Hawk Watch Sunday October 23, 2011

It was another light Northwest wind today with mostly clear skies so again, birds got up really high in the sky fairly early in the day. We were treated to quite a few surprises throughout the day including good views of buteos, large kettles of vultures, and lots of accipiters moving through. One of the most surprising things I've ever seen on the platform occured sometime in the afternoon when a Hoary Bat flew in off the ocean and landed on a visitor's leg! The visitor wasn't even aware what had happened until quite a few people told him to stand still because a bat had just chosen his hip as a perch. Don't fret though because the man and the bat escaped unharmed.

I guess I would land just about anywhere, too, if I had been flying over the ocean for much of the day. This Hoary Bat created quite the stir on the platform today (photo by Tiffany Kersten).

Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 23, 2011
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Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                2             31             46
Turkey Vulture              30            300            321
Osprey                       7           1198           2545
Bald Eagle                  19            222            347
Northern Harrier            18            363            534
Sharp-shinned Hawk         417           9196          12867
Cooper's Hawk              141           1991           2475
Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
Red-shouldered Hawk         16             54             63
Broad-winged Hawk           11            901            980
Red-tailed Hawk             40            151            194
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 0              2              2
American Kestrel             8           2818           5028
Merlin                       7            716           1474
Peregrine Falcon            10            507           1036
Unknown Accipiter            0              0              0
Unknown Buteo                0              0              0
Unknown Falcon               0              0              0
Unknown Eagle                0              0              0
Unknown Raptor               0              0              0
Swainson's Hawk              0              2              4

Total:                     726          18452          27916
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Observation start time: 06:00:00 
Observation end   time: 16:00:00 
Total observation time: 10 hours

Official Counter:        Melissa Roach

Observers:        

Weather:
Mostly clear skies today with light North-northwest winds all day.

Raptor Observations:
A good steady flight today dominated by accipiters (especially
Sharp-shins).  We also had a decent push of Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey
Vultures.

Non-raptor Observations:
A hoary bat flew in off the ocean and proceeded to land on a visitor's
leg!!  No, I'm not kidding.  
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Report submitted by Melissa Roach (roach.mc1@gmail.com)
Cape May Hawkwatch information may be found at:
http://www.njaudubon.org/Centers/CMBO/