Observation start time: 06:30:00 Observation end time: 12:00:00 Total observation time: 5.5 hours
Official Counter: Jerry McWilliams
Observers: Jerry McWilliams, Sam Stull
Visitors: Sam Stull assisted with the count. Visitors included Karen Butowski, Carol Allen, and Doug Massey
Weather: Variably cloudy with strong SW wind early becoming westerly by mid-day. Unseasonably warm.
Raptor Observations: Vultures were already on the move when I arrived at 0630 EST. Vulture movement was heaviest between the 0800 and 0900 hr. EST. They came through low early then rising in altitude as the morning progressed. Most streamed through nearly non-stop usually a few at a time with only a couple of sizable kettles. With the good SW wind birds were hugging the lake until mid-day when the wind shifted to the west and the lakeshore flight shut down. The hawk flight was disappointingly low
Non-raptor Observations: Wood Duck 6, local Merlin, Rusty and Red-winged blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds and Common Grackles, Double-crested Cormorant 86, Great Blue heron 1, Canada Goose 8, Golden-crowned Kinglet 1, a good flight of Northern Flickers with more than 40 counted, American Robin, Mourning Dove, Mallard 3, Eastern Bluebird 1, Horned Lark 3, several Tree Swallows, Ring-billed and Herring Gulls
Predictions: Mostly cloudy with ENE wind then becoming SSW. Not sure what tomorrow will bring, depends upon the wind direction and what is left in the pipeline.Jerry McWilliamsErie, Erie County, <Pa.jerrymcw...>
