A Raptor day at the Spit

[Iain]

I birded the Spit yesterday December 8th, from 9am to 230pm.  The day started out slowly but turned out to be one of my best on the Spit (raptor-wise).  The Barred Owl, Peregrine, Goshawk and Roughy all gave great looks which made the sightings that much better.

Great-horned Owl
Barred Owl
Juvenile Peregrine Falcon
Merlin
Red-tailed Hawk
Northern Harrier
Northern Goshawk
Rough-legged Hawk

Also seen were thousands of long-tails, a Northern Shrike and 2 fly-over Snow Buntings.

Barred Owl


Rough-legged Hawk


Northern Goshawk



Good Birding

[RobMcKay]

Wow, great shots and report Iain!
Im only 10 min. from the spit, but keep getting side tracked and never make it out.
Thanks for the report.
Rob

[Iain]

Thanks Rob!

[Joe]

Those Barred Owls shots are making me jealous.  Well done.

Joe

[Andrew McKinley]

Congrats Ian... what a day!
I am envious....
-Andrew

[Kin Lau]

Interesting... that Goshawk looks like it's near a building. Is that near the Boating Club area or near the base of the spit?

Great shots all around. Love that Barred Owl.

[Iain]

Initially I thought it was a building as well but realized there were no buildings where this photo was taken.  It was taken about 200m west of the floating footbridge and just east of the three evergreens that line the north side of the path.  The red color is from the brush (Dogwood?), the 'window' is a nesting box and the dark rectangle in the bottom right is one of several large rock slabs on the main path.

Thanks for the nice comments!

Iain

[Kin Lau]

That makes sense. I was hoping that it was staying near the base. I've seen Goshawks in that area just west of the bridge in the bay area a few years now. They seem to like that spot.

[mike]

Beauty shots! Mind me asking what gear you're using?

[Iain]

Thanks Mike!

I use a Canon 20d and 100-400mm f5.6 IS lens.  

Iain