Wind (current)

WOW WHAT A DAY! and oh ya 47 Raptors ...4 Goshawks


A local juvenile Redtail made frequent passes of the park. This shot comes to us courtesy first time contributor Mike Zondino Thanks Mike 3!

Mike also got this great shot!
Thanks to another first time contributor,Jane MacLean for this shot of a Snow Goose seen at 12:45pm. I spotted a small line of Canada Geese,with a white one in the middle. Our first Snow Goose of the season and our 2nd local rarity of the day and 2010.

This is my shot of the Snow Goose. For several present this was a life bird!
The above and below shot are courtesy Ann Brokelman. Ann really enjoyed this sighting! See why further down the page. This was the first rarity this season at Rosetta McClain Gardens Raptor Watch.


The above and below shot are from Mike Dizonne of the first Short-eared Owl seen at Rosetta McClain Gardens to our knowledge. This brings the total number of species seen at this little park to 187. Again for many this was the first sighting of a Short-eared Owl. This was at 11:25am and really woke us up. Walter spotted a bird and soon said Its an Owl! I immediately ID'd it as a Short-eared Owl.
After the owl circled lazily overhead,giving all a fantastic look at it,first one then 2 Redtailed Hawks harrassed the Short-eared Owl!!
Ann Brokelman got these shots of the interaction between the 2 foes.Note the relative size and different markings.
A real thrill!! To be talked about for years!
Terrific action shots Ann!! Were we all lucky to witness this and even luckier to have a pictoral record.
Our final oddity/rarity of the day was an American White Pelican,which came along beside us from the west heading east along the shoreline out of sight beyond Bluffers Park at 2pm. What was undoubtedly the same bird was seen by Norm Murr and Peter McFarland on the Toronto Islands at 12:20pm and later closer to Rosetta and consistant with the time we saw it,the banding crew of Brett Tryon,Bronwyn Dalziel,Maya Ricker-Wilson and Juan Zuloaga at Tommy Thompson Park(Leslie Street Spit) saw the Pelican heading our way at 1:40pm.
Truely a trio of amazing sightings in one day! Congratulations,especially to Walter,who has surely put in his time and deservedly was rewarded!
Todays total of 47 Raptors included
23-Turkey Vulture
2-Northern Harrier
2-Sharpshinned Hawk
6-Coopers Hawk
4-Northern Goshawk
7-Redtailed Hawk
3-Peregrine Falcon
The next few days look very hit and miss. Watch for some stronger NW winds or at least north element winds of 15kmh or more(without rain of course) for a big movement.

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