Sep 24th - 243 Birds, 4 Eagles!

Wow, that was a fun day!!!  Birds throughout the morning and in to the early afternoon before slowing and Monarchs and dragonflies picking-up after that and going in to the late afternoon.

Today:
Turkey Vulture - 37
Osprey - 3
Bald Eagle - 4
Northern Harrier - 29
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 69
Cooper's Hawk - 1
Broad-winged Hawk - 7
Red-tailed Hawk - 6
American Kestrel - 76
Merlin - 2
Peregrine Falcon - 2
Unidentified Buteo - 1
Unidentified Raptor - 6
Total - 243

Eagle Time (EDT):
10:46am - BE
10:53am - BE
02:39pm - BE x2 (likely the highest flying eagles I've ever seen!)

Photos:

 American Kestrel (Mike D)

Turkey Vulture (Mike D)

Northern Harrier (Mike D)

American Kestrel (Mike D)

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Mike D)

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Mike D)

American Kestrel (Mike D)

a distant and high-flying Bald Eagle (Mike D)

a young Broad-winged Hawk (Mike D)

American Kestrel (Mike D)

American Kestrel (Mike D)

To Date:
Turkey Vulture - 51
Osprey - 28
Bald Eagle - 43
Northern Harrier - 37
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 284
Cooper's Hawk - 3
Broad-winged Hawk - 63
Red-tailed Hawk - 14
American Kestrel - 114
Merlin - 10
Peregrine Falcon - 2
Unidentified Buteo - 12
Unidentified Falcon - 4
Unidentified Raptor - 6
Total - 671

Other Birds:
Lots including Loons, Common Ravens, White-throated Sparrows and a Scarlet Tanager!  Also, appearances from the local Merlin, Red-tailed Hawk and Turkey Vultures.

Insects:
Dragonflies - A large flow mid-afternoon to late afternoon.
Butterflies - Pipevine Swallowtail in the garden and many mostly 'unidentifieds' flying by the hawk watch.  Monarchs were all day highlighted by an amazing push along the bluffs in the late afternoon.  Around 4pm'ish, we were counting 70-80 a minute just off the bluffs while there were many more flying just above us.  Facinating to witness!!!

Hawkwatchers:
Noam, Theresa, Allison, Walter, Mark, Kris, Trudy, Lee, Phil, Dave, Naish, Margaret, Peter, Bruce, Mike D, Connor, Pat & Nancy, Ron P, Kevin F, Arvo, Betty, Terry, Rosemary, Lindsey, Yvonne, Cori, Bruce & Ann Falls and their son Rob, plus several other great folks.  Thankyou everyone for a wonderful day at the park.

 a great pic of most of the group (Kevin F)

Weather Prediction:
A switch back to S and SW wind for tomorrow.

See you all again real soon,
Walter