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.
