[va-bird] Kiptopeke Hawkwatch 10/25

Hola Birders,
These past few days have been a celebration of buteos and their allies.  For 
the past three days we've seen Broadwings, today we had a weekly high with 13 
birds (mostly juvs).  Redshoulders are also picking up (slowly), six birds were 
seen today traveling South with several other North bound birds observed.  
Friday's adult light-morph Swainy has not reappeared. 

Redtail numbers are also increasing.  Notably a Kriders X Redtail integrade was 
identified and then caught by our excellent trappers.  This Hatching Year bird 
showed a very white head, light patagium, bleached underparts, white ventral 
fingers and a pale muddied dorsal tail pattern.  A true Kriders morph was ruled 
out due to tail pattern and pigmentation along with the head pigmentation.  

Saturday opened up Golden Eagle season with the spotting of a spank'n Hatching 
year bird.  Today two more GOEA were seen within twenty minutes of each other, 
one was a light Juvenile and the other was a darker bird...sweet!  Today also 
brought decent Sharpie and Vulture flights. Here's the breakdown for today:

BLVU: 13
TUVU: 215 (season highcount)
OSPR: 5
BAEA: 2
NOHA: 12
SSHA: 187
COHA: 46
RSHA: 6 (season highcount)
BWHA: 13 (recent highcount)
RTHA: 23 (repeat highcount)
GOEA: 2 
AMKE: 13
MERL: 3
PEFA: 1
Total: 541

Please check www.hawkcount.org for more detailed count info for us and your 
other local hawkwatches.

Other birds:
Lots of Black Scoter for the first time yesterday (10/24).  Plenty of morning 
Common Loons passing over head, this morning held 11...not bad but no 
Redthroates yet.  Plenty of Cormorants moving right now, several hundred each 
day.  We had our first good Robin Flight today with at least two or three 
thousand birds.  A Dicksissel flew over the HW today. Pine Siskins are turning 
into a daily event.

Pack a lunch and come out and hang with us on the Platform.  We haven't been 
skunked all season, so I'll guarantee you'll see a Hawk, at least 6!

Good day and good birding,
-Sam


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