View from the Field: Hawkwatch - Saturday, September 30, 2017

An early morning flight of Northern Harriers, Peregrine Falcons, and Osprey were seen heading out over the bay. It is an amazing experience to scan the waters at sunrise and find these birds rowing intensely in the direction of Delaware. They don't rely on thermals. They don't rely on kettling with other raptors. They need to migrate south, and have decided to cut across the bay by themselves as the stars vanish and the skies turn to lavender. They don't circle overhead or make passes around the lighthouse. It's the last we'll see of them, until possibly next year should they trace their steps northward in a similar fashion.

Migration is one of the most amazing spectacles in nature. It's humbling to see so many beautiful birds flying hard towards their wintering grounds. It's about going where the food is, and going where survival is possible. Come to the Cape May Hawkwatch and see what raptors are migrating by. We're in the peak timeframe for several raptor species right now!