Cranberry Hawk Watch - 80 species Sept. 12, 2013 The hawk watch at Cranberry promised to be either great or not so great depending on when the rain would fall. As luck would have it, the morning rain never materialised, the winds stayed from the south and a brief shower mid-afternoon thwarted a hoped for hawk flight. Finally late in the day the winds shifted to the north-northwest. 25 hawks were noted today: Sharp-shinned (3), Osprey (2), Merlin (4), American Kestrel (10) and Peregrine Falcon (6). Many of the falcons passed through between 4 and 5 p.m. with 3 Peregrines in view at one time.
But where the hawks failed, the other birds excelled. It's amazing how much one can see when those annoying hawks don't distract one's attention! Amongst the 80 species noted today were: 5 Great Egrets (no wing tags), 7 Black-crowned Night-herons, 13 species of waterfowl, 5 Pectoral Sandpipers, 3 snipe, 1 Chimney Swift, 35 Eastern Bluebirds, 1 Least Flycatcher, 12 species of warblers, 1 Philadelphia Vireo, 2 R.B. Grosbeaks, 1 Marsh Wren, and 7 Barn and 1 N. Rough-winged Swallow. 34 Monarch Butterflies and 2 Red Admirals were amongst the 5 species of butterflies noted. Directions: From 401, exit at Salem Rd and go south to Bayly and then east to Hall's Rd., then south to the south platform trail. Geoff Carpentier www.avocetnatureservices.com _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup
