Observation start time: 10:00:00 Observation end time: 15:30:00 Total observation time: 5.5 hours
Official Counter: Devin Banning
Observers: Katelyn Davis
Visitors: None
Weather: Rain on arrival, with many birds already underway. Temps over 60F, but strong S winds (27mph, gusts to 60mph) made it feel like 45F. Quickly clearing to mostly blue skies before clouding up again around 11am. Blue skies persisted until around 1pm. Clouds built and severe thunderstorms missed us to our west, south, and east! A rain squall at 1:45 finally shut down our very productive early season flight, light rain continued on and off until the end of the day at 3:30.
Raptor Observations: The flight was between I-90 and Site 1. Only TUVUs during the 1000 hour. Almost all birds shifted to passing over or north of Site 1, with some birds even passing through over Lake Erie! As weather conditions improved, the height of the flight increased, making it difficult to tell buteos apart. A near constant stream of TVs flew directly over Site 1 for over an hour.
Non-raptor Observations: Thousands upon thousands of non-raptors migrating through. Hundreds of robins in groups of over 60 birds, hundreds or thousands of blackbirds (RWBL and COGR), eight Tundra Swans, Two Great Blue Herons, many Killdeer and Gulls, an Eastern Meadowlark gave us a show by perching on the posts in the Vineyard at Site 1. Horned Larks flew over, and hundreds of gulls put on a show over the site moving en masse to the lake. Good showing of raptors with seven species represented (although the BEs were locals).
Predictions: Temperatures to drop, with a high of only 35F! Despite this, winds remain favorable, with winds out of the west becoming southerly as the day goes on with sun. A flight is likely, as some birds probably remain in the pipeline. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Devin Banning (<devincban...>) Ripley Hawk Watch information may be found at: www.facebook.com/groups/3193820734258889/
