Bird of Prey Week April 12-21

During spring raptor migration and Bird of Prey Week, Braddock Bay Park, in Greece, hosts one of the largest raptor migrations in the world. Each spring a "hawk" counter is perched on the Braddock Bay Park platform from March through the end of May. Last spring he identified and counted 69,118 hawks, eagles, and falcons migrating along the Lake Ontario shoreline.

Last season's highlights were:

• a season total of 44,100 Broad Wing Hawks, with 22,600 passing by on April 23
• 2,845 Red Tail Hawks, 728 migrating on April 8
• 234 bald eagles, with 44 passing overhead on May 26.

Bird of Prey Week offers a variety of educational opportunities including hawk identification classes, raptor banding demonstrations, owl prowls, nature walks, live bird demonstrations, a backyard habitat tour, and other fun activities for children.

In addition to the hawks, owls move through the area in large numbers. The "Owl Woods" is an area known for providing refuge for migrating owls. Spotting a roosting owl is a challenge for even an experienced birder. Owl Prowls provide an opportunity for the novice to experience the thrill of seeing an owl in the wild. These prowls are scheduled as part of Bird of Prey Week.

Bird of Prey Week is sponsored by Braddock Bay Raptor Research (BBRR), a non-profit group. For additional information and a schedule of the week's activities, visit their website at information@bbrr.com or call Jeff Dodge at (585) 392-5685.

Directions: Braddock Bay State Park is on the southern shore of Lake Ontario just west of Rochester. From the south and east, take Route 390 north to the Lake Ontario State Parkway. Exit the Parkway at East Manitou Road and turn north. Drive a few hundred feet to the park entrance. As you drive into the park, the Hawkwatch platform is on the left; the lodge is beside the parking lot.