Hawk Watch Thursday September 23, 2010

Considering the less than ideal weather conditions today (fog, low visibility, non-existent to light winds, and no cloud cover), it turned out to be a pretty good flight with decent numbers and diversity. Even though they were hard to find with just your naked eye, you could see impressive kettles of Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper's Hawks, Northern Harriers, Osprey, and American Kestrels circling high overhead. We even had 3 Bald Eagles in view at the same time fairly low over the platform and 2 Peregrine Falcons fighting with one another near the lighthouse. It certainly wasn't the most riveting day at the Hawk Watch, but it was a gorgeous day trickled with spurts of excitement throughout.

Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 23, 2010
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Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                5             46             46
Turkey Vulture              16            198            198
Osprey                      76           2378           2378
Bald Eagle                   1            157            157
Northern Harrier            33            362            362
Sharp-shinned Hawk         332           3518           3518
Cooper's Hawk               48            748            748
Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
Red-shouldered Hawk          0              5              5
Broad-winged Hawk            4            433            433
Red-tailed Hawk              0            134            134
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
American Kestrel            69           2410           2410
Merlin                      23            619            619
Peregrine Falcon            10             46             46
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:                     617          11054          11054
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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:
Fog early on, but burning off shortly after sunrise.  Very calm this
morning, light North/Northeast winds for a brief period, then switching to
East winds for the majority of the day.  Another day of virtually no cloud
cover.

Raptor Observations:
Good movement of raptors today including Turkey and Black Vultures but the
flight was very high.

Non-raptor Observations:
12 Great Blue Herons, 5 Green Herons, and 2 Great Egrets migrating; Spotted
Sandpiper on Bunker Pond all day

Predictions:
Tomorrow isn't looking too good with a forecast of South winds all day.