Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Michael Burton-Smith
Observers: Cameron Chevalier, Hugh Kent, Juliette Herdman, Liz Kent, Mike Jaber, Noel Herdman, Paul Gosselin, Robin Smallwood
Visitors: Thanks to Hugh, Noel, Mike, Juliette, Liz, Robin and Paul for assisting with today's count. It was great to be joined by Fred, Chris, Nancy, Linda, Joey, Cameron and his family, Shelley and Pille, with the pelicans and a late male Ruby-throated Hummer proving to be the fan favourites!
Weather: Mild south-westerlies through the day, with increasing cloud cover into the mid-afternoon.
Raptor Observations: When Noel and Julie arrived this morning, I confidently asserted that the first Turkey Vulture would arrive at 10 o'clock local time - you can set your watch by it! Determined to prove me wrong, the first stubborn TV popped over the treetops two minutes early at 9.58am.
It ended up being another busy morning for Turkey Vulture, with 2153 passingnorth of the marsh between 1000 and 1100 EST, with some flocks exceeding 600 individuals. Things quietened down dramatically in the afternoon, although we did enjoy a late flurry of Red-tailed Hawks in the last hour.
It was a live-action remake of Bambi in the first hour, with White-tailed Deer, Red Fox, Cottontails and Eastern Gray Squirrels playing in the crisp morning air. The foxes, pottering about the hunt club, were particularly adorable. The birds went more or less to script, with another influx of ducks overnight including the first Ruddies of the season. Bird of the day goes to the chubby Eastern Meadowlarks flying at tower height in the early morning, our first seen this season (though one was heard last month).
Predictions: Tonight's clear skies may facilitate another movement in waterfowl, so it will be interesting to see who is on the marsh over the weekend. With fairly similar conditions to today, we will hopefully see another late morning push for Turkey Vultures before the cloud cover increases in the afternoon. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Michael Burton-Smith () Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
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