Hawkwatch, 30 November 2016

The final day of the hawkwatch last week was a special one. We didn't see any raptors and the south winds continued. Despite these conditions, many friends came to the platform to reminisce about an amazing season. There is something truly special about the Cape May Hawkwatch. It brings people together and enlightens so many visiting folks of all ages about the world of birds. As my first time hawkcounting at Cape May, I quickly realized that the essence of the Cape May Hawkwatch is raptor counting, conservation, and bringing people together.

The 2016 seasonal raptor total consisted of 36,036 birds. On the last day of the hawkwatch a flurry of Cave Swallows and a lone Baltimore Oriole were added to the count. I had a great time scanning the skies with all of you!

Baltimore Oriole seen from the hawkwatch platform on the last day of the count.

Cheers and good hawkwatching,

Erik

*Don't forget, the Avalon Sea Watch continues through December 22nd! This spectacle of seabird migration is not to be missed. The link below has more information on this exciting count.

http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionResearch/AvalonSeaWatch.aspx