Date: 10/1/24 9:19 pm
From: Barbara Volkle <barb620...>
Subject: [MASSBIRD] Wachusett Mountain (01 Oct 2024) 19 Migrating Raptors

Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2024 23:06:16 +0000
From: <reports...>
Subject: Wachusett Mountain (01 Oct 2024) 19 Migrating Raptors


Wachusett Mountain
Princeton, Massachusetts, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 01, 2024
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 4
Turkey Vulture 0 0 49
Osprey 2 2 189
Bald Eagle 1 1 149
Northern Harrier 0 0 19
Sharp-shinned Hawk 4 4 198
Cooper's Hawk 2 2 90
American Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 17
Broad-winged Hawk 1 1 1485
Red-tailed Hawk 0 0 41
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 4 4 100
Merlin 2 2 34
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 13
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 20
Unknown Buteo 0 0 23
Unknown Falcon 0 0 13
Unknown Eagle 0 0 1
Unknown Raptor 3 3 85

Total: 19 19 2530
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observation start time: 10:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total
observation time: 5 hours

Official Counter: Eric Mueller

Observers:
Visitors:
About 50 visitors on a chilly, cloudy day. Several of them pointed out
rising birds to me.


Weather:
The mountain was covered with fog/clouds until just before 11 am EST. The
base of the clouds rose above the level of the North Rd observation point
around 10 am, so I spent the first hour there, then moved to the summit.
The cloud base rose to about 2800 ft for two hours and then rose to around
5000 ft. The clouds became thick cumulus type with dark bases which really
limited the light on the land below until around 2 pm. The limited light
aggravated the humidity-cause haze. Temps from 57F to 62F and then dipped
back down to 58F. Winds from the ENE varied from 4-7 to 8-12 mph with gusts
as high as 16 mph. The outlines of most of the landmarks were visible, but
not Mt Greylock or the VT mountains.

Raptor Observations:
A slow day that was at least partly due to the extended low clouds and fog
that lasted until midday. The local Bald Eagles and Red-tailed Hawks
enjoyed the gusty wind, with repeated appearances throughout the watch.
It's possible that we lost some birds above the cloud cover.

Non-migrating raptors:
TV - 5
Bald Eagle - 6 (2 Ad, 1 Sub-ad, 2 imm, 1 juv)
Red-tailed Hawk - 2 (Ad)

Non-raptor Observations:
Non-raptors:
Blue Jay - 19 (14 migrants at North Rd))
Comm Raven -6
BC Chickadee - 4
T Titmouse - 2
DE Junco - 2
Pileated WP - 1 (North Rd)
Yellow-rump Warb - 1 (North Rd)
Amer Goldfinch - 1 (North Rd)
E Towhee - 2

Workers were chipping the trees that had been thinned around the summit and
blowing the chips back into the same area, so the summit passerines were
mostly absent.

Predictions:
Another cloudy day with east winds, but only 4-7 mph. Temps from mid-50s
to low-60s, so observers should dress warmly. If the cloud base is above
the summit height in the morning, we should see more birds come through.
Check the Wachusett ski area's Base Lodge and Summit cams at
https://www.wachusett.com/the-mountain/media-center/webcams/ for conditions
near the summit.
 ========================================================================
Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>)
Wachusett Mountain information may be found at:
http://www.massbird.org/emhw


More site information at hawkcount.org:
https://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=228

 
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