With thanks to Tim Foran I have added the following to today's numbers: 16 TVs, 6 RTs and 1 PG, seen by him in the late afternoon of yesterday. A brisk East wind, Good thermals and a rising BP were accompanied by a brisk East wind today (Oct.26), not conducive to a hawk migration. Migrating raptors--25 Turkey Vultures, 1 Cooper's, 11 Red-taileds, 2 Am.Kestrel, and 1 Peregrine falcon. SEE TABLE BELOW > Non-raptors: 2 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, both Yellowlegs, AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, PIED-BILLED GREBE, PINTAIL, SHOVELER, ETC. > Cranberry Marsh, sw Whitby, ON--south roadside parking area on Hall's Rd. MONDAY, Oct.26/09 Observation time--0800-1300EDT >>>>>>> Official counter- Doug Lockrey Observers- Dan Kaczynski, Jim Skene, Karl Jennewein, Charlie Adey, JimMcKnight, Dan Russell (welcome back from England). >> Weather: medium E wind; BP=102.6 rising; TUV=2; 10C >>>>>>> >From the 401 eastbound, exit at Salem Rd. in Ajax, south to Bayly, then east through LakeRidge Rd. to the first street beyond---Hall's Rd.--south toward the lake to the second roadside parking area. >>> Raptor species----------------Day Total-----Month Total------Season Total >>> ---------------------------Oct.26 >>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Black Vulture--------------------0---------------0----------------------0 Turkey Vulture------------------25-------------2867---------------- 3928 Osprey--------------------------0---------------5------------------- 136 Bald Eagle-----------------------0-------------23-------------------- 53 Northern Harrier---------------0-----------------45------------------ 90 Sharp-shinned Hawk----------2----------------674----------------1428 Cooper's Hawk--------------- 1---------------- 49 ------------------88 Northern Goshawk------------ 0----------------13------------------ 15 Red-shouldered Hawk---------0 --------------- 36 -------------------38 Broad-winged Hawk---------- 0 ---------------0 ------------------416 Red-tailed Hawk-------------11----------------826------------------974 Rough-legged Hawk---------- 0 ----------------3--------------------3 Golden Eagle------------------ 0 -------------- 1 --------------------1 American Kestrel------------- 2 ------------ 140------------------ 477 Merlin------------------------- 0 ------------10 -------------------32 Peregrine Falcon--------------1 -------------- 19------------------ 42 Unidentified Accipiter--------- 0 -------------- 2 ------------------10 Unidentified Buteo------------ 0 --------------- 3------------------ 26 Unidentified Falcon----------- 0 --------------- 1 -------------------2 Unidentified Eagle-------------0-------------- 1--------------------- 1 Unidentified Raptor ----------- 0---------------16----------------- 34 TOTAL----------------------40-------------4734-------------- 7769 HOURS----------------------5----------------107.5---------------292 Doug Lockrey-- coordinator CMRW, Whitby, ON

Any day like today, dominated by east winds (generally) makes for a poor Hawk flight over High Park. I decided to try the Churchill Reservoir Park at Spadina and St Clair and see if the east winds brought Raptors overhead. I observed between 3pm and 4pm: 1 American Kestral 5 Red Tailed Hawks 1 Turkey Vulture 2 Peregrine Falcons... one may have been "local" ,the other immature bird, was definitely migrating. 25 Snow Geese to the southeast, over Proctor and Gamble on the Lakehore, and a larger group southwestwards over High Park 1 Airbus 380 at 3:56 pm. The Raptor flight was both to the south and to the north of the reservoir/park, occasionally overhead. I think that on autumn days with south winds the flight may be greater over the park, and I invite others to attend and watch for birds of prey. St Clair Reservior Park aka: Churchill Park is at the south eastern confluences of Spadina and St Clair Avenues In Toronto. Best viewing area is in the middle of the great circular walkway. Tim

As I recieved more than a few replies yesterday, I will post the data from todays obsevations at the Spadina/St Clair Reservior in Toronto: I will not try the patience of Ontbirds subscribers by sending a third email. Again today, I noticed that the winds were south to south east, and not usually coducive to large numbers of raptors at the High Park Hawkwatch. Between 2:45 and 4:00 pm I observed in the process of migration: 13 Red Tailed Hawks 1 Red Shouldered Hawk. 1 Sharp Shinned Hawk 5 Turkey Vultures These numbers support the notion that when the conditions are not good for the High Park Hawkwatch, the over flight of raptors may be found long the old Lake Iriquois shoreline, in places such as The St. Clair Reservior Park. The St. Clair Reservior Park can be found at the southeastern corner of St Clair and Spadina Avenues in Toronto.