August 24th - 6 Birds, 5 Species

Today was as predicted, absolutely beautiful and not conducive to hawk migration.  Having said that we did get a couple of birds that didn't really care about what the weather people forecasted!  Best sighting of the day was seeing Ann.  With a plate full of work and yard full of birds she hasn't been able to get to the park till today.  Birds were few and far between but as each one passed it gave us hope that there would be more.  They're coming!

Today:
Osprey - 1
Northern Harrier - 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1
American Kestrel - 2
Merlin - 1
Total - 6

To Date:
Turkey Vulture - 6
Osprey - 10
Bald Eagle - 4
Northern Harrier - 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 15
Cooper's Hawk - 1
Northern Goshawk - 0
Red-shouldered Hawk - 0
Broad-winged Hawk - 4
Red-tailed Hawk - 11
Rough-legged Hawk - 0
Golden Eagle - 0
American Kestrel - 8
Merlin - 3
Peregrine Falcon - 1
Total - 66

Today's List additions include a Common Yellowthroat for 'Birds' and Clouded Sulphur and Eastern Tailed Blue for 'Butterflies'.  Also, I forgot to mention that the other day Betty saw a critter that she has identified as a Northern Short-tailed Shrew (common around the Great Lakes).  An excellent sighting and a new mammal for the Park.  I had a Common Raccoon on Friday morning.

Eastern Tailed Blue

Phil, Lee, Peter, Ann, Norm, Carol, John, Betty, and Sheldon were at the Watch and eager to see hawks.

Walter