Observation start time: 07:45:00
Observation end time: 13:45:00
Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter: Jerry McWilliams
Observers: Jerry McWilliams, Julie Leonard
Visitors:
Julie Leonard and I were the watchers today. Joe Susi, Julie Dell, and
Laura stopped for a brief visit.
Weather:
Clear early becoming variably cloudy to mostly cloudy by late morning early
afternoon. Cool early warming to the low 20 C with a strong SSW wind then
a shift to the west later cooling the air a bit.
Raptor Observations:
It was a slow steady flight of vultures and hawks until the wind shift to
the west after the 1300 hr. EST when there was a decent push of vultures
with 42 in one kettle before the lakeshore flight shut down. Even though
hawk numbers were lower than expected, it was the best day so far with some
species diversity. Highlight was the first-of-the-season Broad-winged
Hawk, and a Short-eared Owl was observed flying north towards the lake.
Non-raptor Observations:
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1, Barn Swallow 1, Tree Swallow several,
Northern Flicker, American Crow, several large flocks of blackbirds, mostly
Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles, Common Loon 1, Double-crested
Cormorant 35, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Ring-billed and Herring gulls,
American Robin.
Predictions:
Weather conditions iffy. Periods of ran and a bit cooler with WSW wind.
Not likely much migrating, especially after what we saw today.Jerry McWilliamsErie, Erie County, Pa., <jerrymcw...>
