Just Too Hot

Unfortunately this weekend noone will be in attendance at Rosetta McClain Gardens Raptor Watch. Its just too hot and humid to make it worthwhile. Im sorry if anyone showed up.

River Of Raptors

Most of us have heard about it, but this is the best video Ive seen about it. Walter sent it found it online and sent it out. Its on our "bucket list". Vera Cruz Mexico River Of Raptors http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvhJcidLzjE 

When you think Hawk Cliff sees alot...how about Vera Cruz?? They have a record of over 4.5million raptors in one season. This video not only shows us the incredible kettles they get there, but tells the whole story of what is being done in Vera Cruz. The video is abit long but worth watching!

A Few More Birds

Walter was down at Rosetta today, along with Phil, Paul, and Terry. Walter saw clouds of midges to the west of the park. That bodes well for movement of small birds who eat bugs! 
  Raptors seen today:
1-Northern Harrier
2-American Kestrels

Tuesday looks promising, keep your eyes on the weather for that day.

Rosetta Then and Now

It was slow today..ok non-existant, so Walter,Terry,Phil,Ron and I looked around for butterflies again. We did find a nice Sachem Skipper again, a White Admiral and a beautiful Common Buckeye(a first time photo for me personally as below)

Walter's Mom gave him a few old photo's, his father had taken back in the early 1990's,Walter is guessing around 1992. He thought it would be nice if we could post them while things were slow hawk-wise. I suggested we take a current photo to try and show how the park has changed over time. Today Walter took a few of the shots. One photo we couldnt figure out as it was taken from a spot that has since eroded away. Here are 2 photos,showing THEN on top and NOW on bottom as best as we could recreate the shots. Thanks to Walter and his folks for the pictures provided.

Note that there are trees where none were now and the differences in vegetation(changes yearly). Interesting to see how things have changed and just how much remains the same!

The next several days will be painfully slow with the good summer like weather. Raptors and small birds wont be seen. Raptors wont move and smaller birds will just fly right through the night and early morning without stopping off. Keep your eyes on the weather for the next north wind element day. There will probably be a significant movement especially if there are 2 days in a row,the 2nd day will likely be the better of the 2.

8 Raptors Today...Our First Bald Eagle Of The Season!!

Today started off beautifully. The temperature was cool and the winds were right for a few birds to go by. Prior to Walter's arrival I had an American Kestrel migrate past and a (for now at least) local Merlin which perched atop a tree briefly, before carrying on with a hunt.

(I am experimenting with a new camera and conditions were less than optimal)

     Walter and I were joined by Ron, Carol, Phil#1,  Lorne, Terry2 and  Betty among our regulars and 2 folks, one who was a first time visitor. Paul brought a friend of his Phil #2. Phil#2,  to our honour has been following the Rosetta McClain Gardens Raptor Watch from his adopted home in Austria. He was quite happy when a low Northern Harrier came past and he promised future visits and to continue to monitor things from home. Ron and he had been at university at the same time and knew one another those MANY years ago.(small world)
     We had our first Bald Eagle of the season fly by today!! Walter spotted it very high up. It flew by slowly and almost right over us, so at least everyone there at the time got to see it. It was a first year bird(juvenile for my purposes..some call it a hatch year bird).  It was 11:35am when it went through.

Our final total was:
1-Bald Eagle  juvenile 11:35am
2-Northern Harriers
1-Coopers Hawk(2 others were seen very high and interacting. We concluded they were local)
2-American Kestrels
1-Merlin
1-Redtailed Hawk
8-Total Raptors

     We continue to see many migrating Cedar Waxwings and in the last 2 days a number of Red-breasted Nuthatches. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds continue to migrate in small numbers but that will increase. A Blackburnian Warbler and several Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos were seen.
      Right now the weather forecast doesnt look terribly promising through Sunday, but as is usual the forecast changes about every hour, so keep an eye on it.