Hawk Watch Saturday September 24, 2011

It was a much better day on the platform compared to yesterday's dreadful weather and lack of birds. We had a decent movement of raptors for the first half of the day but things died down quite a bit in the afternoon.

Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 24, 2011
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Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                0              9              9
Turkey Vulture               0             11             11
Osprey                      25            887            887
Bald Eagle                   1            102            102
Northern Harrier             4            121            121
Sharp-shinned Hawk          82           1675           1675
Cooper's Hawk                8            245            245
Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
Red-shouldered Hawk          0              6              6
Broad-winged Hawk            1             32             32
Red-tailed Hawk              0             39             39
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
American Kestrel            23            898            898
Merlin                      24            399            399
Peregrine Falcon            12            125            125
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
Swainson's Hawk              0              1              1

Total:                     180           4550           4550
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Observation start time: 05:45:00 
Observation end   time: 16:00:00 
Total observation time: 10.25 hours

Official Counter:        Melissa Roach

Observers:        

Weather:
Very light and variable winds throughout the day with overcast skies
accompanied by light scattered showers in the afternoon.

Raptor Observations:
A better day than yesterday with fairly good movement of birds.  We had
good numbers of Osprey, Sharp-shinns, and all 3 falcon species.  Numbers
started to dwindle around 12:30 STD and the afternoon was very slow.

Non-raptor Observations:
Very good numbers of Yellowleg sp (approximately 130), 3 Stilt Sandpipers,
2 Dowitcher sp, 10 Pectoral Sandpipers, 1 Blue Grosbeak, 2 Caspian Terns, 1
American Bittern, 7 Chimney Swifts, 3 Parasitic Jaegers, 1 Common
Nighthawk, 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird
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Report submitted by Melissa Roach (roach.mc1@gmail.com)
Cape May Hawkwatch information may be found at:
http://www.njaudubon.org/Centers/CMBO/