Observation start time: 09:30:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 4.5 hours
Official Counter: Brian Rusnica
Observers: Visitors: None; very busy with day hikers, including 1 successful marriage proposal!
Weather: Unseasonably warm but otherwise beautiful for October: blue skies with scattered clouds increasing, great visibility and color throughout. Winds light from the WNW and turning pure W and hinting at WSW in the later hours. Raptor Observations: A handful of Turkey Vulture kettles made for a decent count on this impromptu hawkwatch today. I got a late start but was counting by 10:30am EDT. I saw some distant birds but hit paydirt with some rather high Turkey Vulture kettles off to the NE of the mountain. The largest group of birds today was 40 - it was fun to watch them deliberately run the ridges off to our East, including a pass over nearby Blood Hill in Ashby. A couple of other groups approached 20 Vultures. Other than that - nothing significant, some average Bald Eagle movement this time of year. Non-migrant Raptors 6 Bald Eagle 3 Red-shouldered Hawk 4 Turkey Vulture
Non-raptor Observations: 8 Common Ravens
Predictions: No formal count planned. If you count any raptors at Mount Watatic the rest of the Fall, please email me your sightings at <14hawks8owls...> As we approach November, many excellent species begin to peak their migration, highlighted by accipiters, Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks. Migrant Bald Eagles have been plentiful in later months as well. You also have an increased chance at wonderful rarities like Northern Goshawk, Golden Eagle and Rough-legged Hawk in these colder months. I encourage folks to explore Watatic during the late Fall, especially on days with NW winds!
======================================================================== Report submitted by Brian Rusnica (<brian_rusnica...>) Mount Watatic information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
