story and photos by Dee Calvasina
Enter Braddock Bay Park on the southeast shore of Lake Ontario anytime between March 1 and May 31, and you will witness bird enthusiasts on the Braddock Bay Raptor Research Observation Deck with eyes glued to the skies. Many sport binoculars and cameras, some hold clicker counters, but all are enveloped in such exuberant energy that one is hard-pressed not to be drawn in.
This is the annual Braddock Bay Raptor Research (BBRR) hawk watch and migratory raptor count. Beginning March 1, rain or shine, a BBRR official daily counter/data collector, as well as numerous enthusiastic volunteers take to the observation deck located just inside the park’s south entrance. Everyone is welcome, as Lake Ontario’s shoreline at this locale makes viewing and counting extremely feasible. “Raptors don’t go across the lake, they go around it,” shared BBRR President Daena Ford. “Braddock Bay is a magnet for these birds because they follow the lakeshore.”
Many raptors are returning from as far as South America. BBRR has found that migrating birds will head north over this site, recognize the lake and then come south for a few minutes to follow the shoreline east and travel around the lake. This southbound regroup of sorts is when the counts are taken. Some bald eagles, red-tailed hawks and Cooper hawks will stay and nest in well-established territories, but most will continue northward.
What began in 1977 by private individuals as an annual hawk watch was embraced by the 501c3 nonprofit BBRR volunteer group beginning in 1986 as they officially joined hundreds of kindred sites across North America.
“All the collected data is put into reports of numbers per species,” shared Ford. “This is accumulated over many years to assess trends in any one species.”
The annual Raptor Population Index is an important North American overview so scientists, environmentalists and conservation groups like BBRR can watch for any fluctuations to keep on top of efforts for species longevity. BBRR realizes that declining numbers raise red flags due in part to the knowledge that most raptors are opportunist food hunters.
“Raptors ultimately are a great way to monitor the health of ecosystems,” Ford stated. “Because of their predatory status being at the top of the food chain, they reflect how healthy everything else is below them. We can tell how the birds are doing, and they, in turn, tell us how the environment is doing.” Bald eagle numbers were suffering but are now growing due to conservation efforts. Conversely, numbers have reflected a recent decrease in Northeast American kestrels as well as sharp-shinned hawks, causing organizations like BBRR to take a closer look. Ford notes that an average season’s count can total more than 50,000 birds!
In addition, the hawk watch/raptor count has since grown to include the Bird of Prey Days hosted every April at peak migratory season. BBRR dubs this event the highlight of each year’s count and views it as a celebration of migration. This year’s event will run Friday through Sunday, April 17 to 19, celebrating BBRR’s 40th anniversary. Bird of Prey Days is geared toward all age groups and offers both indoor and outdoor nature activities. Guests enjoy outdoor walks and tours, displays from local birding conservation and environmental groups, and a variety of live educational programs such as those on migration and bird banding. There are even presentations with BBRR’s rehabilitated raptors. Bird of Prey Days is a much-anticipated annual event celebrating raptors and drawing participants from across many states.
As exciting as spring migration and its celebration are, BBRR is busy year-round via education and outreach. Working hand in hand with New York raptor rehabilitation groups such as Kindred Kingdoms Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, BBRR currently houses four rehabilitated birds of prey including a broad-winged hawk, merlin, red-tailed hawk and great horned owl.
The broad-winged hawk was hit by a car, sustaining injuries to one wing and losing one eye. Rehabilitated at Kindred Kingdoms, BBRR was able to adopt it for educational purposes. The merlin sustained an intense wing break and had to have part of it amputated, hindering it from further flight. A good Samaritan found it and transported it to a rehabilitator. It now lives with its cohorts at the BBRR privately housed facility where all four raptors have safe, clean indoor/outdoor living quarters, daily favorite foods, regular beak and talon trims, and annual vet checks.
These magnificent raptors assist BBRR in live presentations given anywhere within a two-hour driving radius, entertaining and educating crowds from pre-K through senior citizens. Whether indoor or outdoor private gatherings, schools, universities or public fairs/events, BBRR is pleased to share (for a nominal fee) their rehabilitated birds and their stories along with a plethora of raptor information to raise awareness and appreciation.
Whether you’re an avid bird enthusiast or simply have an appreciation for nature and the environment, the BBRR’s annual migration hawk-watch/raptor count and Bird of Prey Days should be on your to-do list. BBRR official counters along with their vast array of annual participants welcome your presence for an hour, a day or as long as you wish. Such an adventure is not only enlightening and educational but also allows one to be a part of something larger, to bathe in kindred enthusiastic energy and become aware of life at a higher level of existence, quite literally.
Dee Calvasina is an author, speaker and monthly columnist for the Finger Lakes Times. Learn more at deecalvasina.com.
Donate (tax deductible), schedule a presentation, find updated event information and become involved/volunteer at bbrr.org.
Find a raptor in need of rehabilitation at kindredkingdoms.com.
Find a wildlife rehabilitator in your area at dec.ny.gov.
Check out the annual Raptor Population Index at rpi-project.org.
