Nov 14th - 7000th and a Late BW!

Today was another gorgeous November day to be at the park although it did get a little overcast and damp feeling towards late afternoon.  Lots of good folks on-hand to catch every bird that flew overhead.   Highlights today included our 7000th bird of the season - a Red-tailed Hawk, and a very late Broad-winged Hawk which flew low and right over top of us.  Our previous late date for a Broad-wing was on October 29th back in 2010.

Today:
Northern Harrier - 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 2
Cooper's Hawk - 2
Northern Goshawk - 1
Broad-winged Hawk - 1
Red-tailed Hawk - 31
Merlin - 1
Total - 41

To Date:
Turkey Vulture - 2719  (1461)  (3306)
Osprey - 94  (110)  (211)
Bald Eagle - 69  (57)  (109)
Northern Harrier - 203  (244)  (488)
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 2731  (2191)  (3712)
Cooper's Hawk - 52  (95)  (127)
Northern Goshawk - 6  (18)  (24)
Red-shouldered Hawk - 39  (25)  (83)
Broad-winged Hawk - 90  (216)  (1418)
Red-tailed Hawk - 527  (757)  (1019)
Rough-legged Hawk - 4  (10)  (28)
Golden Eagle - 6  (10)  (20)
American Kestrel - 302  (561)  (719)
Merlin - 113  (72)  (130)
Peregrine Falcon - 57  (68)  (102)
Total - 7012  (5963)  (11128)

The numbers in red are our seasonal averages - 2006 thru 2014.
The numbers in blue are our highest seasonal totals - 2006 thru 2014.

Some really spectacular shots again today...

Red-tailed Hawk (Mike)

Red-tailed Hawk (Paul)

What a nice surprise this late migrant was...

Broad-winged Hawk (Paul)

Broad-winged Hawk (Mike)

 Broad-winged Hawk (Mike)

And then there was this beautiful male flying low over us...

Northern Harrier (Ann)

Northern Harrier (Ann)

Northern Harrier (Charlie)

Northern Harrier (Paul)

Other Birds:
American Goldfinch - many groups migrating in the morning
American Robin - many small groups migrating in the morning
Brown-headed Cowbird - several migrating with m/f RW Blackbirds
Cedar Waxwing - several flying over and around the park
Common Loon - 31 counted migrating south over the park
Eastern Bluebird - 2 small groups migrating in the morning
House Finch - a number of small groups migrating earlier in the day
Red-winged Blackbird - many large groups migrating in the morning

Cedar Waxwing (Paul)

American Crow (Paul)

Hawkwatchers:
Mark, Mike, Paul, Phil, Peter, Ron, Dave, Betty, Sonja, Gunnar, Manfred, Allison, Pat & Nancy, Berle, Lee, Charlie, John, and a few others who stopped in.  Thankyou everyone for a great day!

Just a few of us! (Ann)

Weather Prediction:
Nov 15th - sunny switching to mainly sunny in the afternoon, SW 20km/h gusting to 30km/h switching to W 15km/h in the afternoon  (theweathernetwork.com)

Walter

Nov 13th - Two More!

Not a lot happening at the Watch today, just 2 countable birds flew by.  Maybe tomorrow!  Just 29 more raptors to reach 7000 for the season!

Today:
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1
Red-tailed Hawk - 1
Total - 2

To Date:
Turkey Vulture - 2719  (1461)  (3306)
Osprey - 94  (110)  (211)
Bald Eagle - 69  (57)  (109)
Northern Harrier - 200  (244)  (488)
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 2729  (2191)  (3712)
Cooper's Hawk - 50  (95)  (127)
Northern Goshawk - 5  (18)  (24)
Red-shouldered Hawk - 39  (25)  (83)
Broad-winged Hawk - 89  (216)  (1418)
Red-tailed Hawk - 496  (757)  (1019)
Rough-legged Hawk - 4  (10)  (28)
Golden Eagle - 6  (10)  (20)
American Kestrel - 302  (561)  (719)
Merlin - 112  (72)  (130)
Peregrine Falcon - 57  (68)  (102)
Total - 6971  (5963)  (11128)

The numbers in red are our seasonal averages - 2006 thru 2014.
The numbers in blue are our highest seasonal totals - 2006 thru 2014.

Other Birds:
American Goldfinch - a number of small flock in the air overhead
Loon sp - 1 out of the lake
Long-tailed Duck - a few out on the lake
Red-breasted Merganser - a few out on the lake

Butterflies:
None

Mammals:
Eastern Cottontail - 1

Hawkwatchers:
Lee, Berle, Peter, and Cori

Weather Prediction:
Nov 14th - a mix of sun and clouds switching to mainly sunny in the afternoon, NW 25km/h and gusting to 41km/h switching to W 20km/h and gusting to 36km/h in the afternoon.  (theweathernetwork.com)  Please check again before you leave the house as I'm sure this forecast will change.....it always does!

See you at the park!
Walter

Nov 11th - Another Bird!

Today a few of us gathered at the park to enjoy a not-so beautiful November day, gab, and watch a Red-tailed Hawk fly along the bluffs.  Tomorrow it will rain.

Walter

Nov 9th - Another Bird!

Today a few of us gathered at the park to enjoy another beautiful November day, gab, and watch a Northern Harrier fly along the bluffs.  Tomorrow it will rain.

Walter

Nov 8th - Not Too Bad!

My thanks to the folks that gathered along the bluffs to watch and count hawks today and to Bruce and Hugh for sending me the reports of what happened.  Unfortunately an early morning walk out on the Leslie Street Spit pretty much finished me off for the rest of the morning and early afternoon and I couldn't make it to the park.  Phil and I did see the reported Barrow's Goldeneye duck today, a life bird for Phil and a record setter for me!

Today:
Turkey Vulture - 7
Northern Harrier - 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1
Red-tailed Hawk - 19
Rough-legged Hawk - 2 (1 light, 1 dark morph)
Total - 32

To Date:
Turkey Vulture - 2719  (1461)
Osprey - 94  (110)
Bald Eagle - 69  (57)
Northern Harrier - 199  (244)
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 2728  (2191)
Cooper's Hawk - 50  (95)
Northern Goshawk - 5  (18)
Red-shouldered Hawk - 39  (25)
Broad-winged Hawk - 89  (216)
Red-tailed Hawk - 494  (757)
Rough-legged Hawk - 4  (10)
Golden Eagle - 6  (10)
American Kestrel - 302  (561)
Merlin - 112  (72)
Peregrine Falcon - 57  (68)
Total - 6967  (5963)

The numbers in red are our seasonal averages - 2006 thru 2014.

Other Birds:
Common Loon - 1

Hawkwatchers:
Bruce, Hugh, Cori, Pat & Nancy, Mark, Charlie, John, Norm, Bruce & Ann Falls, plus a few others.  Thankyou!!!

Weather Prediction:
Nov 9th - sunny, SW 10km/h switching to E 10km/h.

Walter