The highlight of the day besides the almost 25,000 ordinary broad-winged hawks way late in the season were the dark phase broad-winged hawks. I was able to have the 2 color forms pose together for young of the year http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904255 But the adult dark bird stayed with a young light bird http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904253 There were several in sight at a time early in the day but many of the later birds were really too far off to pick out goodies http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904249 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904229 the dark birds really do stick out http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904242 And there can be more than one in sight at a time http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904233 Being a broad-wing is not all fun and migrating. This bird was heading toward the tower when a cooper's hawk hit it square in the back. There is lots of near misses at times but not that many actual hits http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904119 the tower is a great place to see all parts of the hawks from the bottom http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904114 And the top http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904117 And birds are perched and feeding in the mottes http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904106 Adult birds are usually not common late in the season but sunday had lots of them http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904103 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904099 Hawks that had roosted near the tower were up early http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904085 Joined growing flocks http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904088 Birds started to arrive from the north http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904086 Until the sky was filled with hawks kettling up higher http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904092 And Higher http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157904094 A white-tailed hawk was hunting among the todo http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157903925 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157903927 As were cooper's hawks http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157903922 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157903920 the swallow migrant of the day was rough-winged swallow. On my way home large numbers were on the power lines near each wet spot where they also fed http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157903890 the other predator of smith point are the many loggerhead shrikes. This early bird was cleaning out its pantry from an earlier day http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157903886 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157903889 A couple of weeks ago I was watching for flycatchers on the fence as I was driving out at mid-day when I caught sight of something with a ringed tail vanishing into the grass ahead of me. Stopped to check http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157903883 And found this youngster out in the dry sandy terrain http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157903884 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/157903885 All the pictures for the day can be browsed at http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/2014_hawk_watch -- Joseph C. Kennedy on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at //www.freelists.org/list/texbirds Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission from the List Owner
