hawk report:
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| The Mountain is coming alive with color! |
Finally I was reminded today why I love October hawk watching! I arrived at the lookout after church at 12:45. George Parsley was right behind me. It had been completely overcast all morning, but the clouds had started breaking up and were at 65% when we arrived. Wind was from the south 2-8 MPH, it was 75 F, with a barometric pressure of 30.22.
Would we see the hawk migration doldrums of the last few days come to an end today? George spent several hours up there a few days back and only got to see 2 Sharp - shins.
I hoped for better results this time around.
First Sharpie came through 8 minutes after we stepped on the lookout, the next one was 2 minutes later. It was a sign of good things to come, and a great beginning to a fun day!
We ended the day with 17 Sharp shins. Here is a sampling from the 3:00 hour: (1) 3:12, (2) 3:15, (1) 3:17, (1) 3:19, (1) 3:22, (1) 3:37.
Oh, by the way, there were other things to count that hour too. (1) Bald Eagle (immature) 3:03, (2) Bald Eagles (both immature) 3:07. The last two came directly overhead.
At 3:30 we saw a Peregrine Falcon gliding our way over the brow of the north ridge. It turned towards the west and actually soared for a couple of minutes in "the corner", getting higher and higher, but then broke my heart and disappeared heading back north. We got really good looks at it originally and there is no question in my mind what it was. It would have been the second of the day. ( See next paragraph).
How about the 2:00 hour? It wasn't bad either.
(1) Peregrine Falcon 2:05, (1) Cooper's 2:14, (1) Sharpie 2:24, (1) Sharpie 2:26, (1) Sharpie 2:33, (1) Sharpie 2:39, (1) American Kestrel 2:43, (5) Turkey Vulture 2:51.
Speaking of Turkey Vultures, we had several small groups heading south, and then at 4:35 I saw quite a few coming from the horizon to the northwest. They kettled up just to the left of the pole. (Imagine very large, black Broad-wings). I got a count of 45 as they streamed out of the top of the kettle, heading south....just like Broadies. With other groups of 4, 5, 4 and 3, our final total on Turkey Vultures was 66.
While I was occupied counting the big group of TV'S, George spotted a small falcon - possibly a Merlin, but unfortunately I could never get on it and it will be listed as falcon species. (We might have had the falcon trifecta! )
Today's totals:
Turkey Vulture - 66
Bald Eagle - 3
Sharp - shin - 17
Cooper's - 1
Red-tail - 2
Am. Kestrel - 1
Peregrine - 1
Falcon sp. - 1
RaptorTotals - 92
I stayed until 5:30, getting the last countable hawk, a Red-tail, at 5:28. George left at 5:00.
Wind continued from the south all day, temperature got to 82 F, and the barometer fell throughout the afternoon to 30.08 at 5 pm. It was a great day to be on the lookout!
Although I didn't advertise it at first, I will be up there next Saturday, Oct. 22 (around 9:00), and Sunday (after 12:30). They are predicting high temperature to be low to mid 60. It could be good!
Reporting: Bill Haley
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Gotta love that falling Barometer!!! And a mild front a day or so ago. Never fails to produce, if they just don't get too high to see.
Jimmy and I were on the other end of the ridges, down at Lookout Mtn, at the Hang Glider Port with our nephew, who has wanted to Hang glide ever since my family first moved up here and he visited us. So after 20 years, he finally did it. From the mountain there, we were seeing Vultures, earlier. They were beneath us, and the sun shone on their wings like gold. Was an oddly light color we saw, just from the sheen on their wings. Of course they aren't gold. But we looked closely to be sure we weren't missing a Golden Eagle or something. But with out our Binocs, I won't swear to it. LOL
I think I will post a bit about the comparisons the pilots make to things we teach about flights with birds, in the morning. For now, GREAT REPORT BILL. And much thanks to George Parsley for keeping Bill company and helping him count.
Now more than before, it's time to get up to the watch for those wonderful other Raptors, and to get a good schooling on how to tell what they are. Long hours pay off eventually.
Congrats on the great numbers today, guys!
If at home, you can still
Keep Looking UP!!!
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