RFI raptor/ Don Valley

[Julie]

hi all

Friday at about 5:00PM just south of the Bloor Viaduct  we saw a solitary high flying raptor riding a thermal and moving south-west. It was not a redtail though it did look to be a buteo (short tail, stocky body). The wings were far too long and pointed to be a redtail but it clearly wasn't an eagle as the wings had a slight crook to them and it didn't soar quite like an eagle. White "armpits"(good technical term there) and possibly black wrist patches on the wings, white patches elsewhere. Rough legged hawk??

thanks

Julie

[GStuart]

While Rough-Legged Hawk is a possibility, it is still a bit early for them.  There are still Ospreys on the move, however, and they are well known for that "crooked wing" that you mentioned.

[Julie]

hi

thanks for the thought... I too had wondered about osprey but wasn't sure if they could soar like this-- this bird rode the thermals like a buteo or eagle (like a pro!) but if ospreys can soar that well when migrating I'm sure you could well be right. At most points in the soar, it did have perfectly straight wings though... we could see that when it was directly overhead. I would have thought "eagle" if it weren't for the wings that were too pointed and just off the right shape for an eagle.

julie