112 Raptors...3520...YTD...Lots of Photo Ops

     Today we had great conditions, with strong west to northwest winds all day. This kept almost all birds low. Being a Saturday, we had a good contingent of folks with cameras, who I will thank for some fantastic photos of what we saw today. Thanks to Ann Brokelman, Michel Poissant and Paul Reeves for todays brilliant pictures. All of the folks who contribute photos make this blog more enjoyable then a mere posting of sightings.
     The predominant sighting was Sharpshinned Hawks. At one stage we saw the local adult Coopers Hawk have a go with a passing Sharpshinned Hawk. Thanks to Ann for that capture.

Ann Brokelman Sharpshinned Hawk

Mike Poissant Sharpshinned Hawk

We were treated to lovely low views of Northern Harriers. Paul Reeves got this very owl-like shot of one.

Mike Poissant got this nice shot of a male Northern Harrier, which we dont spot alot of in any season. 10 males would be a large number. We speculate that males must take a different route.

Paul snapped this shot of a co-operative Osprey.

It is something abit uniquie to Rosetta McClain Gardens Raptor Watch, the number of days we see all 3 falcon species.
Mike caught this shot of an American Kestrel.

We added 6 Merlin to our count, Ann and Paul respectively got these shots.

11 more Peregrine Falcons were seen today.
Paul sent this shot along.

Ann this one, of a juvenile.

And Mike (4) this one.

Our final count was a cool 112:
29-Turkey Vultures
1-Osprey
1-Bald Eagle(11:18am)
4-Northern Harriers
40-Sharpshinned Hawks
1-Coopers Hawk
1-Redtailed Hawk
18-American Kestrels
6-Merlins
11-Peregrine Falcons
112-Total Raptors

Other species of note.."Walter's" Cape May Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, many Palm Warblers, Black-throated Blue Warbler and Black-throated Green Warbler. Red-winged Blackbird flocks were moving in the early morning. Thousands of small birds the early crew couldnt ID went past too. Tomorrow will likely be fairly slow, as winds are to be light.