Hawkwatch, 11 September 2016

Today started off on a special note with Bobolinks (once again) pouring through the skies. The largest flock seen migrating overhead consisted of 325 Bobolink, many of them vocalizing while on the go.. By closing time today 1,891 Bobolinks had been seen from the Cape May hawkwatching platform. But that's not all...

Bobolinks migrating overhead.

Osprey fly around daily, many of them clenching recently-caught fish within their talons. Sometimes the Bald Eagles eye up the Osprey's fish in search of an easy meal. Bald Eagles were seen chasing Osprey numerous times today. Having Bunker Pond in front of the platform provides these fish-eating raptors with plenty of food. Sometimes aerial maneuvers are enough to allow Osprey to flee from a Bald Eagle, however sometimes Bald Eagles outwit the Osprey and get the Osprey to release the fish! A Bald Eagle (below) was about to get the recently-released fish that the Osprey dropped. A Turkey Vulture is shown in the upper left corner of the picture.

Raptor Drama.

By mid-morning the winds had turned to northwest, sustained throughout the entire afternoon. American Kestrels put on another spectacular show of migration too. "Lines" of up to 12 American Kestrels at a time were observed streaming along the horizon. Merlins and Sharp-shinned Hawks mingled with them throughout the flight. Tomorrow could be another good day of migration following today's cool and dry northwest winds! I just heard a few chip notes of migrating birds through my window while typing this... See you at the platform tomorrow!

Today's birds.