Featured Species: Northern Harrier
Written by Jim Adams Gliding and bouncing low over the grasslands and marshes of New York state, the Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) is one of New York’s more distinctive birds of prey. Unlike high soaring eagles and hawks, harriers spend most of their time close to...
New Feathered Ambassador for BBRR
Nothing excites our visitors more than seeing raptors up close and personal. There are many ways to do that at Braddock Bay, from the hawkwatch to the banding station to the Owl Woods. Encountering wild raptors in their natural habitat is surely a thrill. Just as...
August Red-tail Season Begins!
By Barbara French, BBRR Raptor Bander "There's a kettle with 7 eagles!” The excited text blinked on my phone, and I didn't even have to wonder who it came from -- master bander and licensed eagle bander, Dan Niven. A few exchanges later, I discovered he was out hawk...
Marvelous May!
Braddock Bay fans often enter into the month of May lamenting that the hawkwatching season has past its peak, and it’s all downhill in terms of raptor migration at least. It doesn’t help that our eyes are easily turned to the colorful menagerie of warblers and other...
An Owl “Hat-trick”
Each spring, BBRR volunteers survey the Owl Woods for roosting owls that are utilizing the area as a stop over during migration. Information gained from this survey helps is used to monitor the habitat usage by the owls, and in turn helps us to manage and protect the...
Raptor Banding Update – Careful What You Wish For!
Photo above: Red-tailed Hawk, by Wayne Sheeler Third week of March 2016, by Barbara French Report from Main Station: We love south and southwest winds for hawks. Nothing is better for bringing them right along the lakeshore and right over the banding station, but be...
Raptor Banding Update – What a difference a year makes!
Second Week of March 2016, by Barb French Last year, Susie Cotsworth and I opened Main Blind in the Owl Woods late in March – and we had to dig out a trench in the snow to run lines to the traps. We froze nearly to death on many of those early days! A frozen lake and...