Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 7.58 hours
Official Counter: Brian Rusnica
Observers: Visitors: Thank you Dan Harrington, Deb Gustafson, and Billy Hickey for joining the watch today!
Weather: Murky start, with mist and fog in low-lying areas but not the Watatic summit. As predicted, winds started in from the NE and swung around E, but unlike yesterday, they started faint and finished moderately. Mostly cloudy by afternoon. Raptor Observations: Another slow start, with hardly any substantial raptor movement in the morning lift off. By 10:30am EDT, the sky was dotted with cumulus puffs and cirrus wisps, offering all the visual contrast a hawkwatcher could ask for. Sadly one thing was missing, and those were the Broad-wings. Only for a brief moment today did our hearts leap as a stream of 10 Broad-wings coursed overhead. That was our largest and only significant group of the day. The watch was generally active for other species, with nice close looks at American Kestrel, Merlin, and Bald Eagles all providing naked-eye views. A Common Raven wandered close to the decoy owl, croaking vigorously, when suddenly a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk blasted straight at it from behind us, just 10 feet over our heads. Our first migrant Turkey Vultures were counted today, as 2 brave voyagers got into sky-high glides behind some Broad-wings. The local roost had 2 big blooms of TVs as the thermals formed in the morning. The afternoon winds brought 4 Bald Eagles back north and therefore off the migrant count.
Non-raptor Observations: Common Raven 35 Chimney Swift 7
Predictions: Overcast with light winds with an easterly component. Hard to foresee these conditions resulting in a big flight. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Brian Rusnica (<brian_rusnica...>) Mount Watatic information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
