Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: dawnofthewolf on April 02, 2008, 03:29:36 PM

Title: birds of prey in Toronto and Mississauga
Post by: dawnofthewolf on April 02, 2008, 03:29:36 PM
Hello
I am interested in knowing where are the best areas for spotting birds of prey in Toronto and Mississauga, especially if they nest in these areas and the time of day when they are most active.
Title: Overhead
Post by: Ron Luft on April 02, 2008, 04:46:39 PM
I work in M. and drive good parts of it and see lots of Red Tails - everywhere. Good smattering of Kestrels, Peregrines, Sharpies and Coopers too. Soon Turkey V.s I'm not too sure about nesting and concentrations but I see a lot of RTH's around apartment buildings (Bloor/Dixie, Dundas/Hurontario,Southdown/Lakeshore, industrial areas, almost everywhere. Look up, overhead and don't discount dense apartment areas. Hint; if the pidgeons are all aloft it may be they're spooked by a raptor. Good luck.
Title: Re: birds of prey in Toronto and Mississauga
Post by: angelicque on April 03, 2008, 08:23:21 AM
Quote from: "dawnofthewolf"
Hello
I am interested in knowing where are the best areas for spotting birds of prey in Toronto and Mississauga, especially if they nest in these areas and the time of day when they are most active.


are you familiar with hawk hill in High Park?
Title: Re: birds of prey in Toronto and Mississauga
Post by: Darrell74 on April 03, 2008, 10:34:07 AM
Quote from: "angelicque"
Quote from: "dawnofthewolf"
Hello
I am interested in knowing where are the best areas for spotting birds of prey in Toronto and Mississauga, especially if they nest in these areas and the time of day when they are most active.

are you familiar with hawk hill in High Park?


I'm not familiar with it... where in High Park is it?
Title:
Post by: angelicque on April 03, 2008, 10:50:39 AM
hawk hill is located directly behind the grenedier restaurant...you will see a hill rising behind it with a little sign posted stating "Hawk Hill" ;)

here is the best spot, on days when the wind is blowing NW, to see all kinds of birds of prey - including eagles, vultures, merlins, kestrels, ospreys, falcons and hawks. also, eastern bluebirds can be seen around the trees as well :)

i imagine within the next month we will be seeing a lot of migrants returning!
but for now, red tails are the most frequently seen birds of prey in that area.
Title:
Post by: Darrell74 on April 03, 2008, 12:48:47 PM
Quote from: "angelicque"
hawk hill is located directly behind the grenedier restaurant...you will see a hill rising behind it with a little sign posted stating "Hawk Hill" ;)

here is the best spot, on days when the wind is blowing NW, to see all kinds of birds of prey - including eagles, vultures, merlins, kestrels, ospreys, falcons and hawks. also, eastern bluebirds can be seen around the trees as well :)

i imagine within the next month we will be seeing a lot of migrants returning!
but for now, red tails are the most frequently seen birds of prey in that area.


Thanks for the info, I'll be sure to check it out !
Title:
Post by: angelicque on April 03, 2008, 12:54:27 PM
try Rosetta Mclain Gardens for good hawk watching as well :)

http://raptorwatch.blogspot.com/ (http://raptorwatch.blogspot.com/)
Title:
Post by: GStuart on April 03, 2008, 01:52:07 PM
Bear in mind that up here on the north side of the lake, the raptor watches are held in the autumn.  For spring hawking, head to Grimsby on the south side of the lake.  Not quite what the original poster had in mind, but still...
Title: Re: birds of prey in Toronto and Mississauga
Post by: Kin Lau on April 03, 2008, 02:51:56 PM
Quote from: "dawnofthewolf"
Hello
I am interested in knowing where are the best areas for spotting birds of prey in Toronto and Mississauga, especially if they nest in these areas and the time of day when they are most active.


http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca (http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca) , click on the site index on the left. There's quite a few known Peregrine sites in southern ontario.
Title: Hawking In Toronto
Post by: BIGFRANK on April 03, 2008, 05:52:44 PM
Both High Park and Rosetta McClain Gardens Raptor Watches are in the fall. Very little goes through the city in any great concentration in the spring. Raptors fly to the Niagara escarpment and then disperse to their nesting areas during spring migration. Aside from known nests like those on the Peregrine Foundations sites(most viewable but inaccessible) U will be hard done by to get people to tell you where nests are,particularily on open boards such as this. Problem birders and photographers alike make people keep nesting sites to themselves. Easily accessible sites are also kept private so birds arent harassed.  There is a well known Redtailed Hawks nest at Queens Park. Ive seen good photographs of that. Watch any wooded areas this time of year,for birds with nesting materials flying around. Accipiters are very secretive,so tough to find. Cavity nesters like Kestrels may also be tough to find. Merlin nests in Toronto are few and far between(some say none). Ive heard a few reports of nesting Vultures,but never seen any myself. Roughlegs,Goshawks,Red-shouldered,Broadwings,either Eagle and Osprey are to my knowledge not known to nest in Toronto(standing to be corrected). Good Luck
Title:
Post by: angelicque on April 03, 2008, 09:05:16 PM
i can personally say, having been to these spots quite frequently over the last few years, that kestrels can *usually* be found at Colonel Samuel Smith park all year long. and red tailed hawks can be seen in High Park all year long. whether they nest there or not, i am unsure.
but yes, autumn is the best time to see a wide variety of birds of prey.

a juvenile bald eagle was spotted at tommy thompson park this winter, but i think he may have moved on by now...
Title:
Post by: Euan Reid on April 04, 2008, 04:02:33 AM
try the beamer conservation area in grimsby.... i was there last weekend... groups of 10-15 turkey vultures peppered with hawks of every kind kept coming over for hours.

from the ridge lookouts you can view the niagara escarpment all the way down to niagara falls.