
Merlin..........................1
Peregrine Falcon........10

Sept.22 Wind Shift Day Count:67 YTD 2355

Today the weather changed,which meant a slower day. It was still a wonderful morning,with quality sightings. An Osprey went by with a fish in its tallons,the first time I had ever seen that. Of the 5 Merlins,Ron and I watched at least 2 catch dragonflys on the fly,and gulp them down,followed by dropping the wings. 3 migrating Peregrines which passed us about eyelevel were great sightings. Todays 67 birds included:
Osprey.........................6
Northern Harrier..........5
Sharpshinned Hawk....31
Coopers Hawk............3
American Kestrel........14
Merlin...........................5
Peregrine Falcon............3

Thanks to Ron,JeanMichael and Ziggy for joining me today and for their contributions to the count and enjoyment of the day.
Also seen today were Ruby-crowned Kinglets,Black-throated Green,Black-throated Blue and Nashville Warblers,Ovenbird,Gay-cheecked Thrush,Yellow-bellied Sapsucker,Winter Wren and Brown Creeper(mostly seen by Jean searching,while things were slow).

Sept 21 Another Great Day 252 Raptors..YTD 2278

Today the winds were somewhat unexpectedly from the Northwest again,so myself,Al,Carol,Terry and another Al got to see some great birds. The early morning saw a decent upflight,with 77 birds by 10am and a flurry quickly put me over 100. Harriers were giving fantastic views,and at one point I had 8 in a kettle(yes I made doubley sure they werent Broadwings). Later 7 Broadwings passed through the park low,before kettlling near us. Terry's timing was good,as he arrived as the kettle formed. Final totals included:
Osprey.......................2
Bald Eagle..................2
Northern Harrier........45
Sharpshinned Hawk..127
Coopers Hawk...........7
Nothern Goshawk.......1
Broadwinged Hawk....21
Redtailed Hawk...........7
American Kestrel........40

Sept 20 Record Day Count.. 559 Raptors YTD..2026

An awesome day of raptor watching today,with Northwest winds all day,and a brief rain. Many thanks to Brian,who helped spot and ID for the last 2- 3hours,the extra set of eyes certainly helped. A decent upflight of 46 was seen between 7am and 9am. Things just got better from there. After 10 hours of counting,I averaged almost 56 raptors an hour,or nearly one per minute!
The final tally of 559 Raptors included:
Turkey Vulture...................4
Osprey..............................4
Bald Eagle.........................1(juvenile)
Northern Harrier................48
Sharpshinned Hawk..........282
Coopers Hawk....................7
Broadwinged Hawk............64
Redtailed Hawk...................4
American Kestrel..............142
Merlin.................................2
Peregrine Falcon..................1
This brings my season total to 2026,a total I didnt attain last fall until October 9th.

Sept19 Golden Day... Day Count 239 ...YTD..1467

Today was another fantastic day of raptor watching at Rosetta McClain Gardens. At 11:45am,Carol and I saw a juvenile Golden Eagle. It was very low and very close to us. It barely cleared a ridge of trees along the side of the bluffs,and just above eyelevel no more then 50ft away we spotted it. I hollered EAGLE! and immediately as it flared up,GOLDEN EAGLE. We clearly saw the tail and "armpit" markings. It circled infront of us,and we had spectacular views of it. Eventually it came back gaining a great deal of height. Ron Pittaway was first to spot a juvenile Northern Goshawk,which came low and was definetly on a hunting run into the park. Our final total of 239raptors included:
Opsrey.....................5
Bald Eagle................1
Northern Harrier.....26
Sharpshinned Hawk..126
Coopers Hawk............2
Northern Goshawk......1
Broadwinged Hawk.....1
Redtailed Hawk..........1
Golden Eagle..............1
American Kestrel........69
Merlin.........................5
Peregrine Falcon.........1
This brings my season total to 1467.(112 of which were in August) Tomorrow is shaping up to be another excellent day. Also of interest we saw a waterspout out over Lake Ontario.

Sept 16-18 Count 51 Year To Date 1228

The last few days migration conditions have been poor,and the birds knew it. I was happy to meet Leslie and Mike Kinrys,see old friends Terry and Elizabeth Sheils,meet Art Slack and Len and Mary(?). With varying degrees of success all saw at least a few raptors. Today I managed decent shots of a local(uncounted) American Kestrel and an Osprey which I did my best to follow in focus as it co-operatively circled above the park. The periods sightings included:
Osprey.........................2
Northern Harrier...........2
Sharpshinned Hawk....32
Coopers Hawk.............2
American Kestrel.........13

Hopefully after the rains clear out more great count days will come. The 2 Osprey I saw today put me over 50 for the seasons count.

Sept.15 2006 And So It Continues Day Count 121 YTD 1177

After a few days of very poor conditions and equally poor migration. Thanks to friends Lyn(who spotted one of the eagles),Leon,Carol and Wyatt age 4 (for spotting me a Sharpshinned Hawk) for their help.
Todays sightings included:
Bald Eagle...................2(one 3 year old)
Osprey.......................2
Northern Harrier..........4
Sharpshinned Hawk...94
Coopers Hawk............2
Redtailed Hawk...........3
American Kestrel.......12
Merlin........................2
Todays count of 121,brings my season total to 1177 and for the month of September only,the total is 1065 raptors.

Sept. 11,2006 32 Raptors..YTD..1048

Today I thought the morning flight would be the best. I arrived to find a beautiful sunrise,and the first Osprey of the day went by before the sun had completely risen. Again I had plenty of help,so time passed faster as between birds there was good conversation. Terry,Leon,Colin,Gunner,Mary and Carol all enjoyed at least a few of the great birds,including:
Osprey...............5
Bald Eagle..........5(now seen 26,one more then all of last seasons count)
Norther Harrier...1
Sharpshinned....15
Coopers Hawk....1
Redtailed Hawk...3
American Kestrel.2
3 Bald Eagles came along at the same time,2 very obvious,the 3rd further out,but seen by at least myself,Colin and Leon.

Sept10,2006 Another Good Day 131 Raptors...YTD 1016

Today I enjoyed the company of many birders and I thank them all for their help and for adding to the enjoyment of the day, Special thanks to Leon who spotted 2 of the 6 Bald Eagles. Things slowed down after 1pm today,but not before a good movement of raptors had occured. The days 131 raptors was highlighted by 5 Osprey (a photo shown) and 6 Bald Eagles(3 within 5min of each other,2 being juveniles who circled together putting on a great show.). Later a Sharpie and a Kestrel had a go at each other. Todays count included:
Sharpshinned Hawk......81
Coopers Hawk..............2
American Kestrel..........24
Merlin.............................3
Northern Harrier............8
Redtailed Hawks...........2
Osprey..........................5
Bald Eagle.....................6
Total...........................131
Todays total put me over 1000 raptors since Aug1,which wasnt achieved until October 3rd last year. Its shaping up to be a great season.

September 9,2006 Fantastic Count...Day Count 310...YTD...885

Many thanks to all who dropped by today and enjoyed some fantastic birds. Special Thanks to Colin Horstead,Jean Iron and Ron Pittaway,without whose help my head would have been spinning even more than it did. Todays incredible count included:
Osprey...........12(new one day record)
Bald Eagle........5(4 adults)
Harrier............16
Sharpshins......201
Broadwings......19
Redtailed Hawk..6
Kestrel.............41
Merlin...............10(new one day record)
Sept 9 Total...310
Special sightings included 4 adult Bald Eagles,2 which circled together right over the park. An amazing 12 Osprey and 10 Merlin were tallied which were new one day high totals. Jean spotted a Common Nighthawk and 5 American Black Ducks. My total for this year is now 885,which is one short of last years total as at Sept 30. More help has undoubtedly helped spot more raptors,but I also think this is the first "normal fall" we've had in several years.

Sept.8 Another Good Day 119Raptors..YTD 575

Another great day of raptor watching at Rosetta McClain Gardens. Several folks joined Colin and I today,including Charlie(a frequent Cranberry Marsh attendee),Fred and young Wyatt(aged 4 and a budding birder). Sharing birds with them and several passersby made the day more enjoyable. The most noteworthy bird was a Merlin,which circled beautifully for us,making a few hunting forrays around the park,disappearing back to the east before exiting stage west. At one point it flew very near a Kestrel,giving a wonderful chance to compare,size,colouring,flight cadence and all round gist.
Kestrels were the early birds,later Sharpshinned Hawks were the prevalent bird.
------------------- Todays Totals------------YTD
Bald Eagle ........... ........1.................................10
Turkey Vulture...............0..................................9
Osprey..........................0..................................25
Northern Harrier...........2...................................51
Sharpshinned Hawk.....65................................219
Coopers Hawk.............0....................................11
Broadwinged Hawk......0.....................................50
Redtailed Hawk............1....................................27
American Kestrel.........48..................................164
Merlin...........................2......................................3
Peregrine Falcon...........0.......................................6
Totals........................119....................................575

Sept. 7,2006 A Harrier Than Normal Day 114 Day Count,YTD:456

Today was another terrific day! I was joined today by 3 freinds,Terry whom I know from birding at the Leslie Spit,Jean Irons and Eleanor Beagan. Terry could barely tear himself away,to meet his wife and Jean and Eleanor enjoyed a great afternoon of sightings. Thanks to all of you for your help and commradery.
The birds ...oh ya....todays total 114 raptors,was a great surprise,despite less then optimal conditions again. Todays sightings consisted of:

Osprey....................3
Bald Eagle................2
Northern Harrier......31
Sharpshinned Hawk.45
Redtailed Hawk........4
American Kestrel.....28
Peregrine Falcon.......1
Day Total..............114

Year To Date Total 456

At one point we had 5 Northern Harriers and a few Sharpshins in the air at once. The flow of Harriers was great,and many gave fantastic views around and even below eye level. A very close Osprey gave Terry a thrill,and a Jean,Eleanor and I all enjoyed a very close Redtailed Hawk.
We had a very good shorebird,which flew past giving a good view,even if only Jean could ID it. I was glad to have her expertise,as I just watched the bird clueless as to its ID. Hudsonian Godwit,a life bird for me.
Thousands of Monarchs continued to migrate. Here is an attempt at photos. Eventually I will master raptors in flight! Hey at least I got it in frame!

Sept.6 Doubled My Season Count..172 today YTD 342

On arrival today,I wasnt expecting much raptor action,the weather channel had called for morning rain,and more in afternoon. Id broken away to try some photos of Cedar Waxings in the Mountain Ash trees,it was so slow. By 10:45am I hadnt seen much,so was sitting down having a 10min nap,nodding off and on,when I hear" Your not going to see many birds like that!" As I snapped to,and cleared the haze from my head I saw Colin coming down the garden path. It turned out to be a very good thing Colin did wake me. Between 11 and 11:30am,we got 41 raptors,all started when we got on a lone Redtailed Hawk. Suddenly there were birds joining it,then as I scribbled down what we'd seen Colin says "Ive got a Bald Eagle". Now I hurriedly try to locate it and say "ok Ive got your Eagle and there are 2 Broadwings above it!" Colin replys "I dont see any Broadwings" Frank says "Well your binos are stronger so field of vision is less." Colin "My bird is circling." Frank "Mine is flying straight". Finally we both realized for certain we are on 2 different Eagles.
For an hour,the birds all seemed to be really high and going out over the lake to avoid the big grey clouds. At least 3 times ominous looking grey/black clouds were coming towards us from the north,but each time they broke up before it rained on us,and the birds just kept on coming. By "staying on" birds,suddenly more would appear. We saw one Kestrel,and quickly a 2nd came into view,just as Colin and I both got on to the bird,it snagged a dragonfly,and ate on the wing as it continued onward.
Our final total doubled my year to date count. We saw 172 raptors today,consisting of,
Osprey...........3
Bald Eagle.......3
Harriers..........6
Sharpies........64
Coopers.........2
Broadwings....41
Redtailed.........4
Kestrels.........49

The 41 Broadwinged Hawks today is more then the previous 2 fall seasons totals combined(only 18 in 2005 and 22 in 2005..current year total including todays 41 is now 50) . Preliminarily I attribute this to Colins expert help,and more seasonal weather conditions then the last 2 seasons. Counts of over 100 raptors are special days,this is the earliest Ive had one.
Of special none raptor note...thousands and thousands of Monarch Butterflys moving through,all day long. Every direction we looked we saw Monarchs,they were beautiful,though distracting,as we tried to separate the Monarchs from the birds in our binocular views.

Sept 5 A Nice Surprise

Though the day was overcast and even sprinkled rain on us briefly,myself,Ron,Jean,Eleanor and Colin saw a few good raptors,7 in all,including a Peregrine Falcon,Coopers Hawk,3 Sharpies,an Osprey and a nice surprise,a juvenile Broadwinged Hawk that landed in the park. It was harrassed by a few American Crows,and moved around within the park,giving us nice views. Its the first time in 3 years that a Broadwing has perched in the park. It was more heavily mottled than normally observed(at least by Colin and I). I got this quick photo,which while not as good as Id like does show the heavy mottling,obvious malar mark(dark stripe near eye) and fully marked chest(as opposed to belly banded Redtailed Hawk).
Juvenile Broad-winged Hawk

September 4 Raptor Count:47 YTD Total:163

Finally today,after 2 days of rain and generally poor weather,day long north-west winds made for a very good, still early migration day. The day started slowly,before it greatly improved. A Bald Eagle(2nd year) was seen by myself,Colin and a few passersby,as it gave us at least a 10minute view at 11am. Its possible this was one seen at Cranberry Marsh today too. A Peregrine Falcon,hugged the lakeshore as it went past below us. Later a Merlin went through the park,barely above the trees,at hyper-speed,but clearly identifiable. A Sharpshinned Hawk attacked a Red-winged Blackbird from nowhere,as during a lull we were watching the blackbird..quite a thrill. As a new raptor enthusiast,Carol really enjoyed seeing many Sharpshinned Hawks and Kestrels,and a beautiful Osprey which passed us,very close to the bluffs. The final break down was:
Turkey Vulture..........2
Osprey.....................3
Bald Eagle................1
Northern Harrier.......2
Sharpshinned Hawk.30
Coopers Hawk.........1
Redtailed Hawk........2
American Kestrel......4
Merlin.......................1
Peregrine Falcon.......1
Total Sept 4............47
10 species in a day was wonderful to see. How is this for consistant? Last season on Sept 3 my total was 163 for the fall,as of today my total for 2006 is 163. Thanks again to everyone who visited,helped and took interest..

August Raptor Total...YTD 112

The Breakdown:
Turkey Vulture............7
Osprey.......................14
Bald Eagle...................3
Northern Harrier.......10
Sharpshinned Hawk..11
Coopers Hawk............7
Broadwinged Hawk....8
Redtailed Hawk........16
American Kestrel......34
Peregrine Falcon.........2
Total Raptors Aug...112

This year August total,is in the range of both 2004's 147 raptors and 2005's 95 raptors. This fall seems to be setting up to be more normal fall temperatures,compared with the heat and humidity of the last 2 years. Hopefully this will mean increased viewing opportunities. Most of the 14 Osprey,have been very close and provided excellent viewing.
A few days with rain are coming in early September,but when that clears,if predictions hold true,several days of north winds are to follow,which could bring some good sightings and increasing volumes.
Many thanks to my raptor watching friends Colin,Ron and Carol for your help,company and commradery. I was happy to show an enthusuastic,Carol her first migrating American Kestrels and Northern Harrier and look forward to sharing many more sightings with her. Thanks also to the many passersby who took interest in what I was doing,asked questions and the lucky ones that shared sightings. Onward to September!

Northeast Winds Late August = OSPREY:Fall Raptor Total 106

Moderate Northeast winds most of the day,brought a respectable late August total of 22 raptors,bringing the season total to 106. Todays sightings included 7 Osprey,spread over the entire day. It was the first bird of the day just after 8am,and the last bird of the day at around 230pm. 7 Osprey,10 American Kestrels,3 Sharpshinned Hawks,a Coopers Hawk(not the local) and a Northern Harrier. None raptors included a Great Blue Heron,American Redstart and several good looks at various Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Several Monarch Caterpillars have been seen lately,many Monarch Butterflys and today 2 Black Swallowtail Butterflys. I could see clearly across the lake,to the US side and also to the city of Niagara Falls. 3 Airshow planes made 2 passes of the bluffs,with more action expected Friday,when there is a good chance The Snowbirds(Canada's precision aerobatic team) will practise a few tricks. Saturday through Monday(weather pending of course) the last 2 years,planes from the show go into a holding pattern over the lake and can be viewed from Rosetta McClain Gardens as they await their turn in the CNE Airshow.

Aug 23,2006 A Few More Migrants: 11 Raptors,Year To Date 71

Todays northwest and later north winds,brought a respectable early migration total of 11 birds of prey. Another Osprey passed by,it was seen purely by accident as I caught it whilst looking in a treetop for a warbler during a lull. 3 more Broadwinged Hawks went through,todays were all very high up. 2 American Kestrels,4 Redtailed Hawks,and a single Sharpshinned Hawk completed todays sighitngs. Many thanks to my "raptor mentor" Colin,for his help and company,making the day more enjoyable. Other Birds Seen: Yellow-rumped Warblers,Blackburnian Warbler,Nashville Warbler,Black and White Warbler,Least Flycatchers and many Cedar Waxwings whizzing by in flight. Down on the lake for something different I spotted 2 Trumpeter Swans swimming by,then later taking flight. They were not wingtagged. Also interesting was a new bug I saw,found later to be a Locust Borer..amazing whats around when we look closely.

Good Early Movement:18 Raptors Today:Year To Date 60

Todays northwest winds brought a good number of migrants of all shapes and sizes. The raptors seen were highlighted by 3 Osprey,one was very close to the bluff,another seemingly appeared out of nowhere,but co-operatively circled before moving on. A Northern Harrier passed by very close,as I was chatting with a gentleman originally from Etheopia,visiting from Los Angles. He was amazed by the beauty of the park,and Toronto on the whole.
Todays raptors were 3 Osprey,7 American Kestrels,a Sharp-shinned Hawk,a Coopers Hawk(plus the local who isnt included in the total),a Northern Harrier,2 Redtailed Hawks and 3 Broadwinged Hawks.
Last fall I counted only 14 Broadwinged Hawks,and thus far have seen 5 already,giving me some hope of an increase in totals,should we get more seasonal temperature as compared to the last 2 Septembers. Broad-winged Hawks move in bulk in a very small window,sometimes of only a few days. Some count sites have huge daily totals ranging from a few thousand to over 100 000. I have no delusions of grandeur that I will get such a count,but hope for substantially more then Ive counted previously.
Lately Ive been noticing the many insects around the park,a Cicada Killer Wasp really caught my eye! Many Monarch Butterflys,a few Black Swallowtailed Butterflys and an American Daggar Moth Caterpillar provided something interesting to look at when birding was slow. All of the Swallows nesting in the side of the bluffs have moved out,and of late many warblers,vireos and flycatchers can be seen early in the mornings(7am-9am).

Wind Does Matter:Lucky 13

Todays Total 13 Raptors:3Bald Eagles,3Sharp-shinned Hawks,4American Kestrels,2Redtailed Hawks and 1 Northern Harrier. Year To Date Total: 15

A 2nd consecutive day of northwest winds,even this early in the migration season mattered. 3 Bald Eagles was a real highlight,2 circled together out over Lake Ontario,gaining height,before moving on. The 3rd came almost over immediately after,around 11am,reasonably low and circled right over the middle of the park,almost over my head. Eventually it headed southwest. A very co-operative Northern Harrier,which circled treetop high and directly in front of me for photos was another bit of excitement. 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks began harassing the Harrier,diving at it a few times.
Non-raptor highlights included 2 Lesser-yellowlegs flying past,3 Purple Martins and a Least Flycatcher which hung around the side of the bluffs.

Aug 3rd:And So It Begins

Todays count 2...Year To Date 2....one Redtailed Hawk and one Peregrine Falcon.

With ridiculous heat and humidity on the first and second of the month,5 minutes after starting my watch today,the first raptor counted went by,an adult Redtailed Hawk. It flew with purpose along the lakeshore from west to east and out of sight. And so it begins. At 10:55-11:00am,I spotted a juvenile Peregrine Falcon. It came reasonably low over the park,circling and gaining height,drifting out over the lake and gaining still more height. I was able to share this with 2 passersby who were amazed by this sighting. Raptor migration starts slowly in August,with the first 2 weeks being very hit and miss,though by the end of August the count should reach somewhere around 100-150 birds of prey.

Other good sightings of migrating birds were 6 Great Blue Herons,a few hundred Cedar Waxwings and Bank,Cliff,Barn and Tree Swallows. Bugs and animals noted were many Monarch Butterflys,a handfull of Black Swallowtailed Butterflys and a large yellow caterpillar or centipede(I took photos and when I get them back I will post..hopefully ID'd by then,one Cotton-tailed Rabbitt and the highlight of the day,a 30minute viewing of a youngish looking Red Fox. Its coat was beautiful. It was seen digging near an old log,presumably for grubs and bugs.