Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 11:00:00 Total observation time: 3 hours
Official Counter: Bob Secatore
Observers: Visitors: Several visitors dropped by to enquire about the hawk watch and other refuge related matters.
Weather: West wind 8 to 12 mph and a bit gusty. Temps 36 to 42 deg Fahrenheit. Sunny for the first two hours which, and this sunshine, judging from the raptors observed, created thermals over the island and marsh. This all changed during the third hour when, surprisingly quickly, dark, billowing cumulus clouds developed with 85% cloud cover shutting out the sunshine and, evidently, any thermals also.
Raptor Observations: Eight migrants were observed today: 3 NH, 2 ML, 1 CH and 2 UR. Most of these were seen during the 9:00 AM hour when four of them (2 NH, 1 CH and 1 UR) used thermals over the marsh to spiral upward and gain enough height to then peel off and flap/glide northward. The first NH to perform this maneuver followed up on it by flapping/gliding for a half mile or so, and losing altitude in the process, before repeating the same maneuver. Both Merlins passed through a few feet from the platform on the west side, the second one an adult male.
Other raptors that were seen but failed to migrate: 3 NH and 6 TV.
Non-raptor Observations: Other birds: Five geese were seen at a distance in the southeast flying in a tight line; the first three appeared dark but the last two were white with some black on their wings. Snow geese? One Snowy Egret. Our pair of resident House Finches. Lots of Herring Gulls floating aloft during the 9:00 AM hour maked picking out raptors amongst them difficult.
Predictions: Mild to moderate WNW, W and WSW winds growing from 3 to 10 mph as the day progresses. Temps from mid 30s to high 40s. Partly cloudy to mostly cloudy. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Robert Secatore (<rs8843829...>) Plum Island MA information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
