Seven species of diurnal raptors totaling 25 individuals were seen today between 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. under clear blue skies and very light north winds switching to south around 11:00 a.m.
Osprey: 1 (very late) Bald Eagle: 1 juvenile Northern Harrier: 1 juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk: 5 Northern Goshawk: 2 very low juveniles Red-tailed Hawk: 11 Rough-legged Hawk: 3 (2 dark morph, 1 light morph) Unidentified Falcon: 1 Total species 7, total individuals 25 Official Counter: Jean Iron Observers: Charlie Adey, Jerry Ball, Karl Jennewein, Dan Kaczynski, Paul McGee, Jim Skene, John Stirrat. Other birds: 6 White-winged Crossbills briefly checked white spruce on Halls Road at 8:00 a.m., 1 Belted Kingfisher, 1 Wilson's Snipe, Rusty Blackbird, 3 Fox Sparrows, 5 Snow Geese (4 white morph and 1 blue morph), 2 American Coots, 1 Wood Duck, 4 Cackling Geese at Lynde Creek (Dan Kaczynbski and Karl Jennewein), 2 Great Black-backed Gulls - an uncommon sight now that its population has been adversely affected by botulism carried by the invasive Round Goby fish. Directions to Cranberry Marsh: Exit Highway 401 at Brock St. in Whitby (not Brock Rd. in Pickering), go south on Brock to Victoria St. Go west on Victoria to Halls Road. Go south on Halls Road to the second short Walkway going east to the Cranberry Marsh Lookout. Directions to Lynde Shores: Enter off south side Victoria Street about 800 metres east of Halls Road. Hawkwatching guide with migration times for each species. www.ofo.ca/reportsandarticles/hawkwatching.php Jean Iron Toronto ON _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
