A Thermal Updraft Velocity of 300 ft./min., along with rising barometric pressure AND very strong N winds suggested a good migrating hawk flight along the lakefront on Tuesday, Nov.22-- I was pleased when 10 hardy observers arrived on the platform at Cranberry Marsh in southwest Whitby. After 4 hours the CMRW count since Aug.21 had reached a respectable 6891, as 89 raptors came through, some high, some low, representing 8 species-- 1 male N.Harrier, 4 Sharp-shinneds, 17 COOPER'S, 1 N.Goshawk, 1 RED-SHOULDERED, 61 RED-TAILEDS, 1 LIGHT MORPH ROUGH-LEGGED, 1 Am. Kestrel and 2 Unidentified Accipiters.
Near Hall's Rd. at the entrance to the southern pathway several witnessed 3 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS--later, 3 of us checked the European Larch stand to the east of Hall's Rd.-- many of the trees have an abundance of last year's cones. A N.Shrike flew in to perch atop a tree near our platform in mid-morning. 3 Common Loons were noted flying south towards the lake. The formal end to the raptor watch is Wed., Nov.30. Hall's Rd. in southwest Whitby is accessed from Victoria St. Doug Lockrey, coordinator CMRW www.pickeringnaturalists.org From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tue Nov 22 15:28:33 2005 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from hotmail.com (bay106-f31.bay106.hotmail.com [65.54.161.41]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 14D4464C19 for <[email protected]>; Tue, 22 Nov 2005 15:28:33 -0500 (EST) Received: from mail pickup service by hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC; Tue, 22 Nov 2005 12:38:36 -0800 Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Received: from 65.54.161.200 by by106fd.bay106.hotmail.msn.com with HTTP; Tue, 22 Nov 2005 20:38:35 GMT X-Originating-IP: [216.46.145.195] X-Originating-Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] X-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: "Maris Apse" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2005 15:38:35 -0500 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed X-OriginalArrivalTime: 22 Nov 2005 20:38:36.0183 (UTC) FILETIME=[B648DA70:01C5EFA4] Subject: [Ontbirds]Point Edward - Pmerine Jaeger, Kittiwake, Gulls etc. X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2005 20:28:33 -0000 Hi all! After arriving late Oct. 25 and missing a lot of good birds, I made sure to be early this morning, but not as early as Adam Byrne, who was already scanning the horizon. A raw north wind was blowing and shortly Adam spotted a jaeger, which we both scoped until it passed through a weak rising sun behind us - our first Pomarine Jaeger. Shortly I spotted a Glaucous Gull directly in front of us and fairly close to shore, which disappeared towards the MI side. Quite a heavy snow-squall came in and we took shelter in our cars. Adam alerted me to another 'pom' coming from our left which flew right over our heads at ~ 15M. Retreating to the cars to clean off our 'bins', I soon spotted a Black-legged Kittiwake directly in front and close to shore, which was a good thing as visibility was very limited in the sideways snow. We braved the great outdoors again as it cleared somewhat and Adam spotted 3 jaegers coming from our right, which eventually all passed at a medium distance and headed up the MI side - all 3 were 'poms'. We saw the Kittiwake twice more out on the lake - reasonably close the second time. We saw 2 jaegers off the point on the MI shore but lost them and surmised they were probably 2 of the 3 previously seen birds. In between there were 2 small flocks (~8, ~16) of Snow Bunting, the first of which landed right behind us - there was quite a squall at that time. I left at 11:30 but Adam stayed - waiting for a Sabine's Gull. On my way home I drove Kettle Point beach not seeing anything of note but did get a Northern Shrike on the wires over the 'ex-army camp' at Ipperwash. Cheers! Maris Maris Apse - OFO SALES 10094 Red Pine Road, Box 22, RR #2 Grand Bend ON N0M 1T0 (519) 238 - 8415
