Cape May Hawk Watch - 30 November 2012


Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 30, 2012
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Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                4            141            202
Turkey Vulture              41           1170           1532
Osprey                       0             35           2770
Bald Eagle                   3             40            309
Northern Harrier             5            408           1307
Sharp-shinned Hawk          10           5624          19881
Cooper's Hawk                8            767           3617
Northern Goshawk             1             30             34
Red-shouldered Hawk         10            778            840
Broad-winged Hawk            0             12            678
Red-tailed Hawk             23           1927           2252
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 0             19             19
American Kestrel             0            294           5626
Merlin                       0             96           1901
Peregrine Falcon             1             19           1161
Unknown Accipiter            0              0              0
Unknown Buteo                0              1              1
Unknown Falcon               0              0              0
Unknown Eagle                0              0              0
Unknown Raptor               0              0              0
Swainson's Hawk              0              1              3

Total:                     106          11362          42133
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Observation start time: 07:00:00 
Observation end   time: 15:30:00 
Total observation time: 8.5 hours

Official Counter:        Tom Reed

Observers:        

Visitors:
The top deck was filled with hawk watch regulars throughout much of the
day, and I think everyone had a great time.

This seems like a good time (and space) to offer my thanks to everyone who
visited and assisted with this year's hawk watch. I hope you enjoyed the
season as much as I did. 


Weather:
A chilly start, but warmed up nicely for the afternoon. Mainly sunny in the
AM, with increasing high clouds through the PM. Winds light from the W/SW
through early-PM, ending at SE.

Raptor Observations:
A fine flight for the last day of the season, with mixed kettles of
vultures, buteos and accipiters throughout the midday hours, a bay-crossing
Peregrine during the late-AM, and the year's final bird, a Bald Eagle
heading out to Delaware at 2:43pm.

Non-raptor Observations:
Red Crossbill (~40), Redhead (2), Cave Swallow (1), Tree Swallow (30), Palm
Warbler (1), Great Cormorant (1), White-winged Scoter (2), Forster's Tern
(7), Laughing Gull (5)

Predictions:
The weather for September 1, 2013 will hopefully involve northwest winds
and a friendly sky.