Although the winds were light from the north, the birds didn't move until later in the morning and then mostly on southeast winds.
Hawks and allies migrating included: 77 Turkey Vultures, 1 Northern Harrier, 8 Sharp-shinned Hawks. A Bald Eagle (2nd summer), a Cooper's Hawk, another Harrier, 2 Red-tailed Hawks and a Merlin were considered to be non-migrants.
Amongst the 57 species noted yesterday were:
American Bittern - one spent most of the day about 30 feet in front of the viewing platform
13 Great Egrets - no wing tags
8 Black-crowned Night-herons - various ages
10 Blue-winged Teal
150+ Gadwall
50+ Northern Pintail
13 Hooded Mergansers
1 Common Gallinule and 3 Coots
5 Pied-billed Grebes
1 Greater and one Lesser Yellowlegs
1 Marsh Wren
1 Common Raven
30+ Rusty Blackbirds
all in all a nice day - lots of folks dropped by for company
OFO Hawkwatching Guide (ID tips, migration times, hawk basics)
http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/articles.hawkwatching
Directions: From Victoria Street in Whitby go south on Halls Road to the
second short walkway going east to the Cranberry Marsh Lookout.
Geoff Carpentier
www.avocetnatureservices.com