Hello All, Today, at about 4:30 PM whilst squeaking at Coyotes in a local ravine near my house, I was "buzzed" by a beautiful first-year Northern Goshawk. The bird perched for several minutes about 30 feet away from me (I was crouched) right in the open snags on the edge of a fence that parallels a railroad, hunting voles. I watched the Goshawk for over an hour, over the course of which the bird caught several voles. Eventually the bird took off into the surrounding neighborhood, over the buildings to the right of the railroad.
Remarkably, about an hour later, I was watching this very same Goshawk devouring a Mourning Dove at my feeding station!! This makes for the third Accipiter species I've had at my feeders. Unfortunately she was spooked by a neighbor before I got any pics off. Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/levfrid/4059599128/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/levfrid/4059597118/ Directions: Maple is a town in York Region accessible by taking HW 400, exiting at Rutherford Road East, taking a left at Melville Ave, the first light after Jane St. You will pass a bridge over a railroad, with a police station to your left. Shortly after, there will be a parking lot to your right. The ravine is right across the parking lot. CAUTION: This is located near a neighborhood. Please be mindful where you scope. Park in the parking lot and cross over. There is an easily seen, wide gravel path. This path parallels a railroad. A storm drainage pond should be to your right, turning into a marsh further along. Follow this path to the end, where it turns into a narrow trail through a grassy area (Dress wisely, lots of thistles!) Follow this, making sure to watch the trees on your left very carefully. This is where the Goshawk was hunting from. I saw the Goshawk at the point in the trail at the very end of this trail, near where the marsh ends. Short-eared owls sometimes make surprise appearances as well (not regularly). Make sure to watch for the Coyotes! Good Luck and Good birding! Lev Frid Maple, ON _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
