Hawk Watch Saturday October 30, 2010

It was another great day at the Hawk Watch platform with lots of bird activity throughout most of the day. With the Northwest winds for the first few hours of the morning, we had a nice push of raptors coming through the point including our first decent push of buteos (Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks). We also had really good numbers of Sharp-shinned Hawks (no surprise there), Northern Harriers, and vultures.

Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 30, 2010
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Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture               14            103            149
Turkey Vulture              75            783            981
Osprey                      13           1784           4525
Bald Eagle                  10            227            403
Northern Harrier           105           1067           1538
Sharp-shinned Hawk         455          12153          17373
Cooper's Hawk               58           2728           3612
Northern Goshawk             0              2              2
Red-shouldered Hawk         39            101            106
Broad-winged Hawk            4            753           1206
Red-tailed Hawk            115            399            538
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 1              6              6
American Kestrel            24           2704           5503
Merlin                       4           1335           2156
Peregrine Falcon             2           1084           1361
Unknown Accipiter            0              0              0
Unknown Buteo                0              0              0
Unknown Falcon               0              0              1
Unknown Eagle                0              0              0
Unknown Raptor               0              0              0

Total:                     919          25229          39460
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Observation start time: 06:15:00 
Observation end   time: 15:45:00 
Total observation time: 9.5 hours

Official Counter:        Melissa Roach

Observers:        

Weather:
Light Northwest winds early on provided a nice flight through the first
half of the day but the winds gradually turned to the Southwest by the end
of the day which meant the flight shut down by late afternoon.

Raptor Observations:
Finally a decent push of buteos today with good numbers of Red-shouldered
and Red-tailed Hawks.  We also had really good numbers of Sharp-shinned
Hawks, Northern Harriers, and vultures.

Non-raptor Observations:
Common Loons, Brant, 1 Wilson's Snipe, 2 Hooded Mergansers, 3 Eastern
Meadowlarks, 1 Lincoln's Sparrow, 1 Glossy Ibis, 1 Black-crowned Night
Heron, Surf Scoters flying overland, American Oystercatcher, 6 Cave
Swallows, 1 Cliff Swallow

Predictions:
Moderate WSW winds early on turning to West for most of the day but some
WNW near the end of the day.