Hawk Watch Saturday September 11, 2010

I knew it was a bad omen when the vultures started to get up at 8 in the morning, and sure enough, a few hours later I was straining my neck counting birds high overhead. With the light winds and sunny sky, the birds kettled up and up and up in the thermals. A few mixed kettles formed including both species of vultures, Broad-winged Hawks, Northern Harriers, Accipters, and the occassional Red-tailed Hawk. Dominated by Osprey once again, the flight started to die down quite a bit in the afternoon. The most notable raptor highlight, in my opinion, was the first Red-shouldered Hawk of the season, found just before 2 pm.

Other non-raptor highlights included an Alder Flycatcher, Prairie Warbler, and Nashville Warbler all seen in the shrubs just below the platform.

Alder Flycatcher. (Doug Gochfeld)

Prairie Warbler. (Doug Gochfeld)

Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 11, 2010
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Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                0              0              0
Turkey Vulture              30             75             75
Osprey                     113            692            692
Bald Eagle                   6             52             52
Northern Harrier             8             76             76
Sharp-shinned Hawk          65            157            157
Cooper's Hawk               32            120            120
Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
Red-shouldered Hawk          1              1              1
Broad-winged Hawk           34             98             98
Red-tailed Hawk              8             36             36
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
American Kestrel            26            892            892
Merlin                      13             65             65
Peregrine Falcon             0              4              4
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:                     336           2268           2268
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Observation start time: 05:30:00
Observation end   time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 10.5 hours

Official Counter:        Melissa Roach

Observers:       

Weather:
light NE winds turning to SW with mostly clear to partly cloudy skies

Raptor Observations:
Decent Turkey Vulture movement; first Red-shouldered Hawk of the season