Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: Bird Brain on November 29, 2010, 03:53:24 PM

Title: Maplewood Park and the Sharp-shinned Hawk that wasn't!
Post by: Bird Brain on November 29, 2010, 03:53:24 PM

Hi everyone.  This afternoon between 1-2pm, I was walking around Maplewood Park.  Sighted the following:

Blue Jays x 2
Cardinals x 2 (2m)
Chickadees - lots
Crows x 6
Downy Woodpeckers x 2 (1m, 1f)
House Sparrows - hundreds!  
Red-breasted Nuthatches - a few
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 0 ... story below!

So, I'm feeding shelled peanuts to the squirrels and all of a sudden the Crows are going completely crazy, cawing up a storm and flying around the woods.  Then I hear a Sharp-shinned Hawk and was looking everywhere - sounded like it was right in front of me!  I was looking everywhere and was wondering where the heck this bird is ... then I saw it ... just ahead and to my right ... a Blue Jay imitating a Sharpie!!!  :lol:  Sneaky bugger had all the squirrels completely frozen and not moving an inch in the trees so that he/she could swoop down to enjoy the peanuts.  

Maplewood Park:  East side of Glen Erin Dr., just North of Aquitaine Ave.

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Post by: Rob'in'To on November 29, 2010, 04:51:25 PM

Funny!   :lol:

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Post by: ostrich on December 02, 2010, 01:18:49 PM

Bird Brain,  what about the local Coopers in the park?  I'm kind of surprised the Coopers would allow a sharpie (real or otherwise) to hunt in their territory.

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Post by: Bird Brain on December 02, 2010, 05:46:13 PM

Hi ostrich.  I haven't seen any Cooper's at Maplewood Park for quite awhile but saw a large female last week at Lake Aquitaine.  A local woman was taking photos of her.  

I've been seeing a Sharp-shinned Hawk at both Maplewood Park and Lake Aquitaine since October 6th - a few people have been observing this hawk feasting on a variety of birds - eg. male Red-winged Blackbird.  

Sighted a Merlin at Lake Wabukayne back on November 12th.