[texbirds] GCBO Smith Point hawk count, 2 October
- From: Tony leukering <greatgrayowl@xxxxxxx>
- To: "texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 2 Oct 2013 18:31:43 -0500
Howdy:
Southeast winds at Smith Point usually produce a buteo flight that is distant
to the N and NW, and such conditions today produced such a flight.
Unfortunately, a large and ominous cloud came in from the SW and loomed over my
left shoulder after noon and I counted no raptors after 1 pm (a fact that John
Whittle will appreciate, since he left at 1 pm to do chores! Wait, maybe he
took the birds with him!). Before that, though, John and I enjoyed a small,
but steady, flight of, primarily, Broad-winged Hawks, with a tally of 284. I
also tallied four Peregrines and 69 Mississippi Kites, all of both species
having no compunction about heading straight across the Bay. We're obviously
at season's peak because even with such a small flight, I still counted eight
species of raptors. Landbirds continue all but absent.
If the weather gods don't change the forecast (you read me, J. Tharp?!), the
coming cold front should produce good raptor flights this weekend. Saturday
might not be all that great, numbers-wise, but we're right at the peak (not
peek or pique) time for Peregrines and they like flying on pre-frontal
conditions! Sunday and Monday look quite tasty.
Don't forget about the mini-workshop at the tower on 2 Nov (8 am - 3 pm) on
flight ID of various migrant bird species (see Sue Heath's earlier post on the
subject).
Enjoy,
Tony
Tony Leukering
Smith Point, TX
http://smithpointhawkwatch.wordpress.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tony_leukering/
http://www.aba.org/photoquiz/
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