Jim, Thanks for posting the Raccoon Ridge results to Jerseybirds this year. And congratulations on the Goshawk finale today. It must have been really cold up there… your efforts are appreciated!
Laurie Larson co-administrator, Jerseybirds
PS Where are the Ravens getting chunks of meat? Hunters? Roadkill?
> On Dec 6, 2024, at 6:10 PM, Hawkcount.Org Reports <reports...> wrote: > > Raccoon Ridge > Blairstown, New Jersey, USA > Daily Raptor Counts: Dec 06, 2024 > ------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total > ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- > Black Vulture 0 0 0 > Turkey Vulture 0 0 0 > Osprey 0 0 34 > Bald Eagle 14 14 272 > Northern Harrier 1 1 52 > Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 0 882 > Cooper's Hawk 0 0 131 > American Goshawk 1 1 1 > Red-shouldered Hawk 2 2 38 > Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 2753 > Red-tailed Hawk 15 15 440 > Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 > Golden Eagle 1 1 39 > American Kestrel 0 0 52 > Merlin 1 1 81 > Peregrine Falcon 0 0 21 > Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 > Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 > Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 > Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 > Unknown Raptor 0 0 26 > > Total: 35 35 4822 > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Observation start time: 09:00:00 > Observation end time: 15:45:00 > Total observation time: 6.75 hours > > Official Counter: Jim Thomson > > Observers: Al Ambler, Brian Butler, Craig Stockert, Harry Quinn > > Visitors: > Additional observer- Tom Campbell. ( Glad you made it up Tom !! ) > > > Weather: > Temps- 22-28 Deg.F Wind- NW@ 10-20mph w/ higher gusts Partly cloudy > > Raptor Observations: > BE- 14 ( 1-Adult / 13-Immature) > GE- 10:55 A > AG- 11:10 A > > A great FROZEN FINALE on Coon today !! Our final count day of the season. > Temps in the 20's all day long with strong/gusty NW winds. > Many thanks to Al, Brian, Craig, Harry, and Tom for their great company > and spotting skills today !! Lot's of fun ! > Bald Eagles continue to put on a show with 14 counted as migrating and > many > others seen but not counted. 4 Balds in one field of view occurred a number > of times today. Also a hunting Sharpie that was not counted as it moved up > ridge. > Our lone adult Golden Eagle gave us distant looks that left us wanting > more. > BUT... Our Bird of the Day... hell.. Our Bird of the Year did not > disappoint! > At 11:10 we had a bird pop up directly in front of the watch site just > above > treetop level.. bins were quickly aimed at the bird and GOSHAWK was yelled > by a few of us !!! This beautiful adult male Goshawk slid over slightly to > our > left on the river side and hugged the ridge as it slowly passed by filling > the bins. > What a stunner !!! This is a bird to be celebrated !!! This is a bird that > is vanishing from the landscape and each one seen in migration is super > special. > Had this bird not passed the watch site today it would have been the first > time > in the storied history of Raccoon Ridge that a Goshawk was not counted in a > fall season. So glad to not have a goose egg in that column !! > Our afternoon passed by too quickly especially since we were super charged > by Al Ambler's World Famous Pulled Pork sandwiches. Served HOT up on top of > the mountain !! What an incredible effort by Al !!! Thank You Al !!! > So.. another season in the books. Not our best season ever for numbers but > Coon never disappoints. The mountain and the raptors continue to fuel our > souls and keep us coming back for more !! > Thanks as always to the Coon crew for their efforts ! You guys and gals > rock ! > Guess it's time to get ready to start chasing some winter raptors. > Good hawking to all ! > Jim > > > Non-raptor Observations: > Canada goose- Thousands. ( skeins of Canadas moving all day long) > Ravens- 38 ( many carrying chunks of meat in their bills ) > TV > Bluebirds > ======================================================================== > Report submitted by Jim Thomson (<hawkinflight...>) > > > More site information at hawkcount.org: https://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=339 > > > > List Guidelines: https://lists.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind2107&L=JERSEYBI&P=R685&X=OE8E22FEF3A2B10DFE5 > List help: <jerseybi-request...> > List archives: https://lists.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=jerseybi > NJ Bird Records Committee: www.njbrc.com
