From:
Tim Mccarthy via Ontbirds
Well, I thought that now the Broadwinged Hawks are all through for the season
that the pressure would be off. But no. All kinds of requests are coming in for
more Ontbirds reports. Well God bless you all anyway and thanks. I'm not
quitting the watch just because the Broaddies are gone. I'm not giving up on
them either. Not ever. So you aren't going to send me any Broadwing sighting
reports for another season but how about sharing some ideas if you have them?
We'd sure love to know where those little rascals go when they're not flying
over High Park. This winter after the Watch is over (oh yes, it goes into the
Winter - end of November) I'll be driving around in the Birdmobile looking for
ridgelines that run North of High Park and West from Toronto. Dundas Street
out to Mississauga might be a good starter. Do any of you old-timers remember
where Mrs. MacDougall's garden was?
Now I haven't seen all the Broadwing sighting results from Corpus Christie
Texas, the Big Funnel, where they have picturesque names like "River of Hawks"
but preliminaries suggest that they may be up from last year. High Parks'
certainly were - around 300 more were seen here in September 14 than there were
last year.. More on that later. Numbers get boring. Instead-
You want me to try and get you out here, right? Well get this - coming up
starting tomorrow will be Turkey Vultures, Red Tails, more Bald Eagles and
maybe a Golden or 2, Goshawks Red Shoulders and if you're real lucky Rough
Leggeds. There are the big guys, the ones that sneak up (actually down) on you,
swoop right over your head sometimes and get you snatching at your bird guide
and maybe adding to the lifer-list. What's a Lifer? Well, that's a bird you are
seeing for the first time in your life. Go ahead and start. It doesn't take
much to get hooked.
I know I have to learn what a Red Shoulder (or a "Shoulder") looks like every
year all over again. New folks get all nervous and fiddle with their bins and
books and stuff because they're afraid they won't be able to identify
correctly. Well never mind that, you are out here to have fun and get all
excited and we're here to help you with the Id's. Start with the Turkey
Vulture, the easiest bird to identify of all.
What's that you say? You've got a Black Vulture? Where? Well, I'll be darned!
Tally for the day:
12 Turkey Vultures
1 Osprey
2 Northern Harriers
11 Sharpshins
3 Coopers
11 Red Tails
Thanks, by the way , to all you new folks who did come out, shared binoculars
and discoveries and had a great time. We hope you will all be back soon.
Tim Mccarthy
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