FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Cave Swallow, Sandhill Crane, Swainson's & Harlan's hawks, Tundra Swan, Kiptopeke 11/5

["Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory" <CVWO@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hola Birders,
Interesting birds from the Hawkwatch today: 
Common Loon
Tundra Swan
Northern Goshawk
Swainson's Hawk
Harlan's Hawk 
Cave Swallow
also:
Sandhill Crane

Today freeking Rocked!  Total numbers were low (184) but the diversity was 
great.  We saw 171 Tundra Swans pass over, mostly in the morning.  They were 
acompanied by at least 23 Common Loons.  Dustin Welch, Jethro Runco and Wendy 
Fair came up to witness at least 2 Cave Swallows circle around the hawkwatch 
for around half an hour. During that time a hatching year Red-tail showing some 
field marks consitent with Harlan's Hawk passed low over the platform. Shortly 
there after a young Swainson's Hawk was seen flying North along highway 13.  
Before all this happend I had already seen two Goshawks and by the end of the 
day 6, yes 6 had passed back and forth very low around the visible area of the 
hawkwatch!  This was all very sweet!

Also this morning at around 7am Josh Nemeth along with Fletcher Smith observed 
15 Sandhill Cranes flying over the Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR.  Both said 
they couldn't believe their eyes at first and it wasn't until the birds started 
calling (at that point they began to cry).

Good day and good birding,
-Sam Stuart

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