Other Raptors
Cooper’s Hawk
Peregrine
Black Vulture
The weather was mild, the birders gathered were a calm, determined group. Swainson’s and Zonetails mixed with Turkey Vultures at 8:30 as the count started. These continued past 9:00 as we assembled a delicious mixed spring salad of raptors over the next hour. Redtail, Harrier, Zonetail, Turkey Vulture and Gray Hawk seasoned with Osprey and Caracara. The HWI counters added a touch of Black Hawk catching a distant bird streaking northwest along the highway. A circling group of a dozen Black Vultures tossed the migrants in the blue and white bowl overhead.
The rest of the day offered an occasional burst of Turkey Vultures heavily peppered with Swainson’s and the odd Redtail or Gray Hawk.
A young Swainson’s and several Zonetails sparkled in the late afternoon sky as 50 Turkey Vultures reminded us it was time to find our evening roosts.
