Hawk Watch Tuesday September 21, 2010

There was an interesting raptor flight for the first 2 and a half hours of the Hawkwatch this morning. After that the winds picked up and started blowing from the south, which shut the flight down completely. Early on Sharp-shinned Hawks and Northern Harriers were moving in numbers, and there were several American Kestrels way up high before dawn, indicating that they were moving during the night, which is pretty damn cool.

The Hudsonian Godwit was on Bunker Pond for several hours before flying west and never returning, and an American Golden-Plover flew over calling but unfortunately evaded visual detection. The most impressive thing, other than the super high Kestrels, was the morning Northern Flicker and Icterid movement, definitely a fitting way to signal the start of autumn tomorrow. Also there was a good movement of waterbirds, especially Egrets, Terns, and Cormorants, also just in time for the beginning of the Seawatch tomorrow.


Part of the good movement of Northern Harriers that took place over the first couple of hours this morning (photo copyright Doug Gochfeld)




Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 21, 2010
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 37 41 41
Turkey Vulture 19 182 182
Osprey 50 2252 2252
Bald Eagle 2 155 155
Northern Harrier 32 319 319
Sharp-shinned Hawk 283 3062 3062
Cooper's Hawk 47 681 681
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 5 5
Broad-winged Hawk 3 429 429
Red-tailed Hawk 4 134 134
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 52 2329 2329
Merlin 23 588 588
Peregrine Falcon 1 29 29
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: 553 10206 10206
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observation start time: 05:45:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 10.25 hours

Official Counter: Doug Gochfeld

Observers:

Weather:
NE winds early, shifting E then SSE/S. Clear skies.

Raptor Observations:
Good numbers of Harriers and Sharpies early, then the flight died with the
wind shift.

Non-raptor Observations:
Lots of Monarchs, Hudsonian Godwit, American Golden-Plover, Purple Martin
(late), 5 Brown Pelicans.

Predictions:
10-15 MPH South and Southwest Winds. Very little raptor movement.


Location: Cape Island--CMPSP--Hawkwatch Platform (CMBO hawkwatch)
Observation date: 9/21/10
Number of species: 77

Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Gadwall X
American Wigeon X
Mallard X
Blue-winged Teal X
Northern Shoveler X
Northern Pintail 3
Green-winged Teal X
Brown Pelican 5
Double-crested Cormorant 250
Great Blue Heron 5
Great Egret 9
Snowy Egret 20
Black Vulture 37
Turkey Vulture 19
Osprey 50
Bald Eagle 2
Northern Harrier 32
Sharp-shinned Hawk 283
Cooper's Hawk 47
Broad-winged Hawk 3
Red-tailed Hawk 4
American Kestrel 52
Merlin 23
Peregrine Falcon 1
Black-bellied Plover 5
American Golden-Plover 1 Heard only flyover. Called several times.
Killdeer 7
American Oystercatcher 1
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Hudsonian Godwit 1
Least Sandpiper 11
Pectoral Sandpiper 2
Short-billed Dowitcher 6
Wilson's Snipe 1
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Forster's Tern X
Royal Tern X
Black Skimmer X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 125
Eastern Kingbird 1
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Fish Crow X
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Purple Martin 1
Tree Swallow 5000
Barn Swallow X
Red-breasted Nuthatch 3
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird X
European Starling X
Northern Parula 2
Yellow Warbler 6
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Magnolia Warbler 1
Cape May Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1
Palm Warbler (Western) 20
Black-and-white Warbler 1
American Redstart 4
Northern Waterthrush 1
Bobolink 65
Red-winged Blackbird X
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X

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