Sept 2nd Another Nice Day=A Poor Raptor Count

Today was very slow so we packed it in by 1pmEDT(2pm on your watch). Walter,Bill,Murray and myself managed 8 raptors. All were low today which was nice. A local Coopers Hawk and 2 Sharpshinned Hawks made a few passes of the park. Our final count consisted of:
1-Osprey
1-Northern Harrier
4-Sharpshinned Hawks
1-American Kestrel
1-Merlin
This brings our total this season to 267. Keep an eye on the weather,the predictions for the winds keep changing. A warning,often the Canadian International Airshow holds up migration through Toronto. The birds dont like all those noisy fast moving planes and avoid the city. The show starts at 12:30pm or 1pm. We expect to see a number of the planes from Rosetta McClain Gardends in the coming days. We saw one bi-plane fly by today,which is likely a stunt plane from the show. If the raptors dont fly,we can watch the airshow planes instead.

Slow September Start 9 Raptors

Today the winds were too light to bring much past Rosetta McClain Gardens. Fortunately,the company was good and we did get a few birds. A Kestrel landed in 2 trees and an Osprey passed by very close while Ann was there. Unfortunatly,until Sunday,unless the weather report changes there doesnt appear to be a day where we will get any great number of birds. We will still be present,but will likely be leaving by 2pm at the latest.

Aug 31 The End To A Successful August...18raptors

Today the gang enjoyed a beautiful day. The sun was very hot on us,but the skies were perfect. We ended the watch at 1pmEDT. We had one bird that sparked debate,we had it as a bueteo,but it didnt look right. Fortunately Ann got a few photos(not up to her standards) that were good enough for a positive ID. Colin and I looked at the photos and independantly came up with 100% Northern Goshawk,a juvenile.We finished the last day of the month of August with 18 raptors. We saw:
1-Osprey
1-Turkey Vulture
13-Sharpshinned Hawks
1-Northern Goshawk
1-American Kestrel
1-Merlin

Ann Brokelman sent along these 2 shots of a Sharpshinned Hawk and an Osprey.



The Final August Total is a record 250 raptors.
32-Osprey(new Aug record)
14-Turkey Vultures
8-Bald Eagles(new Aug record)
14-Northern Harriers
80-Sharpshinned Hawks
5-Coopers Hawks
1-Northern Goshawk(first in Aug for us)
16-Broadwinged Hawks
36-Redtailed Hawks
27-American Kestrels
7-Merlins(new Aug record)
10 Peregrine Falcons(new Aug record)
The 71 raptors spotted on Aug 26 was an August record.

Thanks to everyone for their contributions to a brilliant start to the 2009 raptor watch season. We have already seen some great birds and I look forward to many more. Its been great to see new folks out for the first times and Ive enjoyed seeing all of the regulars from previous seasons. Keep watching for north element winds and remember we should see some of the Canadian International Airshow planes in the coming week,and during the airshow this coming weekend.

Aug 30 47 Raptors and Some Special Visitors

The morning started very slow,before the birds finally came. It was very windy and cool today. We had a real gang of visitors today,including Kathy and her husband,Lee,Anne,Carol and her son(first visit) Riel,Dave,Colin and Marguarite,Charlie,Peter and Bruce(sorry if I have missed anyone). By the end of the day we had a very respectable 47 birds of prey go past the park,including:

6-Osprey

38-Sharpshinned Hawks

1-Merlin

2-Redtailed Hawks

Our seasons total is now 232,which is almost 100 more then our best previous August total! Thanks to everyone for their contributions. We also saw a Northern Parula Warbler,Nashville Warbler,2 Great Egrets,a few Great Blue Herons,a few each of Great Crested Flycatchers and Baltimore Orioles.Below is a shot Lee took.

Our special visitors today were Mary West-Mortimer and Geoffry West-Mortimer,who were the last residents of the homes where Rosetta McClain Gardens is now. Their family donated the parcel of land to the city,to be a garden spot for relaxation and rest and a place of beauty. They were very pleased to hear of our watch and said they were glad the park was being used for such an activity. We informed them we have seen 185 species of birds from the park,and Mary said it was a great place to see spring Warblers. I let her know it still was and she was very pleased to know that,and that so many people were enjoying them. It was our honour to meet she and Geoffry. Before they left,I let them know one of the staff members kept some historical photos of the property and I asked permission to take a photo . They provided a way for us to contact Geoffry about filling in any blanks in the family and properties history. Thanks to the West family for their part in our having such a wonderful place to enjoy. We will do our best to bring more visitors to enjoy this marvelous treasure.

Aug 28th 13 Raptors On A Blustery Day

It seemed more like an October day,then an end of August day. It was windy and overcast. Walter,Ann,Carol,Beryl,Lee,Dave and Colin(Niloc) joined me today,on a day when several birds literally blew by very quickly. I did manage a decent silhouette shot of an Osprey and a Redtailed Hawk that landed atop a tree and rested for 10minutes or so before carrying on.

Todays totals were:

4-Osprey

1-Bald Eagle(adult..2:25pm)

3-Sharpshinned Hawks

1-Coopers Hawk

2-Redtailed Hawks

2-American Kestrels

13-Total Raptors

Sunday and Monday both have a chance to be great days for raptors. Watch for those Northwest winds,keeping in mind it is still August. We have had great turnouts which really makes the watch even more enjoyable.

Aug 27 16 Raptors,3 more Osprey

Today was a typical August count,16 is a respectable number. Our total included 3 Osprey..2 that Ann spotted,one later circled above us.

Today We Saw:

3-Osprey

4-Northern Harriers

4-Sharpshinned Hawks

2-Redtailed Hawks

3-American Kestrels

16-Total Raptors

Thanks to Dave we saw 2 Great Crested Flycatchers and a Red-necked Grebe.

Aug 26 Best Day In August Ever...71 Raptors 5 Bald Eagles

Walter and I met at about 715am shortly before it began to rain. It finally stopped for about the 3rd time around 10am. Shortly after,the sky cleared and the birds started to come. Again northwest winds brought out many watchers who all enjoyed some of the days record 71raptors. Gunner,Beryl,Lee,Dave,Peter and Murray all joined Walter and I . Everyone really enjoyed the day. We saw 5 Bald Eagles,which were definetly the highlight of the day. 2 came through together,both juveniles. At 1:10pm an adult Bald Eagle flew by close enough to view it naked eye,later at 2:35pm another adult Bald Eagle went over the park.

Not the best shot but its all I could do. We added 7 Osprey to our seasons tally. Remarkably we saw 11 out of 11 species that could normally be expected to be seen this time of year. We saw:
10-Turkey Vultures
7-Osprey
5-Bald Eagles(Juveniles at 12:40pm and 2 at 1:25pm,Adults at 1:10pm and 2:35pm)
3-Northern Harriers
11-Sharpshinned Hawks
1-Coopers Hawk(plus the local)
12-Broadwinged Hawks
8-Redtailed Hawks
12-American Kestrels
1-Merlin
1-Peregrine Falcon
71-Total
This total has been updated to reflect 8 Turkey Vultures Carol saw, after I left. Too many records fell today for me to keep track of. In my month end summary I will make note of them all. The seasons total is now 150. We are off to a great start. Thanks to everyone for their spotting help and commraderie.

Family Raptor Day At Cranberry Marsh Sept 3 2009

Central Lake Ontario Conservation and our raptor watching friends at Cranberry Marsh are taking part in their first Family Raptor Day and I wanted to post this message to show our support of the good folks out at Cranberry Marsh. There will be displays,a great handout filled with raptor information,prizes, a raffle and much more. Of course volunteers will be offering identification tips. All of the information can be found at http://www.cloca.com/2009/Family%20Raptor%20Viewing%20Day/index.htm . There are 3 presentation times 9-11am,1-3pm and 6-8pm. If you attend,tell em BIGFRANK sent ya. I am hoping to get at least one vehicle load of Rosetta raptor watchers to go and show our support. It looks like it will be fun and informative. Please let any family and friends know,especially if they live in the area.

Aug 24 and 25 Some Nice Birds

Over the past couple of days,things have slowed down,but there have been some great birds. On the 24th,7 raptors were seen,including 3 Osprey. Today,Walter and I saw 3 different Peregrines,2 were males..different ones for sure because one had a feather missing from its tail. Today at 12:30pm we had our first Bald Eagle of the season,a juvenile which flew east to west. At 12:51pm the same bird flew past going west to east. Birds seen over the 2 days were:
3-Osprey
1-Bald Eagle
3-Northern Harriers
1-Sharpshinned Hawk
1-Redtailed Hawk
3-Peregrine Falcons

This brings the season total to 79. The next 2 days have potential to be good days for August,again I remind folks August is slow,so a good day in August is something around 20 BOPS. Watch for a north component in the wind.
I invite everyone who wants to follow things even closer to join us on the Rosetta McClain Gardens Discussion Board. There we discuss everything thats being seen. With fall migration underway,the board will be more active again. Please join in and let us know what you are seeing,animals,bugs or birds. The link is to the right side of this page.

August 23 And So It Really Begins 42 Raptors

Today was the first day in August with a good North wind and not alot of heat,so this brought both birders and birds. Walter,Carol,Ann,Colin,Peter,Frank,Alice and I enjoyed a terrific day. Highlights included a nice look at an early Broadwinged Hawk,an American Kestrel that landed in a Pine Tree while alarm calling,before carrying on and an Osprey being harrassed by 2 Sharpshinned Hawks. There were more Monarch Butterflys the we have seen this season so far,hundreds/thousands maybe of Dragonflies filling the air and well over 100 Chimney Swifts. The Swifts were moving west to east which seemed strange,if anyone knows if they migrate different then most birds please let me know.

Todays Totals

1-Turkey Vulture

7-Osprey

2-Northern Harriers

4-Sharpshinned Hawk

1-Coppers Hawk

3-Broadwinged Hawks

16-Redtailed Hawks

6-American Kestrels

2-Peregrine Falcons

42-Total Raptors

This brings the season total to 67

Keep your eyes on the weather reports and watch for those North element winds.

Please Join Us

Hello,Im BIGFRANK,your host and avid raptor watcher. Please read the information provided,then plan to join me in watching birds of prey flying along the shoreline of Lake Ontario from atop the western end of The Scarborough Bluffs. Possible sightings of 15 species of raptors(birds of prey),includuing Osprey,Redtailed Hawks,Golden and Bald Eagles and Turkey Vultures.

WHERE: Rosetta McClain Gardens in Scarborough Ontario Canada,at Kingston Rd and Glen Everest Rd. One stop-light east of Kingston Rd and Birchmount Rd. If you have them bring scopes,binoculars,cameras and bird books. The gardens are wheelchair accessible and have bathrooms and many benches. NOTE The following ARE NOT ALLOWED in the Gardens,dogs,picnics,bicycle riding or ball playing.

When: From Aug15-Nov30 almost daily I will be present counting migrating raptors. Peak migration is from mid-September to mid-October. Peak time of day is most often 10am-2pm. Optimal conditions for large movements of raptors are on days with moderate north-west winds and nice white puffy clouds,though any day could bring great things.

WHAT IS SEEN: Any given day,any or all of 15 species of migrating birds of prey can be seen migrating along the shores of Lake Ontario. Some birds will land briefly in the trees of the gardens,some circle briefly,while most fly past. Past years between 4000 and 6000 raptors have been seen,with our best day last year being 845.

Please check back often once fall migration season starts for daily reports. If you decide to join me,I will do my best to show you whatever comes our way and pass on information to you. We have a great band of regulars who are happy to help. We welcome everyone,beginners to expert. Contact me at raptor.watch@hotmail.com if U have any questions.

AUG 1-15,2009 Summary
August has started out,much as expected...slowly. Migration starts but things dont really pick-up until the week or so. Thus far early days have seen Walter,Dave,Beryl,Carol,Lee and I find 21 raptors,consisting of:
1-Osprey
2-Turkey Vultures
2-Northern Harriers
5-Sharp-shinned Hawks
2-Coopers Hawks
1-Broadwinged Hawk
1-Redtailed Hawk
2-American Kestrels
3- Merlins
2 Peregrine Falcons
21-Total Raptors Aug 1-15

The heat and humidity are not condusive to movement of birds of prey. Included with todays report is a short video clip of one of the Peregrine Falcons. This is sort of an experiment so please bear with me.

The American Kestrel is the smallest raptor in North America. It is the smallest member of the Falcon family. It ranges from 22-30cm(9-12inches) in length and has a wingspan of up to 55cm(22inches). Females are larger then males. The appearance from one sex to the other is very different. The wings of the male are a blue/grey colour with the back being rusty/brown,while the females wings are more rusty/brownish in colour,as are their backs. The wings like all falcons are pointed. Both have a strong moustache around the eye,which can often be seen when in flight with binoculars. Perched it is very obvious and a big field mark to look for. They bob their tails alot when perched also. The tails of both males and females are a rusty colour with a thick black band at the end. Something to look for which doesnt exist on Merlins are as Colin and I have named them "Christmas Treelights" along the trailing(back) edge of the wings.(I also call them beads). The chest of the male is light to very bright rust coloured.
Kestrels can often be found hovering over fields or grassy type areas. They are hunting rodents,when doing this. American Kestrels are also often seen sitting on hydro wires. Watch for their bobbing tails. At migration time they often fly very early in the morning,starting at first light and often are the last birds flying on a good day. One day I counted 44 before 9am.

Cheats:Remebering our elimination identification,if U see a small bird,immediately U can hone in on 4 species. Sharpie,Coopers,Kestrel and Merlin. U have eliminated 11 species. Check if the wings are pointed. If the wings are distinctly pointed(triangular as opposed to rounded like a Sharpshinned Hawk) U are down to 2 of 15,and have given yourself a much better chance of identifying the bird correctly. Merlins often flap all the way,and their speed is sometimes incredible. We see several hundred Kestrels and around 50 Merlins,chances are its a Kestrel. Look for the "moustache",the "Christmas Tree Lights" and the rusty tail. Remember to keep on a bird if there is time.All species will often tilt slightly giving you just the angle U need to decide what it is. Over the winter in your spare time learn all 15 species we see regularily in southern Ontario. This will allow you to go through them in your head very quickly when trying to ID by elimination. If U find a nesting bird you are unsure of,officially very very few(some say none) Merlin nests are known of in Toronto. Kestrels nest in cavities(holes).