Cape May Hawk Watch - 15 September 2012


Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 15, 2012
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Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                0              0              0
Turkey Vulture               0              1              1
Osprey                      14            488            488
Bald Eagle                   1             71             71
Northern Harrier             8            121            121
Sharp-shinned Hawk         108            410            410
Cooper's Hawk               13            120            120
Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
Red-shouldered Hawk          0              2              2
Broad-winged Hawk            3             55             55
Red-tailed Hawk              0             14             14
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
American Kestrel           347           1164           1164
Merlin                      47            175            175
Peregrine Falcon             0             26             26
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

Total:                     541           2647           2647
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Observation start time: 05:45:00 
Observation end   time: 17:00:00 
Total observation time: 11.17 hours

Official Counter:        Tom Reed

Observers:        Vince Elia

Visitors:
600+


Weather:
Mostly sunny and seasonable. Winds out of the N in the AM, becoming NW/WNW
in the PM; 10-20mph throughout. 

Raptor Observations:
A light AM flight picked up in the PM, with a decent push of Kestrels into
the early evening.

Non-raptor Observations:
Buff-breasted Sandpiper (1), American Golden-Plover (1), American Bittern
(1), Common Nighthawk (2), Cape May Warbler (3), Magnolia Warbler (1),
Gull-billed Tern (1)

Predictions:
Conflicting forecasts now suggest variable winds for the AM, becoming W or
SW later in the day.