I got to attend my first Holiday Beach Festival of Hawks yesterday. I was pretty excited even though the winds weren't favourable. I was like a little kid again at the bird banding demonstrations, especially when I got to release a Chestnut-Sided Warbler. It was a pretty quiet day but a good one nonetheless. Birds seen included:
Bald Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawks
American Kestrel
Red-Tailed Hawk
Cedar Waxwing
Great Blue heron
Mute Swan
Downy Woodpecker
Chestnut-Sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Blackpoll/Baybreasted??
Blue jay
American Robin
And lots of ducks that were too far for me to identify.
The bird banders had Chestnut-Sided, Wilson's, Blackpoll, Magnolia, and well, more Magnolia Warblers. The only raptors I saw released were Sharpies. I cannot believe how small they really are. They look so much bigger in the air!
