Today Ed Pike counted raptors crossing the Straits. Visitors at the site were Al and Lucy Menk and Art and Judy Frock. Early it was sunny with moderate south winds. A little after 10 am the Sharp-shinned Hawks started migrating across the Straits. A group of about 80 Turkey Vultures built up but few crossed. Around noon the group of TV’s built to over 100 but they still did not cross. Red-tailed Hawks started appearing a little after 11 am and the winds dropped off around 11:30 pm. At that time a number of Red-tails started migrating south across the Straits which continued until the winds switched to the SW and increased around 12:45 pm. After that there were quite a few Red-tails moving east and west but not crossing; a kettle appeared in the distance to the NNE with about 30 Red-tails. One dark morph Red-tail was seen which appeared to cross the Straits. About 20 minutes later a second dark morph Red-tail appeared from the north and headed south across the Straits; this was about the time the Red-tails stopped crossing and the second dark morph was seen coming back north along with several other Red-tails. A first sighting of a N. Goshawk today. Surprisingly no Rough-legged Hawks today.
Todays totals:
Turkey Vulture 82
Osprey 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 41
Northern Goshawk 1
Bald Eagle 2
Red-tailed Hawk 96
Monarch Butterfly 2
