Hi Everyone, The first big flocks of Swainson's hawks this year were reported at Bonelli Park in San Dimas this morning (Wednesday, March 5) by Keith Condon, who saw ~170 and ~80 birds in separate groups. We're going to monitor the hawk migration again this year and hope to set up one or more picket lines later this month after activity increases. Once again, I'll be providing updates on groups of 10 or more that are reported on the listserves and/or on eBird. I'll provide more background information about the migration soon in a separate email, but for now, given that some of today's hawks were seen shortly before it begain to rain, the birds may have landed in the rain and could still be in the area long the foothills west of San Dimas. It could be productive to keep a watch tomorrow (March 6) along the foothill corridor. In general, it appears that low overcasts can keep the hawks relatively low where they are easier to see while migrating west/northwest. Oddly, reports of large groups of hawks from Anza-Borrego, where the birds often stage, have been sparse this year, so perhaps the hawks seen over Bonelli took a different route (perhaps farther east through the Imperial Valley?). Also watch for migrating turkey vultures, which have already started moving through in good numbers. There was a large flock over the foothills this past weekend, a steady stream was moving past northern Sierra Madre on March 2 around noon, and on Feb. 22 I saw a kettle of 40 vultures over the Antelope Valley at 90th E and Ave. F8. Regards, Lance Lance BennerPasadena, CAOn behalf of Los Angeles Birders _._,_._,_
