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Hawk Watch, April 7

Today had a nice movement of raptors for all of the Raptor Fest attendees. Just as I had hoped yesterday, the leucisitic Red-tailed Hawk made another appearance today early in the day, passing directly over head. Not only that, but throughout the day two more leucistic Red-tailed Hawks were seen. We were able to determine these were three different individuals by their unique variations of colored and white feathers. Among the many Red-tailed Hawk migrants were at least 3 dark-morph Western Red-tailed Hawks and at least 13 Northern Red-tailed Hawks. Other highlights include 2 Golden Eagles and 1 Cooper’s Hawk.

Turkey Vulture – 44
Bald Eagle – 9
Northern Harrier – 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk – 9
Cooper’s Hawk – 1
Red-tailed Hawk – 610
Rough-legged Hawk – 2
Golden Eagle – 2
Unknown Eagle – 1

Sandhill Crane – 1

I know others got much better photos of the leucistic birds than I did, but here are mine anyway

Leucistic Adult Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) [first individual]
Leucistic Adult Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) [second individual]
Leucistic Adult Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
[third individual]
Leucistic Adult Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) [third individual]

Adult dark-morph Western Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis calurus)
Adult Eastern Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis borealis)
Adult Northern Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis abieticola)

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