Observation start time: 08:45:00 Observation end time: 16:15:00 Total observation time: 7.5 hours
Official Counter: Jim Thomson
Observers: Al Ambler, Brian Butler, Harry Quinn, Phil Rodriguez
Visitors: Additional observer and Coon regular Craig Stockert. Rick Klinger- great seeing you again Rick. Barry Kwansy- Welcome back to Coon Barry. Mike Fleetwood- Nice seeing you today Mike A BIG WELCOME BACK TO Phil & Anne Ribolow !!! Been too long !! Great having you two up top !
Hikers- 78
Weather: Temp- 45-53 Deg.F, Wind- N/NW@ 5-15mph w/higher gusts Mostly cloudy in early am clearing out by 10:00am to deep blue skies
Our count day began with decent cloud cover and some birds on the move. By 10:00am we had lost all of our cloud cover and transitioned over to deep blue raptor absorbing skies.Birds got really high and quite difficult to locate. Our only Golden Eagle of the day was a very distant "wing on " look on the river side. Bald Eagles were moving all day and tough to keep track of as many would pass the watch site only to return minutes later. We counted a very conservative 18.Balds as migrating. Our Bird of the Day selection goes to our local adult male Peregrine. This bird came in from behind us and "hung" over us as it gained altitude. It than dropped into the river valley below us only to rise up carrying a blackbird in it's talons! It passed directly over us heading towards the cliffs to the south to enjoy it's meal.A master hunter indeed !
Non-raptor Observations: Snow buntings-7 ( one flock of 7 that flew past the watch site ) Loons- 3 Ravens- 7 TV's ======================================================================== Report submitted by Jim Thomson (<hawkinflight...>)
