I climbed the Hill around 10 am this morning all full of bubbly expectations.
And when I saw Don Barnett, my mentor and Dean of the Hawkwatch I thought
"Today is gonna be a really good day"
In my eagerness to top yesterday's humiliating experience (I was home making
dinner when all the birds came through) I had forgotten that expression was one
of Don's favourites. He would say first thing in the morning "Today is going to
be good." Granted, the wind was from the Northwest, it was time for Broaddies
and Bald Eagles and there was a full house of Master Hawkwatchers that would
have made old Roger T. Peterson want to be there. But then we'd be getting
close on for noon without seeing as much as a chickadee and good old Don would
lean over and say "What do you think. 2 o'clock? " At which point we'd all nod
vigorously thinking 2 was a good respectable time to be ducking out (no pun
intended or, well, maybe) .
And what do you think? Not even 1 o'clock yet and I'd be looking over at the
sugar bush or something, making silly comments like "Oh, look Don, there goes a
Goldfinch." And I'd turn around and... Don? And he'd be gone! Lawn chair and
everything. Flat out vanished without a sound like he was an elf or something.
Nobody ever saw him go, he would just disappear.
Well, around 1 pm today I turned to Don and said "Guess its time for the first
Eagle, eh? Yuk Yuk."
And Don? Well, Don was Gone.
Please forgive the excessive narration there will be more birds from here on
and I'll shut up.
Tomorrow is going to be a good day but today we saw:
1 Turkey Vulture
1 Osprey
4 Bald Eagles (2 of them adults. wow)
2 Sharpshins
1 Coopers Hawk
1 Broadwinged
7 Red Tailed
1 American Kestrel
1 Merlin
2 Monarch Butterflies and 1 Common Loon
>From 9:30 Am until 3:30 I would like to thank Don Barnett, Joe Ventura,
>Richard Pathak, Leslie Kinrys, Marc Lichtenberg, and his dog who helped me
>with my sandwich, Larry Peterson (no relation) and Tom Lane roughly in order
>of their appearance (but not necessarily disappearance) and who shared my
>thrills and disappointments.
Tomorrow there's supposed to be a little cloud cover with North West winds and
cool temperatures. And I'm not going to say it should be a good day. It should
be a fantastic day!
Hawk Hill is right beside the Grenadier Restaurant in High Park. Just look for
the little Red Tail on his perch.
Happy Hawking wherever you are
Tim Mccarthy
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