Rosetta McClain Gardens Raptor Watch: October 28th

Wow, what a day for Red-tails! I didn't know it at the time but today's count of 261 is actually our 2nd highest single day count for this species. If only we had clouds during the afternoon!!! Today we had an escaped Peregrine Falcon fly overhead. It still had a jess strapped to one of it's legs. One of today's great sightings was two Rough-legged Hawks flying along together up high. One was a light morph and the other was a dark morph. Very cool!

Today:
Turkey Vulture - 68
Bald Eagle - 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 17
Cooper's Hawk - 1
Northern Goshawk - 1
Red-shouldered Hawk - 3
Red-tailed Hawk - 261
Rough-legged Hawk - 2
Merlin - 1
Peregrine Falcon - 1
Total - 357

To Date:
Turkey Vulture - 1657
Osprey - 117
Bald Eagle - 102
Northern Harrier - 118
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1567
Cooper's Hawk - 42
Northern Goshawk - 5
Red-shouldered Hawk - 13
Broad-winged Hawk - 139
Red-tailed Hawk - 517
Rough-legged Hawk - 11
Golden Eagle - 2
American Kestrel - 470
Merlin - 58
Peregrine Falcon - 51
Total - 4869

Eagle Time (EDT):
11:40 AM - BE
12:56 PM - BE

Here's today's gallery...

Red-tailed Hawk (Mike D)

Red-tailed Hawk with a Sharp-shinned Hawk (Ann)

Red-shouldered Hawk (top) mixed in with Red-tailed Hawks (Mike D)

Red-shouldered Hawk (left) mixed in with Red-tailed Hawks (Ann)

Northern Goshawk (Mike D)

Red-shouldered Hawk (Ann)

Turkey Vulture (Mike D)

An escaped Peregrine Falcon (Ann)

This morning started out with another huge movement of passerines. Twelve more Loons were added to the count and a 'white' Snow Goose was seen flying up high with a flock of Canada Geese. Four late moving Monarchs were counted as well as 2 Cabbage Whites and a Clouded Sulphur.