Bob reports 79 migrating raptors today. Broad-winged Hawk 2 Red-tailed Hawk 27 White-tailed Hawk 2 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 Cooper’s Hawk 1 Turkey Vulture 28 Black Vulture 9 Northern Harrier 5 Bald Eagle 1 Golden Eagle 2 (both young birds) Finally a Golden Eagle! Was expecting them any day now. They always come late in the season on a nice north … Read More
Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/26/19 (8 raptors)
Tad reports 8 migrating raptors today. Red-tailed Hawk 1 American Kestrel 1 Northern Harrier 1 Turkey Vulture 5 Strong southerly winds with overcast skies and potential for rain may have kept the birds away. A flock of 60 white pelicans was about the only thing else seen other than periodic flyby passerines and lots of swallows.
Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/25/19 (0 raptors)
Bob reports 0 migrating raptors today. The lone highlight was a single Wood Stork.
Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/24/19 (333 raptors)
Bob reports 333 migrating raptors today. Red-tailed Hawk 5 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Turkey Vulture 291 Black Vulture 25 Northern Harrier 7 Bald Eagle 3 (1 ad, 2 juv) White-tailed Kite 1 American White Pelicans were coming by all day with an estimated 1,000 total. Regina Tippett and Dave and Jan Hanson helped out today.
Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/23/19 (563 raptors)
Bob reports 563 migrating raptors today. Broad-winged Hawk 11 Red-tailed Hawk 17 Sharp-shinned Hawk 8 Cooper’s Hawk 14 Turkey Vulture 480 Black Vulture 21 American Kestrel 1 Peregrine Falcon 1 Merlin 1 Northern Harrier 9 An intermediate morph Red-tailed Hawk entertained for a while but the highlight was a total of 226 Sandhill Cranes that came over calling in several … Read More
Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/22/19 (3 raptors)
Bob reports only 3 migrating raptors today before he had to give it up because of rain. Merlin 1 Peregrine Falcon 2 There was some excitement though! The Merlin swooped down behind one of the houses and nailed a Killdeer. It flew over to post and began to chow down when a kestrel flew in and attempted to steal the … Read More
Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/21/19 (2 raptors)
Bob reports on two migrating raptors today. Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Northern Harrier 1 The only other entertainment was a large flock of Tree Swallows milling about. Bob is hopeful for the weekend though as there’s a cold front passing the coast tomorrow.
Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/20/19 (13 raptors)
Bob reports 13 migrating raptors today. Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 Turkey Vulture 8 Northern Harrier 3 The wind was out of the southeast most of the day. Birds of the day was a flock of 2,500 cormorants with some white pelicans mixed in.
Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/19/19 (290 raptors)
Joe reports 290 migrating raptors today. Broad-winged Hawk 9 Red-tailed Hawk 7 Swainson’s Hawk 2 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Cooper’s Hawk 4 Turkey Vulture 245 Black Vulture 11 American Kestrel 1 Merlin 1 Northern Harrier 8 White-tailed Kite 1 Several local Red-tails, Red-shouldered and caracaras. A Great Blue Heron and several Orange-crowned Warblers lit on the tower. Lots of swallows, dragonflies … Read More
Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/18/19 (345 raptors)
Bob reports 345 migrating raptors today. Broad-winged Hawk 9 Red-tailed Hawk 9 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 7 Cooper’s Hawk 5 Turkey Vulture 305 American Kestrel 1 Northern Harrier 8 Best bird was an intermediate immature Red-tailed Hawk.
Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/17/19 (166 raptors)
Bob reports 166 migrating raptors today. Broad-winged Hawk 13 Red-tailed Hawk 12 Sharp-shinned Hawk 7 Cooper’s Hawk 6 Turkey Vulture 105 Black Vulture 11 Osprey 1 Northern Harrier 9 Bald Eagle 2 (one adult, one subadult) A Red-tailed Hawk landed on the pole on the tower with the wind ribbon! Wow I bet he/she was surprised to find Bob staring … Read More
Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/16/19 (351 raptors)
Bob reports 351 migrating raptors today. Broad-winged Hawk 13 Red-tailed Hawk 6 Swainson’s Hawk 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 4 Cooper’s Hawk 6 Turkey Vulture 295 Black Vulture 21 Peregrine Falcon 1 Northern Harrier 1 Bald Eagle 3 (adult, subadult and juvenile) Northeast winds switched to south and shut things down. Joe Kennedy helped out today.