Nov 1-7,Not Much Flying

The first week of November has been terrible for raptor migration. Its been beautiful weather,but not condusive to birds of prey flying. A few of the gang has started winter birding while we wait for some better raptor days ahead. Walter and a few folks went to Rosetta Nov7 and Walter sent me the following report.

Finally Something!!!

Today started out with the local Red-Tailed Hawk unsuccessfully hunting pigeons up on top of the apartment building on Glen Everest. When I arrived at the Hawk Watch spot, I turned to the East and noticed him sitting in the big poplar tree in the corner of the park. After a 20 minute rest, he then swooped down at a Downy Woodpecker, unsuccessfully again! He returned to the tree and was starring down at a Black Squirrel as I returned to our Hawk Watch area. While I was talking to a lady about the raptors, the local RT flew out of the tree and came just over the fence in front of us and went for a Black Squirrel and just missed him as well, he then circled around the fruit trees and came right through barely clearing the fence less then 15 feet away. The lady was in disbelief...I said to her "that's the reason we're here, it's unbelievable what we see." Upon his return from an unsuccessful hunt to the West sometime later, the RT came screaming out of the sky "talons first" at the same Black Squirrel, and sure enough, missed again! He then turned and flew right in between myself and the "bird sucking" tree and then back over to the poplar tree again. Lee and I saw 2 Red-tails fly over the park low and we also watched the local and another Red-tail fly along the Bluffs heading westward. Another nice sighting for Lee and I was a Pileated Woodpecker which only paused for a short rest before flying across the park and out the other side. Anyway, not a busy day but interesting at times, here is today's report:

NH - 1
SS - 3
RT - 4

My thanks to Lee, Ann, Tim, and Peter for coming down and giving me reason to stay at the park longer today.....always a great time.

Including todays 8 birds our November total is 18. 10 birds were seen Nov1. This brings our season total to 3868. The next day that holds any promise may be Wednesday(strong west winds),and Thursday there was a Northeast wind predicted,so I will try both of them and see what comes. Its believed that there are still a good number of Redtails to come yet,from northern Quebec and northern Ontario. With luck winds will blow them down to Rosetta for us to see.

A Few Birds But...Some Excitement 7 Raptors

Very, very slow today, the winds were all wrong but it was a gorgeous day to be outside all the same. A couple of bits of excitement were the Red-tail that came and landed in the pine tree right beside us and sat for 10 minutes scoping the ground for lunch, a Red-tail that came soaring over us with a Cooper's screaming and attacking the heck out of it, and the final bit of excitement was when Peter and myself saw an extremely light coloured (and probably partially albino) Red-tail which came slowly soaring over the tree tops and then over the fountain area flying at less than 100 feet above giving us an excellent view of this rarer coloured bird.

Today's count was:

NG - 2
CH - 1
RT - 4

Total - 7

My thanks to Lee, Berle, Peter, Betty, Ann, Carol, Leon, and Gunner for coming out and keeping me company while not much was flying. Always a great time, birds or not. I won't be at the park tomorrow (Friday) so if you go, let Frank or myself know what you've seen.
BIGFRANKS NOTE:I will be back in commission on Saturday,which right now looks like there is a chance to see some good birds. Very high counts are unlikely from here on,but some great birds are left to be seen. If north east winds that are predicted hold true for Saturday,birds will likely be high. Hope to see folks out,remember to dress warm. Keep your eyes peeled for Pine Siskins,White-winged Crossbills and Boreal Chickadees

Oct 29 Simply Red...75 Raptors

Walter Reports:

Today was filled with a good flow of Red-tailed Hawks. One adult RT came directly at Peter and I from over the lake and soared barely over the top of the small Poplar tree in front of us and turned and landed in the Maple tree along the fence line, just West of our watch site. Other highlights of the day would include another Golden Eagle. This juvenile eagle appeared at 10:51AM to the West of us and soared out over the lake and quickly climbed towards the ozone layer not allowing any opportunity for photos. Another highlight was the Northern Goshawk that never left. From 8:30AM when I arrived at the park to 5:00PM just before I packed it up this bird kept flying away to the West only to return again sometime later. It was the first bird and also the last bird I saw today. When Gunnar arrived around lunchtime, we informed him that we had seen an NG a few times in the morning but figured it had disappeared for good, then 5 minutes later, it returned from the West and flew low at us and then right up and over us allowing Gunnar and the rest of the gang an excellent view of this rarer species. Ann was able to get some fantastic shots of it on extremely short notice. Once again, another fun and interesting day despite the cold winds. Here's the final count for the day:


TV - 1
NH - 3
SS - 14
CH - 2
NG - 1
RT - 53
GE - 1

Total - 75

During Frank's absence from the Hawk Watch the last couple of days, it has become very clear that all of his teachings about raptors to myself and the other novice watchers has paid off greatly...a BIG thankyou!!! Although we are IDing everything with confidence that flies passed us, we do miss you and hope for a speedy return to the park. My thanks to Lee, Peter, Betty, Gunnar, Andrew, and Ann for all their help today and a big thumbs up to Lee for the hot chocolate and donut. Also, Ann for the ride home.

BIGFRANK's Note: My thanks to Walter for his kind words. At year end I will have more to say,but its been a pleasure to pass on the knowledge and love of raptor watching. The leg is feeling great today,just in time for a weather shift. Watch Saturdays weather.

A Golden Day..6 Golden Eagles of 69 Raptors

Today Was a Golden Day - 69 Raptors

Today was not a day for quantity but a day for quality. All the birds were down low along the Bluffs, straight out over the lake, or just above our heads. 6 Golden Eagles were the highlight of the day. Betty had never seen one before and Peter and I had never seen one up close. Today we had fantastic views of them, one even passed by us a total of 5 times as it searched out the Bluffs. Another highlight was a Turkey Vulture that landed in a tree very close to us. After about a 5 minute break from the 50 km/h wind, he took to the air and swooped down along the fence line just 20 feet above Charlene and Peter's heads. The Rough-legged Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawk, and Northern Goshawks were also very nice to see up close making identification fairly easy for us.

Here is today's final count:

TV - 4
NH - 7
SS - 13
CH - 2
NG - 3
RS - 1
RT - 28
RL - 2
GE - 6
AK - 3

The times of the Golden Eagles were as follows:

GE001 - 11:35am (juvenile)
GE002 - 11:35am (juvenile)
GE003 - 11:42am (juvenile)
GE004 - 11:42am (juvenile)
GE005 - 01:34pm-02:22 (juvenile)

GE006 - 03:20pm (juvenile)

My thanks to Lee, Peter, and Betty for all their help today and also Betty for the hot chocolate, it kept me warm for a few minutes anyway...wow, was it cold out today!!! If any of you are thinking of coming out tomorrow for more raptor action...dress warm for sure and we'll see you there.

Walter

BIGFRANK'S NOTE: My thanks to Walter and the gang for being at the park and tallying things up. Walter managed to get shots of all 6 Golden Eagles. He also got a shot of the first ever Turkey Vulture to land in the park. Congratulations gang on a fantastic day!

Start Late End Early Day Count 65

The anticipated big day did not materialize. Yesterday winds were just too strong. Today as expected things started abit late noonish before much started to move,but the tap went off early,such that by about 230pm not much was flying. Judging by some of the flight paths,other birds were north of our site. We did have some excellent raptors though today,with 2 Red-shouldered Hawks in with a few Redtails. It was a good example of size contrast and the obvious markings on the tail of the Red-shouldered Hawk. We had a juvenile Golden Eagle at 1:08pm,Peter's first. We also had a Roughlegged Hawk,our first this season...a new bird for Walter and Peter. In the morning while no raptors flew by,an Eastern Bluebird landed in a tree next to us. Ann (would we expect less) got a few nice shots of it. Thanks to everyone for their help spotting today,with tough blue skys. Thanks to Betty for the hot chocolates! Today we saw:

2-Turkey Vultures

3-Sharpshinned Hawks

5-Coopers Hawks

2-Red-shouldered Hawks

50-Redtailed Hawks

1-Rough-legged Hawk

1-Golden Eagle

1-Peregrine Falcon

From here on unless there is a north element in the wind,its unlikely I will be present. Anyone who sees anything please let me know. The next days forecast with any potential are Monday or Tuesday(Tues looking better) right now.

Ann and Carol Visit Hawk Cliff

Recently,a couple of our Rosetta McClain Gardens Raptor Watch regulars(who are highly irregular) paid Hawk Cliff a visit. What follows is Ann's account of she and Carol's visit..what they saw,highlights and some of Ann's great photos. Enjoy!

Visit to Hawk Cliff in Port Stanley:

From Oct 12 to 19 Carol and I went to Hawk Cliff to do some hawk watching. Hawk watching we did to the tune of 11,055 birds. We saw 16 Golden Eagles, 17 Bald Eagles, over 8700 Turkey Vultures, 81 Northern Harriers, 1194 Sharpshin Hawks, 71 Coopers Hawks, 2 Osprey, 140 Red Shouldered Hawks, 689 Red Tailed Hawks, 174 American Kestrels, 10 Merlins, 4 Peregrine Falcons, and 3 Rough Legged Hawks. This does not include the thousands of hawks we saw in Port Stanley and on the road to and from Toronto.

Highlight of my visit was a juv red tail hawk circling me while I was taking his photo. In the photo you can see the Redtail looking right at me. He went around and around with the sun shining through his wings. When he finally left he started to make the red tail cry. It is a moment in time I will never forget.

Carol told me her favourite moment was on the second morning at 7:30am we looked out on our cottage porch to see approximately 150 Turkey Vultures directly above us. They were kiting one way then they would fly really fast back. Carol called it the March of the Turkey Vultures. Some of the vultures were on the beach eating a dead fish, and some were just flying around. What a great way to start the morning.

If you have never been to Hawk Cliff to see the migration of hawks in Port Stanley PUT THIS ON YOUR MUST DO LIST - take a weekend, day trip or like Carol and I a week long trip. I have so many wonderful memories and a card full of photos to edit that it will take me a month to go through them. By the way the fall colours were amazing.-- Ann Brokelman

Painfully Slow And A Piliated

Oct18-20 has been very very slow,no count was done on the 19th or 20th. The 18th saw only 7 raptors.


1-Sharpshin


3-Redtailed Hawks


1-American Kestrel


2-Merlin





A Piliated Woodpecker has been around the park lately. Today as Ann,Mary and I wandered the park looking for owls,I stopped Ann in mid-story as I heard the Piliated Woodpecker. Mary noticed where it flew and we were able to track it down..what a team. This is one of Ann's great photos of the female Woodpecker.


The next 2 days(Tuesday and Wednesday) have incredible potential to be the last of the MEGADAYS this season. While counts of 100+ on one or 2 more occassions may occur in November,the next 2 days offer a chance at some huge counts. If U join us DRESS VERY WARM.

Record Setting Day...845 Raptors

Today was a record setting day,with 3 records falling. Walter,Berle,Lee,Andrew,Ron and Jean all enjoyed many birds,though almost all were high and abit distant. The "extra eyes" really helped,especially when skies were very blue..thanks gang. The first significant movement of Redtailed Hawks saw 141 pass by,often streaming. The species which helped break 3 park records was Turkey Vultures. We saw a record 683 Turkey Vultures. This pushed the number of TVs seen this season to a record1358,destroying last falls record1061. The large number of vultures also pushed the day total to the highest ever...845(beats last seasons 755).

683-Turkey Vultures
2-Bald Eagles
2-Northern Harriers
11-Sharpshinned Hawks
3-Coopers Hawks
1-Redshouldered Hawk
141-Redtailed Hawks
1-American Kestrel
1-Peregrine Falcon

Tomorrow looks pretty good for another good movement of raptors. Sunday will likely be slow.

Oct.16 Good Conditions...235 Raptors First of Season Golden Eagles

Finally after several very poor days in a row,a day of almost perfect conditions. The northwest winds didnt disappoint. Today,Gunner,Andrew,Naish,Sheila,Berle,LeeWalter,Linda and Linda,Betty and myself,enjoyed many low Sharpshinned Hawks. Naish(a High Park regular) and Sheila were present when a late movement of Turkey Vultures went through the park low and very close. At 10:30am there was a Bald Eagle. Late in the day,at 3:40pm and 4:12pm the first and second Golden Eagles were seen. One was clearly juvenile,the 2nd adult. A male Harrier passed low and close,which Walter and I especially enjoyed. Another treat was 3 Merlins that moved past "together". Our total of 235 consisted of
1-Bald Eagle
96-Turkey Vultures
2-Northern Harriers
100-Sharpshinned Hawks
1-Coopers Hawk
1-Redshouldered Hawk
11-Redtailed Hawks
2-Golden Eagles
15-American Kestrels
6-Merlin

Tomorrow looks like conditions are very good for another fine flight of raptors. Also seen today was a Pileated Woodpecker,which flew very close to us along the bluffs after briefly landing in a Maple tree.

Please note the link on the main Raptor Watch page,to a discussion board recently started to chat about not only birds of prey at Rosetta McClain Gardens,but various small birds,insects and wildlife,as well as a place for us all to stay in touch over the coming months. Lee invites us to join. Hope to see you there.

Oct 14 Report..Slower Than Expected 46 Raptors

Firstly,sorry for the late posting. Secondly,sorry for the brievity of the post. A good group of birders joined me on Tuesday,hoping that predicted strong northwest winds would bring a large number of birds. To everyones surprise,despite good winds most of the day,a large flight did not take place. It would seem inclimate weather east of us probably held the birds up. By the end of the day,Walter,Mary,MaryUK,Gunner,Murry,Peter,LeeFrank Sr,Lynne,Mike and Katherine saw at least some portion of the following 46 birds of prey:
21-Turkey Vultures
2-Nothern Harriers
10-Shaprshins
1-Coopers Hawk
8-Redtailed Hawks
3-American Kestrels
1-Merlin

This brings the season total to 2547. I await a report of the birds seen Oct 15. Thursday through Saturday look like there is a chance for a big movement of birds. Fingers crossed the birds read the weather forecast! Remember no matter the forecast high temperature,dress warmer then U think U need,many hours standing in NW winds is cold!

Raptor Watch Slow And Some Good News

The past 4 days have been painfully slow raptor wise. There were no counts on 2 days and little to count the other 2. A total of only 10 raptors was seen over the 4 days. A Merlin,a Goshawk,a Turkey Vulture,a Kestrel,a Redtail,a Harrier and 4 Sharpshins were observed.

The good news...U have no doubt noticed the changes to the site. Thanks to Lee for her work on the site. Her help has changed the look of the site for the better and added a few things to help out users. Thanks MUCH Lee!

October..Rosetta McClain Raptor Watch In The News

In late September Peter Wood contacted me to do an article about the raptor watch and myself. Below is his article, for anyone who hasnt seen it locally.  It is in The Bluffs Monitor, which reaches about 25000 local Scarborough residents.  We have already had a few visitors as a result of the article.  Peter writes a monthy column for the Monitor, called Birds of Bluffers Park.  Thanks again to Peter for his interest and for doing the article.


Hawk Watch With BIGFRANK

Frank Butson has a passion, he has an expertise and perhaps most importantly, he is willing to share it.  The passion is for raptors, that is, predatory birds such as hawks, eagles, vultures and Osprey.

During the fall migration, which begins in September and continues to the end of November, Frank can be found at Rosetta McClain Gardens, looking out over the Bluffs searching the sky for migrating raptors.  He identifies them, records the species and numbers, photographs them and posts the information to the internet.

Frank began hawk watching as a member of the High Park watch group.  As an "east-ender" he was excited to discover that the Scarborough Bluffs was on a "fly way" or migration route for raptors.  It began as personal enjoyment but soon developed into an educational project.  So, five years ago, he set up shop at Rosetta McClain and began to invite people to join him - "all ages,all skill levels" he likes to say, thats what "keeps it fresh" for him.  He is rewarded by the amazement and joy that he brings to park visitors.  So far this year the watch has been highlighted by 70 Ospreys, over 400 birds of prey in one day and 3 Peregrine Falcons flying together.

There is a serious side to this work as well.  When I asked Frank why he does this he told me about Red-shouldered Hawks.  These birds have been diminishing in numbers for many years.  People may not be aware of the decline, but if they actually see one, they may come closer to understanding as Frank says "It does matter."  As a volunteer with The Canadian Peregrine Foundation, he is proud that Peregrines have recently been removed from the endangered species list............The article goes on to give the webstie and location of the park.

This Saturday,a group of birders Peter leads will visit the park,as will The Toronto Field Naturalists. Hopefully the day will bring more raptors then I expect. Thanks to all my raptor watch friends for all each adds to the project. The efforsts of each one of you makes a difference.

Oct 6 Antisocial Raptors...Day Count 74

Though predicted conditions were perfect,apparently raptors dont watch The Weather Network. The raptors were antisocial today,not coming to see us for the most part. They stayed north of our viewing range most of the day. While our count of 74 doesnt sound bad,54 Turkey Vultures in a short period made up most of the count. They were all very distant. Almost all birds were very high. It was unfortunate,as 2 Marys,Walter,Lee,Ross and Murry searched high and low for raptors. Some did enjoy a good selection of smaller birds today. It was nice to see Bob,who joined us several times last season. He is an older gentleman who got a real spark when he joined us to watch the raptors. I packed up early after seeing:
58-Turkey Vultures
1-Northern Harrier
9-Sharpshinned Hawks
1-Coopers Hawk
3-American Kestrels
2-Merlins

The remainder of this week,as forecast doesnt look too exciting. It is subject to many changes of course. My advice to potential visitors is to wait for better days. If however U have a limited viewing schedule,I will welcome the company.