Sep 6th - The Storm

I had titled yesterday's post 'A Calm Before The Storm?'  We got our storm!  Today we counted a total of 244 raptors flying over Rosetta.  The day didn't look too promising at first with a heavy sky, rain and no wind but eventually it all changed just like the weather people predicted.  One for them!  My thanks to everyone for their help in spotting, identifying, and photographing everything that was zooming by.

Today:
Osprey - 15
Bald Eagle - 4
Northern Harrier - 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 171
Cooper's Hawk - 2
Broad-winged Hawk - 5
Red-tailed Hawk - 1
American Kestrel - 34
Merlin - 11
Total - 244

To Date:
Turkey Vulture - 0
Osprey - 55
Bald Eagle - 15
Northern Harrier - 19
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 398
Cooper's Hawk - 9
Northern Goshawk - 0
Red-shouldered Hawk - 0
Broad-winged Hawk - 87
Red-tailed Hawk - 13
Rough-legged Hawk - 0
Golden Eagle - 0
American Kestrel - 104
Merlin - 26
Peregrine Falcon - 2
Total - 728

Eagle Time (EDT):
01:25 PM - BE
02:16 PM - BE
02:30 PM - BE
02:44 PM - BE

Local Raptors:
Turkey Vulture - 2
Cooper's Hawk - 1
Red-tailed Hawk - 2

Raptor shots from the day...

 Sharp-shinned Hawk (Mike D)

 American Kestrel (Mike D)

 Sharp-shinned Hawk (Paul)

 Sharp-shinned Hawk (Mike D)

Merlin (Mike D)

Red-tailed Hawk (Mike D)

 Broad-winged Hawk (Mike D)

Northern Harrier (Mike D)

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Ann)

Osprey (Ann)

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Ann)

At 5:30 PM as we were getting set to leave a Common Nighthawk flew over the center of the park fairly low.  Always exciting to see!  Early in the day today we counted at least 9 Common Loons flying overhead and out over the lake.  Canada Geese in small numbers also appeared to be on the move.

Hawk watching became rather interesting in to the afternoon as the sky quickly filled with thousands of migrating dragonflies of various species and at best guess, at least 1000 Monarch butterflies.  Absolutely beautiful to witness but not while you're trying to find hawks!

These two have some business to take care of before heading south (Paul)

Common Loon (Ann)

Great Blue Heron (Ann)

Some of today's crowd (Ann)

The gang today included - Kris, Phil, John, Mike D, Ann, Mark, Sheldon, Gunnar, Mike P, Pat & Nancy, Dave, Norm, Irv, Allison, Hugh, Ron & Jean, Paul, Brian, Elias & Grace, Doug, Berle, Will, and Byron.  My apologies if I've forgotten anyone.

The predicted winds for Sunday are still from the northwest but not quite as strong.  Let's see what happens.

Check you tomorrow!

Walter

Sep 5th - A Calm Before the Storm?

I thought it might've been a little better today after the morning rain but I guess the birds are just waiting to go tomorrow instead.

Today:
Osprey - 2
Northern Harrier - 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 7
Merlin - 1
Total - 11

To Date:
Turkey Vulture - 0
Osprey - 40
Bald Eagle - 11
Northern Harrier - 18
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 227
Cooper's Hawk - 7
Northern Goshawk - 0
Red-shouldered Hawk - 0
Broad-winged Hawk - 82
Red-tailed Hawk - 12
Rough-legged Hawk - 0
Golden Eagle - 0
American Kestrel - 70
Merlin - 15
Peregrine Falcon - 2
Total - 484

My thanks to Allison, Lee, Brian, Leon, Peter, and Margaret.

Saturday (at present) is still looking perfect for a decent movement of birds.  Wind is predicted to be from the northwest at 25km/h and gusting even higher.  Birds will likely be down low and in our faces!

See you at the park!

Walter

Sep 4th - Here a Sharpie, there a Sharpie!

Oh my, the Sharpies were everywhere in the sky today!  Everywhere from over Kingston Road to out over the lake.  What a great surprise, wasn't expecting so many.

We had our annual visit from the class of kids from Cliffside Public School early today.  While there they enjoyed a few of the Sharpies flying overhead, the squirrels and the bunny.  I was 'schooled' by one young fella who told me all about the fastest land animal in the world.  We also talked about the Peregrine Falcon.  Always a fun time!

Today:
Osprey - 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 117
Broad-winged Hawk - 1
American Kestrel - 5
Merlin - 1
Total - 126

To Date:
Turkey Vulture - 0
Osprey - 38
Bald Eagle - 11
Northern Harrier - 17
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 220
Cooper's Hawk - 7
Northern Goshawk - 0
Red-shouldered Hawk - 0
Broad-winged Hawk - 82
Red-tailed Hawk - 12
Rough-legged Hawk - 0
Golden Eagle - 0
American Kestrel - 70
Merlin - 14
Peregrine Falcon - 2
Total - 473

Monarchs were moving again today.  We counted 21 of them flying by the Watch site.

My thanks to Don, Arvo, Hugh, Dave, Betty, Terry (today and yesterday!), Peter, Mark, Doug, Gord, and the kids from Cliffside PS for making it such an enjoyable and successful day.

Tomorrow will be hot and humid with wind blowing from the southwest.  Osprey and Peregrines?

Saturday (at present) is looking perfect for a decent movement of birds.  Wind is predicted to be from the northwest at 25km/h and gusting higher.  Birds will likely be down low and in our faces!

Hope to see you out both days!

Walter

Sep 3rd - 44 Birds, 31 Sharpies!

A pleasant surprise today with the old saying 'cooler by the lakeshore' holding true.  It turned out to be not quite as hot and humid as predicted on the bluffs.  For most of the day the clouds were blowing from the north while lower down the wind was from the southwest.  Bird flight was slightly above tree level.

Today:
Osprey - 1
Northern Harrier - 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 31
Cooper's Hawk - 4
American Kestrel - 4
Merlin - 2
Total - 44

To Date:
Turkey Vulture - 0
Osprey - 36
Bald Eagle - 11
Northern Harrier - 17
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 103
Cooper's Hawk - 7
Northern Goshawk - 0
Red-shouldered Hawk - 0
Broad-winged Hawk - 81
Red-tailed Hawk - 12
Rough-legged Hawk - 0
Golden Eagle - 0
American Kestrel - 65
Merlin - 13
Peregrine Falcon - 2
Total - 347

It wasn't long after arriving this morning that I realized that the start of the Monarch migration was underway.  We tallied up 38 Monarchs that were flying westward along the bluffs.

Sheldon, Allison, Hugh, Betty, Peter, Ron, Berle, Cori, Shirley, and Don were there for much of the action today.

Walter

Sep 2nd - Sharpies!

Over the last couple of days we've had a number of Sharp-shinned Hawks flying over the park but not really going anywhere.  Today, they left just before the rain.

Today:
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 6

To Date:
Turkey Vulture - 0
Osprey - 35
Bald Eagle - 11
Northern Harrier - 15
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 72
Cooper's Hawk - 3
Northern Goshawk - 0
Red-shouldered Hawk - 0
Broad-winged Hawk - 81
Red-tailed Hawk - 12
Rough-legged Hawk - 0
Golden Eagle - 0
American Kestrel - 61
Merlin - 11
Peregrine Falcon - 2
Total - 303

Today's group were Mike P, Pat & Nancy, Hugh, Peter, Terry, Lee, and me.

Walter

Aug 30th thru Sep 1st - No Birds!

As far as I know we've not had a single bird to count this entire long weekend.  If anyone did see anything today please let me know as soon as you can, thanks.  I'll be back down at the park tomorrow morning depending on the weather.  There is a 60% chance of rain at present.

Walter