Wow what a difference a day makes...and some of the promissed wind. While yesterday we got lighter winds than predicted, today we got stronger winds than we had hoped for. An internet buddy BigDave came down to the park today and by 10am I think was wondering why?? At 1030am that all changed. The first of 9 Bald Eagles came by. That seemed to open the floodgates. By 2pm we had 200 birds and almost doubled that with 177 in the next hour.
Broadwinged Hawks thrilled many with a high percentage of very low birds, some even below us. Sharpshinned Hawks and American Kestrels kept flying all day. It was a very exciting and hectic day, which had me on the edge of insanity. Thousands and thousands of Monarch Butterflys passed all day long from sunrise till 6pm when Walter and I finally left. Huge numbers of dragonflys filled the air as well.
A cast of too many to name contributed today to our incredible day. Coffee's for Walter Dave and I were appreciated. Thanks to Dave for a pizza slice. Thanks to Walter for afternoon coffee. Thanks to Terry? Cori for Timbits and the coffee run. Thanks to Hugh for the buns towards the end of the evening allowing Walter and I a last bit of energy to hang in till nothing was flying. More photos will follow. Thanks to Terry for his contributions of photos today. Those seen above are my shots,but for the 3rd photo which is Terry's.
Todays Totals were:
4-Osprey
9-Bald Eagles(5 Juveniles @ 10:30am,10:55am, 12:08pm,12:20pm and 12:30pm) 4 adults(11:45am,1:02pm,1:34pm and 4:20pm)
10-Northern Harriers
235-Sharpshinned Hawks
6-Coopers Hawks
283-Broadwinged Hawks
15-Redtailed Hawks
103-American Kestrels
7-Merlins
672-Total Raptors
WHAT A DAY!!
2 comments:
Super day Frank! Great work! Well done!
Thanks Terry
Days like this are so magical, especially when they come next to you, stare at you with wings open as if to say "take a picture, quick, it won't last"!
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