Outdoor Ontario

Request for Information => Bird ID => Topic started by: henschel on September 04, 2008, 09:27:36 AM

Title: a couple of questions from a casual observer
Post by: henschel on September 04, 2008, 09:27:36 AM

Hi

I'm not so much an enthusiast as a backyard observer but I've noticed what seems to be a change in the pattern of sightings and a few new (for me) birds. One day this year I saw two downy woodpeckers -- one in the Beach and one in Markham -- haven't seen one of those in decades, since I lived at Lawrence and Victoria Park. In Markham there have been cormorants and swallows and, I think plovers, around the little lake near the house. These are all new this year here.

Some of this change I attribute to the maniacal rate of development north of Steeles. The cardinals and blue jays have fled this chaos.

I was wondering if you real enthusiasts have recorded a significant change in sighting patterns over the last couple of years?

There is one "new" bird I've seen twice now over the past two weeks that I wondered if anyone else has noticed. It would appear to be a hawk, bigger than a red tail (seen a lot of these and lot more of these downtown and up the DVP this year) pretty uniformly dark brown. I saw it once over a cornfield at 9th and Highway 7 and then again yesterday flying over the lower DVP.

I've scanned some of the topics here looking for mentions but nothing stands out unless... it couldn't be a golden eagle could it? Has anyone else seen this bird -- and what is it, please?

Thanks so much.

Title: Re: a couple of questions from a casual observer
Post by: Kin Lau on September 04, 2008, 12:48:59 PM

Quote from: "henschel"

There is one "new" bird I've seen twice now over the past two weeks that I wondered if anyone else has noticed. It would appear to be a hawk, bigger than a red tail (seen a lot of these and lot more of these downtown and up the DVP this year) pretty uniformly dark brown. I saw it once over a cornfield at 9th and Highway 7 and then again yesterday flying over the lower DVP.

Probably a Turkey Vulture.

Title:
Post by: henschel on September 04, 2008, 03:32:06 PM

turkey vulture.... hmmm that would be nice -- I've never seen one of those before.

However, I took a quick at some on-line photos and almost all of them show marked lightening of the feathers on the back half of the underside of the wings.

This bird was pretty uniformly brown underneath.

Title:
Post by: Joe on September 04, 2008, 08:24:25 PM

Welcome to the forum.  If you're looking at Turkey Vultures with the naked eye, they tend to look uniformly dark unless they're pretty close.  Somewhere on this site, there is a shot of dozens of Turkey Vultures over downtown TO, and another (in Bird Photos) of a brownish Turkey Vulture.  Hope this helps.

Joe