Hawk Watch Tuesday September 14, 2010

Wow! What a day at the Hawkwatch. After a moderately slow start (except for Ospreys) due to light WSW winds, the flight really kicked into high gear in the afternoon. The main attraction was the flight of small falcons. 331 American Kestrels passed in the final 3 hours alone, and the Merlin total probably would have been in the triple digits if we could detect all the ones whipping low through the forests of the State Park. Ospreys were moving in impressive numbers all day, especially through the mid-day hours. The flight was so thick in the late afternoon that the count had to be extended past 5:00 PM. The most exciting event during the overtime (you know, besides the 50+ additional raptors) was a Peregrine Falcon entertaining everybody on the platform for several minutes by taking repeated potshots at the Rock Pigeons perched on the Bunker.

Non-raptor highlights were a flyby Red-headed Woodpecker, a late Purple Martin, a Brown Pelican, and a good shorebird show on Bunker Pond, which included several Stilt and Pectoral Sandpipers, and 2 White-rumped Sandpipers (complete eBird list below).

Also, last but certainly not least, possibly the most impressive movement for the last two days down here at the point has been the movement of Monarch Butterflies, which has been spectacularly good for this early in the season.

One of the many American Kestrels that barreled by the platform today

A typical straight overhead view from the platform today (copyright Tony Leukering)

Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 14, 2010
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Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                0              0              0
Turkey Vulture              19            107            107
Osprey                     397           1412           1412
Bald Eagle                  10             69             69
Northern Harrier            17            102            102
Sharp-shinned Hawk         157            358            358
Cooper's Hawk               16            178            178
Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
Red-shouldered Hawk          0              1              1
Broad-winged Hawk            2            112            112
Red-tailed Hawk              3             42             42
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
American Kestrel           448           1467           1467
Merlin                      69            182            182
Peregrine Falcon             4              8              8
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:                    1142           4038           4038
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observation start time: 05:30:00 
Observation end   time: 16:30:00 
Total observation time: 11 hours

Official Counter:        Doug Gochfeld

Observers:        

Weather:
Light SW winds early, increasing in strength, and shifting NW through the
day, which led to a good afternoon flight.

Raptor Observations:
Ospreys and American Kestrels came through in excellent numbers, the latter
of which put up two triple digit  hours out of the last 3.

Non-raptor Observations:
Red-headed Woodpecker flyby, Purple Martin, Brown Pelican, Pectoral, Stilt,
and White-rumped Sandpipers.

Predictions:
Light N/NW winds and clear skies. Should be a good amount of raptors
moving, although watching/counting conditions could get difficult as the
day progresses.

Location: Cape Island--CMPSP--Hawkwatch Platform (CMBO hawkwatch)
Observation date: 9/14/10
Notes: WSW shifting to NW winds.
Number of species: 79

Canada Goose X
Mute Swan 11
Gadwall X
American Wigeon 5
Mallard X
Blue-winged Teal 18
Northern Shoveler 24
Green-winged Teal 35
Northern Gannet 1 3rd yearish
Brown Pelican 1
Double-crested Cormorant 80
Great Blue Heron 4
Great Egret 19
Snowy Egret 14
Tricolored Heron 1
Black Vulture 4
Turkey Vulture 19
Osprey 397
Bald Eagle 10
Northern Harrier 17
Sharp-shinned Hawk 157
Cooper's Hawk 16
Broad-winged Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 3
American Kestrel 448
Merlin 69
Peregrine Falcon 4
Semipalmated Plover 34
Killdeer 1
American Oystercatcher 2
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 39
Sanderling 25
Semipalmated Sandpiper 5
Least Sandpiper 66
White-rumped Sandpiper 2
Pectoral Sandpiper 13
Stilt Sandpiper 4
Short-billed Dowitcher 8
Wilson's Snipe 1
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Common Tern 4
Forster's Tern 8
Royal Tern 150
Black Skimmer 300
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove 12
Chimney Swift 4
Red-headed Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 8
Eastern Kingbird 3
Blue Jay 15
American Crow X
Fish Crow 20
Purple Martin 1
Tree Swallow 1000
Bank Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 45
Cliff Swallow 4
Carolina Chickadee 2
Carolina Wren 2
House Wren 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 12
European Starling X
Yellow Warbler 4
Northern Waterthrush 5
Common Yellowthroat 5
Northern Cardinal 1
Indigo Bunting 8
Bobolink 250
Red-winged Blackbird X
House Finch 5
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X