Date: 11/14/24 8:30 pm
From: Barbara Volkle <barb620...>
Subject: [MASSBIRD] Wachusett Mountain (14 Nov 2024) 8 Migrating Raptors
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 2024 02:02:35 +0000
From:<reports...>
Subject: Wachusett Mountain (14 Nov 2024) 8 Migrating Raptors


Wachusett Mountain
Princeton, Massachusetts, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 14, 2024
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 4
Turkey Vulture 1 36 1008
Osprey 0 0 219
Bald Eagle 1 15 300
Northern Harrier 1 7 50
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 10 406
Cooper's Hawk 0 12 186
American Goshawk 0 0 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 42 115
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 1498
Red-tailed Hawk 3 24 116
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 1
Golden Eagle 0 2 6
American Kestrel 0 0 120
Merlin 0 0 63
Peregrine Falcon 0 2 25
Unknown Accipiter 0 4 63
Unknown Buteo 0 5 54
Unknown Falcon 0 0 16
Unknown Eagle 0 0 2
Unknown Raptor 0 9 169

Total: 8 168 4423
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observation start time: 09:30:00
Observation end time: 15:30:00
Total observation time: 6 hours

Official Counter: Eric Mueller

Observers: Marty McNamara, Tom Gottschang

Visitors:
Thanks to Tom and Marty for their continued participation on these lean
late Fall days!

Very few hikers today - maybe 10 total.


Weather:
Mostly a repeat of yesterday's weather with light to moderate NE winds,
temps in the 30s and just reaching 40, and very good visibility with a bit
of haze. The difference was a modicum of high thin clouds today which gave
us a better background to work with. We were mostly blocked from the wind
by the shoulder of the mountain to the east, so wind speeds shown here are
based on Worcester airport reports. The relative humidity dropped below 20%
at noon.

Raptor Observations:
Another slow day with counting crows occupying most of our actual counting
time (maybe we should start a band...ah, too late!) The raptors that we
did see started moving through about an hour earlier than yesteday. We did
manage to get 6 different species out of just the 8 birds counted.

Tom and I ran out of steam and left at 1 pm, but ran into Marty who was
headed up. Marty stayed until 3:30. He had a big (probably female) Coop
land in a tree next to the overlook, perched there for a minute, and then
flew off to the North, only to come back around and land in another tree
farther up the road. So nice to see one of the birds up close!

Non-migrating raptors:
Bald Eagle - 2 (Adult)
Cooper's Hawk - 1 (Adult F)
Red-tailed Hawk - 3 (2 Ad, 1 Juv. Maybe more adults among the repeated
sightings.)

Non-raptor Observations:
Non-raptors:
Even a slow day for geese with only 1 skein sighted.

Canada Goose - 11
duck sp - 3
Blue Jay - 2
Amer Crow - 185 (182 flying west, 3 locals)
Comm Raven - 2 (minimum number)
BC Chickadee - 2
T Titmouse - 1
WB Nuthatch - 2
Red-bellied WP - 1
passerine sp - 9 (one group flying nearby twice that I couldn't get binos
on in time)


Predictions:
For Friday, the temps should be about 10 degrees warmer - 40s to low 50's,
stronger winds (10-15 mph) from the NW, and generally sunny skies. I have
a family obligation in the morning, so if I go up, it will probably be at
the North Rd overlook around noon at the earliest.
========================================================================
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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