April 19, 2008: Braddock Bay and other birding

We started out at the Braddock Bay Bird Observatory for some songbird banding. It is early in the season, but we found a few things....

White-Throated Sparrow
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
A Merlin flew by while we were at the banding station

Next we headed to the nearby Braddock Bay Raptor Banding Station in the "Owl Woods". It was a busy day with lots of Sharp-Shinned Hawks banded, a few Northern Harriers, and one Red-Tailed Hawk! The first bird we saw banded was a Hermit Thrush!
Northern Harrier (above and below) Below: Banded Sharp-Shinned Hawks



Above and Below: Red-Tailed Hawk

There were Ruby-Crowned Kinglets outside the station - this was the best photo I could find
Above and Below: Northern Saw-Whet Owl in the "Owl Woods"

We stopped briefly at the Braddock Bay Hawk Watch Tower. Not much was going on, but we did have a brief kettle of Broad-Winged Hawks. This was the best picture I could get:

We got these nice shots of Wood Ducks (Melissa's photos) just outside Lakeside Beach State Park

Aerial shot of Banding Station via Microsoft Birds Eye View Image

The official Braddock Bay Hawkwatch Tower

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