Hawk Watch Sunday September 19, 2010

I know you've probably already heard all about the incredible Monarch migration that went through Cape May Point yesterday, but I can't help but repeat it again. It was such a huge part of the count yesterday that it would be wrong not to mention it. The Monarchs were simply unbelievable!! You could clearly see the huge influx wherever you looked, but when I would scan with my binoculars (on the lookout for raptors, of course), I couldn't stop myself from being amazed. I wouldn't say I was speechless, however. In fact, I probably said some things my mother would not approve of, but I just couldn't help myself! It was outrageous!!

Well, I suppose I should mention something about the hawks. This is the Hawk Watch afterall. It was a relatively quiet day. There was some movement, but most birds were high and/or far away so it wasn't exactly fun to count. We did have one Peregrine fly relatively close past the platform which was a nice treat. Other non-raptor highlights included 1 Northern Gannet, a flock of 9 Spotted Sandpipers flying over, 1 distant Common Loon, and 1 Hudsonian Godwit foraging on Bunker Pond for most of the day.

Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 19, 2010
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Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                4              4              4
Turkey Vulture              17            138            138
Osprey                      87           2096           2096
Bald Eagle                   1            144            144
Northern Harrier            10            241            241
Sharp-shinned Hawk         250           1862           1862
Cooper's Hawk               69            537            537
Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
Red-shouldered Hawk          0              5              5
Broad-winged Hawk            4            422            422
Red-tailed Hawk              5            102            102
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
American Kestrel            22           1716           1716
Merlin                      16            351            351
Peregrine Falcon             2             25             25
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:                     487           7643           7643
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Observation start time: 05:45:00 
Observation end   time: 16:00:00 
Total observation time: 10.25 hours

Official Counter:        Melissa Roach

Observers:        

Weather:
Calm in the morning with a brief period of light West winds then turning to
Southwest.  Partly cloudy until noon when it become clear and sunny.

Raptor Observations:
Some movement but most birds very high due to the sparse cloud cover and
light winds.

Non-raptor Observations:
Hundreds of thousands of Monarchs migrating; Northern Gannet; 9 Spotted
Sandpiper (flyby); Common Loon (flyby); Hudsonian Godwit