The Cranberry Marsh Raptor Watch in southwest Whitby, ON, has been in operation since 1990. This year we started up on Aug.21; we try to cover the platform every day through to Nov.30, particularly in the AM hours. I invite any of you to help me with the observing and counting.
Wednesday, Aug.24--4 hours coverage yielded 19 migrating hawks, they being difficult to see against a blue sky: included were 6 Ospreys, 1 adult Bald Eagle (a "resident" imm. BE was also seen). A variety of other birds are noted each day. The table below indicates the number of migrating raptors recorded for the period of AUG.21 to AUG.24. TURKEY VULTURE 10 OSPREY 12 BALD EAGLE 1 NORTHERN HARRIER 4--there are 4 "residents" SHARP-SHINNED HAWK 15 COOPER'S HAWK 0--there are 2 "residents" NORTHERN GOSHAWK 0 BROAD-WINGED HAWK 14 RED-SHOULDERED HAWK 0 RED-TAILED HAWK 6 --there are at least 3 "residents" ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK 0 GOLDEN EAGLE 0 AMERICAN KESTREL 9 MERLIN 0---there is 1 "resident" PEREGRINE FALCON 0 UNIDENTIFIED RAPTORS 4 TOTAL 75 Directions: From Toronto--east on the 401 into Ajax, exiting south at Exit 404 (Salem Rd.), down to Bayly, left (east) along Bayly a few km., through Lakeridge Rd., whereupon Bayly becomes Victoria St. in Whitby--- 1 block east of Lakeridge turn south down Hall's Rd.; park in the second roadside parking area, just north of the lakefront; walk east down the path to the platform. >From the east, exit 410 (Brock St. in Whitby) from the 401, south to Victoria, west through Henry, across the Lynde causeway to Hall's Rd. Doug Lockrey, coordinator CMRW www.pickeringnaturalists.org
