APRIL 20 through APRIL 22, 2012

Braddock Bay, located on the southern shore of Lake Ontario, is one of the best spring raptor migration spots on the continent.  Last year over 100,000 raptors were tallied from March through May!  For the last 23 years, Braddock Bay Raptor Research (BBRR) has held an annual celebration of the migration, Bird of Prey Days, during the peak of hawk migration time.  The next BOP Days is set to be held from April 20-22, 2012.  You won’t want to miss it!

Not only will there be fantastic hawkwatching to participate in, but there will also be many opportunities to view raptors up close and personal, and to learn about the research that BBRR conducts to help monitor their populations.  Programs (for all ages) will include presentations with live birds of prey, hawk banding station tours and demonstrations, hawkwatching workshops, stories and games for kids, owl prowls, a photography contest, and much more!

For a complete list of programs and activities being held throughout the day, download the Bird of Prey Days Schedule.

If you have a bulletin board, feel free to post the BOP Days Flyer on it.

For information on our 2nd Annual Nature Photography Contest, download the flyer or the photographer application.

Hey Kids!  Participate in our Coloring Contest!  Download the coloring sheet and bring it with you to BOP Days to enter to win a great prize!

There will be a one-time $3 suggested donation for adults for the entire weekend.  Kids are FREE.

BBRR Hawkcounter Luke Tiller scanning the skies.

Join Luke Tiller, BBRR’s official hawkwatcher and professional tour guide for a series of workshops on bird  identification.  Aimed at intermediate level birders, the workshops will focus on four different groups of birds starting with everyone’s ‘favorites’ gulls, and then cover waterfowl, hawks and finally warblers. (Dates are listed below.)  The workshops will consist of a brief talk on a Thursday evening of each month at the lodge at Braddock Bay Park, plus a field trip on the following Saturday morning in the vicinity of Braddock Bay.  Cost of each  workshop is $10 for BBRR Members, $15 for non-members.  Sign up for all 4 at once and pay only $35 for BBRR Members and $55 for non-members.  BBRR Volunteers may participate for free.    Registration is required for all.  Contact BBRR at information@bbrr.org or call 585-267-5483.

GULLS Workshop—February 23, 7:00 pm and February 25, 9:00 am

WATERFOWL Workshop—March 29, 7:00 pm and March 31, 9:00 am

RAPTORS Workshop—April 26, 7:00 pm and April 28, 9:00 am

WARBLERS Workshop—May 17, 7:00 pm and May 19, 9:00 am

Anyone with an interest in raptors and Braddock Bay Raptor Research is welcome to register for the classes.  There is a registration fee to participate in the class, which covers the cost of class materials that individuals will receive throughout the course and upon its completion. For current volunteers and BBRR members (as of Dec. 2010), the fee is only $5.  For non-members the fee is $10.  If anyone who is NOT currently a member wishes to join BBRR (or renew their membership) AND take the training course, they can do so for $5 plus the cost of membership. Those individuals successfully completing all of the class requirements will be recognized as official BBRR Educators.

The class schedule is listed below, with the topics that will be covered.  All classes will be held at the lodge at Braddock Bay Park from 7-9 pm.  Two field trips are scheduled in March to supplement the classes and to provide volunteers with more of a hands-on experience.  If you are interested in becoming a BBRR volunteer and wish to participate in this course, contact BBRR at information@bbrr.org or 585-BOP-LIVE.

Class #1—January 19: BBRR History; Education Programs & Events; Raptor Basics

Class #2—February 2: The Braddock Bay Hawkwatch and Hawk Identification

Class #3—February 16: Raptor Banding—The How and Why, plus Tours & Demonstrations

Class #4—March 1: Owls of Braddock Bay—the Owl Woods & Habitat Management; Banding; Owl Prowls

Class #5—March 15: Wrap up and Graduation

Field Trips: March 17 Owl Prowl; March 24 to the Hawkwatch & Banding Station

Fred has also provided a list of resources to help you learn more about owls and provided habitat for all backyard wildlife.  You can down load a printable version here.

If you would like a copy of the nest box plans and/or list of resources mailed to you, please contact BBRR at information@bbrr.org.

Gender of Red-tailed Hawks Revealed by Size and Weight

You can read about our hawk counter’s experience that day at http://underclearskies.com/2011/05/05/anatomy-of-a-broad-winged-hawk-big-day-–-braddock-bay-–-april-27th-2011/.

The season is not over yet…let’s see if we can break 100,000 in 2011!  Eyes to the skies!

Come count hawks with us at Braddock Bay! The second annual Raptorthon event is being held Saturday, April 30 from 9-3. All ages are welcome to attend. There will be events for all to participate in from banding demonstrations to Hawkwatch Bingo!

What is Raptorthon? It is an event created by the Hawk Migration Association of North America (shared with hawkwatch sites, like Braddock Bay, around the continent) to raise awareness, and much needed funding, for raptor conservation. Like a Birdathon, Raptorthon is sponsored bird count, but is focused on raptors or birds of prey.

Accurate knowledge of population status and change is a fundamental building block of species conservation. Sponsorships will help support HMANA’s HawkCount.org website and database, which securely stores counts of migrating raptors from more than 200 sites across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Raptor Population Index program takes these counts and uses them to provide a unique assessment of the health and trends of populations of North America’s migratory raptors – information that is essential for effective conservation. A recent analysis has shown that most raptor populations are in good shape but has also revealed a widespread decline in our smallest falcon, the American Kestrel.

We need to continue monitoring Kestrels and other hawks to provide early warning of problems. This requires expert hawk counters here at the Braddock Bay hawkwatch and dozens of other migration watch sites across the continent, as well as highly skilled help to maintain the huge data archive and use it to assess population status.

Consider making a pledge to BBRR’s Raptorthon whether you will be able to attend the event or not. It’s easy to do…just go to HMANA’s website to make your pledge on line.

For more on Raptorthon, and some inspiration for attending the event, visit hawk counter Luke Tiller’s blog post at http://underclearskies.com/2011/04/26/raptorthon-april-30th-2011/

We hope everyone enjoys a much safer & drier walk through the woods as they search for owls and other birds this coming spring.