Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: David Brown
Observers: Frank Rohrbacher, Holly Merker, Ian Teaell, Kim Steininger, Lana Glass, Richard King, Sally O'Byrne, Samir Saadeh, Walt Blackwell
Visitors: 30
Weather: Mostly sunny to mostly cloudy. Light and variable winds, mostly northerly. Frost to start but becoming warm. Good sky for spotting.
Raptor Observations: Excellent raptor activity in the mid-morning with great looks at many low raptors, especially Bald Eagles and Red-tailed Hawks. The best Turkey Vulture migration so far this season with over two hundred total with several groups of around 20. Good Bald Eagle activity with 16 migrating. The second best harrier flight of the season with seven including several adult males. The highest sharpie total of the season with 59. One of the best Cooper's Hawks flights too with 19. Late-season Buteos continue to increase with 31 red-shoulders and 25 red-tails. We had the falcon trifecta with 6 kestrels, 3 merlins, and a peregrine. Many migrants were quite high in the afternoon but the cloud cover helped with spotting.
Non-raptor Observations: 75 Canada Geese, 10 Wood Ducks, Wilson's Snipe, 4 American Herring Gulls, 3 Common Loons, 170 Double-crested Cormorants, Belted Kingfisher, Fish Crow, 2 Common Ravens, Red-breasted Nuthatch, 150+ Cedar Waxwings, 60+ Purple Finches, 2 Rusty Blackbirds, 1 monarch. https://www.ebird.org/checklist/S281349447
New species for season: Wilson's Snipe
Predictions: Tomorrow: Mix of sun and clouds early then cloudy. High 61F. Winds light and variable. Hopefully the good flight will continue. A Rough-legged Hawk was seen not too far away in PA this evening so we will keep an eye out for that. Expect moderate migration.
Monday: Mainly sunny. High 58F. Winds NE at 5-10mph. Expect moderate migration.
Tuesday: A mix of clouds and sun then cloudy. High 58F. Winds NE at 10-20mph. Expect moderate migration. ======================================================================== Report submitted by David Brown (<davidebrownpa...>) Ashland Nature Center information may be found at: www.delnature.org
