As the summer winds down, migrants are starting to move south. We are fortunate in our area to have a spot that is excellent for raptor migraton. The place is Hawk Cliff, along the shores of Lake Erie. The Hawk Cliff foundation will again this year, be giving live demonstrations of raptors on the weekends of Sept. 13/14 and Sept. 20/21 at 11am and 2pm. 

The banders will bring to the site various raptors that they have caught and banded. Of course Mother Nature and the birds will have a say in what birds fall for the bait!!!! Wind direction is everything. The banders will not show any raptors that are listed such as the peregrine falcon. After talking about the birds, they will release them in front of everyone.

They also try to show the birds to their best and so there are many photographic opportunities, especially for head shots. Last year, I used my 100-300 mm lens to take some images. The longer lens is useful as this is a very popular activity and the longer lens allows you to be back a bit. Often as an ongoing activity, banders will be there tagging Monarch butterflies. What a contrast from the big raptors to the fragile butterflies. 

If you do go, you may want to bring a chair, refreshments, binoculars,proper clothing etc. as the site is at a dead end along the shores of Lake Erie. Memebers of the Haawk Cliff Foundation are there to answer questions.  

Below are a few images that I took last year at Hawk Cliff. 

The Hawk Cliff  Foundation has an excellent website. It covers some of the history, migration and events as well as directions to the site. 

Click here to visit the Hawk Cliff Foundation website 

Hope to see you there

Sue