In the end today,as hoped for,it was another great day of raptor watching. High birds and blue skies were sometimes a challange,but many birds were still in nice and close,and there were a few surprises. The day started slower than I expected,there wasnt a significant upflight,as between 8 and 11am I saw only 18birds. Things began to pick up around then,becoming a terrific day. Things had seemed to slow down for awhile,and I was abit out of gas,so I was going to pack things in at 3pm. Luckily I didnt,and as I was beginning to leave,I spotted 1,then 2,now 3 Redtails. I stopped to see if there were more...oh oh there is a few Turkey Vultures! Now I cant leave. From 3-5pm I saw 127 raptors,the best of which was an Osprey at 4:40pm,which barely cleared the park office I was by now sitting in front of on a bench. In the last part of the day,adding the Osprey and a late Kestrel,again today I saw 13 of 15 usual species,today missing Broadwinged Hawk and Northern Goshawk. I saw a single dark-phased Rough-legged Hawk again today at 1:30pm. Many late in the afternoon Turkey Vultures,made surpassing my best previous season total by 61,with the total now at 434 possible.
Todays total included:
Turkey Vulture......................93(new high season 434)
Osprey..................................1
Bald Eagle..............................1
Northern Harrier......................2
Sharpshinned Hawk................19
Coopers Hawk.........................4
Red-shouldered Hawk...............3
Redtailed Hawk.....................156
Roughlegged Hawk...................1
Golden Eagle............................1
American Kestrel.......................1
Merlin......................................1
Peregrine Falcon.......................1
This brings the season total to 5297.
