Hawkwatch 15 September 2015

Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 15, 2015
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Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                0              0              0
Turkey Vulture              39             72             72
Osprey                     313           1495           1495
Bald Eagle                  18            122            122
Northern Harrier            42            107            107
Sharp-shinned Hawk         240            437            437
Cooper's Hawk              108            180            180
Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
Red-shouldered Hawk          0              2              2
Broad-winged Hawk           70             93             93
Red-tailed Hawk              6             11             11
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
American Kestrel           111            798            798
Merlin                      20            160            160
Peregrine Falcon            21             46             46
Unknown Accipiter            0              2              2
Unknown Buteo                1              1              1
Unknown Falcon               0              3              3
Unknown Eagle                0              0              0
Unknown Raptor               0              1              1

Total:                     989           3530           3530
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Observation start time: 05:30:00 
Observation end   time: 16:00:00 
Total observation time: 10.5 hours

Official Counter:        Cameron Cox

Observers:        

Weather:
Light west wind and cloudless skies all day with temps that rose to the
high seventies made for challenging counting conditions

Raptor Observations:
We barely missed 1000 birds for the day, our higher count so far. This was
the first day Peregrines really moved and seeing them soar in mixed kettles
with accips and Osprey and cruising through at high speed gave the flight a
classic Cap May feel. A reasonable count of harriers was another fun aspect
of today's flight. It was shaping on to be a huge Osprey day in the morning
with multiple double digit kettles but then it leveled off but it still
amounted to the best Osprey day to date.    

Non-raptor Observations:
There were thousands of migrant songbirds in the dunes immediately after
dawn that soon worked north away from the state park, and impressive
spectacle. A White-winged Dove, first spotted at Higbee Beach, cruised past
midmorning. Dickcissels were going crazy in the morning with a minimum of
three calling at once and a total of between 5-10 for the day.   

Predictions:
A light to moderate flight is expected for tomorrow. 
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Report submitted by Cameron Cox (Kumlieni@gmail.com)
Cape May information may be found at:
http://BirdCapeMay.org