While that(those) was(were) far and away the coolest diurnal raptor-related event(s), the rest of the flight was pretty darn good as well. A single juvenile Golden Eagle, which would be an excellent highlight on any other day, was almost a letdown after yesterday's GOEA bonanza. Red-taileds and Turkey Vultures were once again moving in good numbers, and the smaller two Accipiters made a good showing again. I made sure to mention "diurnal" as a qualifier for the Goshawk event, because two Long-eared Owls seen just before dawn at very close range might have actually topped the "cool" list for the day (although the up close and personal encounter pictured below was up there as well). I'll save everyone from having to look at one of my mediocre digiscoped photos by suggesting you check out Tom's photo (below posting) of one of the Northern Goshawks from today.
Other highlights were a Tundra Swan flying laps around the State Park, American Bittern, Cattle Egret, Cave Swallow, and an excellent waterbird flight (both offshore and over land).
This stunning Leucistic Red-tailed Hawk perched for a minute or so on the Platform for a better look at those who were looking at it. (Photo by Doug Gochfeld.)
Complete eBird list with Hawkcount totals below (1,010 Raptors counted):
Location: Cape Island--CMPSP--Hawkwatch Platform (CMBO hawkwatch)
Observation date: 11/2/10
Number of species: 93
Brant 21
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Tundra Swan 1
Wood Duck X
Gadwall X
Eurasian Wigeon 1
American Wigeon X
American Black Duck X
Mallard X
Blue-winged Teal X
Northern Shoveler X
Northern Pintail X
Green-winged Teal X
Ring-necked Duck 22
Lesser Scaup 3
Surf Scoter X
Black Scoter X
Hooded Merganser 1
Red-breasted Merganser 3
Ruddy Duck X
Red-throated Loon 4
Common Loon 6
Pied-billed Grebe X
Northern Gannet X
Double-crested Cormorant X
American Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron 4
Great Egret 1
Cattle Egret 1
Glossy Ibis 1
Black Vulture 13
Turkey Vulture 195
Osprey 1
Bald Eagle 7
Northern Harrier 76
Sharp-shinned Hawk 327
Cooper's Hawk 77
Northern Goshawk 3
Red-shouldered Hawk 36
Broad-winged Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 261
Golden Eagle 1
American Kestrel 6
Merlin 3
Peregrine Falcon 3
American Coot X
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Bonaparte's Gull 2
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Forster's Tern X
Royal Tern X
Black Skimmer 85
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Long-eared Owl 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 10
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Tree Swallow 500
Cave Swallow 1
Tufted Titmouse 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 2
Carolina Wren X
Eastern Bluebird X
American Robin X
Northern Mockingbird X
European Starling X
American Pipit X
Cedar Waxwing 4
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) X
Blackpoll Warbler 2
Song Sparrow 15
Swamp Sparrow 6
White-throated Sparrow 4
White-crowned Sparrow 3
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) X
Northern Cardinal X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Eastern Meadowlark 8
Rusty Blackbird 5
Common Grackle 200
Brown-headed Cowbird X
Purple Finch X
House Finch X
Pine Siskin 100
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 02, 2010
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 13 73 249
Turkey Vulture 195 698 1788
Osprey 1 6 4536
Bald Eagle 7 25 434
Northern Harrier 76 265 1896
Sharp-shinned Hawk 327 807 18614
Cooper's Hawk 77 194 3879
Northern Goshawk 3 3 5
Red-shouldered Hawk 36 96 210
Broad-winged Hawk 1 5 1212
Red-tailed Hawk 261 632 1214
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 1 12 20
American Kestrel 6 20 5581
Merlin 3 14 2187
Peregrine Falcon 3 7 1376
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: 1010 2857 43202
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 06:00:00
Observation end time: 17:00:00
Total observation time: 11 hours
Official Counter: Doug Gochfeld
Observers:
Weather:
Light NNE-NNW winds. Mostly clear skies, clouding over for the last couple
of hours.
Raptor Observations:
3 Northern Goshawks!!
Non-raptor Observations:
2 Long-eared Owls, American Bittern, Cave Swallow, Cattle Egret, Tundra
Swan, Eurasian Wigeon. Excellent Scoter and Cormorant movement all day, as
well as high Loons and Ring-billed Gulls. Decent morning movement of Pine
Siskins, Purple Finches, Eastern Bluebirds, Eastern Meadowlarks, and
Icterids.
Predictions:
East Winds, sunny, and warmer.
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