Hawk Watch Sunday November 28, 2010

It was a day of sunshine, Northwest winds, and migrating birds. The morning was filled with line after line of Canada Geese moving both offshore and inland. We even had 2 flocks of Snow Geese (one containing 51 birds) and 1 small flock of Tundra Swans. We also had a flyover Dickcissel first thing this morning as well.

The raptor flight was decent for late November with the first migrant of the day an adult male Northern Harrier (swoon). Later, the sky was filled with multiple kettles of Turkey and Black Vultures with various other raptors mixed in such as Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks, Peregrine Falcons (2 adults), Northern Harriers, and a few accipiters. It seems that today might have been the last good raptor flight for the 2010 season as the next two 2 days look quite grim weather-wise.

Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 28, 2010
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Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture               20            331            507
Turkey Vulture              70           1482           2572
Osprey                       1             44           4574
Bald Eagle                   8             97            506
Northern Harrier            13            752           2383
Sharp-shinned Hawk          40           2117          19924
Cooper's Hawk               15            416           4101
Northern Goshawk             1             24             26
Red-shouldered Hawk         19            324            438
Broad-winged Hawk            0             18           1225
Red-tailed Hawk             39           1204           1786
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 0             19             27
American Kestrel             0             90           5651
Merlin                       1             77           2250
Peregrine Falcon             2             44           1413
Unknown Accipiter            0              0              0
Unknown Buteo                0              0              0
Unknown Falcon               0              1              2
Unknown Eagle                0              0              0
Unknown Raptor               0              0              0

Total:                     229           7040          47385
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Observation start time: 06:45:00 
Observation end   time: 15:30:00 
Total observation time: 8.75 hours

Official Counter:        Melissa Roach

Observers:        

Weather:
Sunny skies with light NNW/N winds the entire day.

Raptor Observations:
A fairly good day for late November with lots of vultures moving and decent
numbers of Sharp-shinned Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, and Bald Eagles.

Non-raptor Observations:
1 Dickcissel flyby, lots and lots of Canada Geese moving, 65 Snow Geese, 3
Tundra Swans, 1 Belted Kingfisher

Predictions:
There will probably be a little movement early on due to the ENE, but with
the ends becoming ESE by noon, migration will most likely shut down for the
day.