Hawk/Owl behaviour early morning drive to work..

[Napper]

Friday morning on the way to work @ 5:35 am (very dark) here is a large bird of prey  flying /soaring over 401 at Mississauga rd. It landed on on a sign post near the  commuter lot on the Westbound side of the 401.

It was a dark coloured bird, fairly large, it was  illuminated slightly by some road lighting.

I could be wrong but is this tooo early for a Red-tail hawk.  I immediately thought it was some sort of Owl.

BTW. after many days of watching the same area on the way to work  (as a passenger) the Snowy was not on a lamp post but on a conifer.

Napper ever Vigilant

[Paul O'Toole]

Red-tailed hawks do winter in southern Ontario in small numbers. Some head south but not all of them, not sure why? I saw 2 today in my area of Kingston when out for a drive.

[Napper]

Hi Paul
Thanx for the response, I understand that Red Tailed hawks overwinter in the GTA.

I saw3 on Sunday on my home from work along 407 between 401 and Derry rd. One had really dark underwing coverings.

My question more related to the activity of Hawks two hours before sunrise 5:30 am.. :shock:
Or was it an Owl  

Napper

[Kris Ito]

I wonder if it could have been a Peregrine? Apparently some city-dwelling birds have acquired a knack for utilizing city lights to hunt at night. Lots of interesting articles if you google the subject, but here is a Canadian link: http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/spec ... cle92.html