Date: 9/13/26 5:05 pm From: Barbara Volkle <barb620...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] Wachusett Mountain (13 Sep 2026) No Raptors, but a special look back to 1978 & 1983
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2026 21:25:38 +0000 From: <reports...> Subject: Wachusett Mountain (13 Sep 2026) No Raptors, but a special look back to 1978 & 1983
Raptor Observations: In celebration of our 50th anniversary year on Wachusett, here's a look back at some special events on this date:
9/13/1978 - the 7th largest Broad-winged Hawk daily count (10,086), the 7th largest Total Raptor count (10,213) and the 9th largest Osprey count (46) in Wachusett Mt history. Observers - Nancy Clayton, Leif Robinson, Michael Sporer and Paul Roberts. Paul gave this account to Neil Currie in the New England Hawk Watch report in 1978: "Four observers, led by Nancy Clayton, were on the summit of Wachusett early. After four hours only 129 hawks had been recorded and some speculation regarding departure was surfacing when, at 11:52, Michael Sporer called out that he had 6 Broad-wings thermalling northeast of the summit. Following these birds, Mike discovered the biggest kettle he had ever seen. Several hundred Broad-wings were rising above the first kettle. I looked to the top of the largest group only to find the sky littered with Broad-wings from horizon to horizon. We can't know how many birds had already passed from view, but within fifteen minutes we had 2,387 hawks, almost invisible to the naked eye, pass directly overhead. We tallied an additional 1,598 in the next half-hour. From that time, until the observers left the lookout over 5000 (more) hawks were seen. Most of these were observed beyond the range of unaided vision."
9/13/1983 - the largest ever Broad-winged Hawk daily count (19,912), the largest ever Total Raptor count (20,106), the largest ever Northern Harrier count (50) and the 2nd largest Osprey count (70) in Wachusett Mt history. The primary counters noted that day were Paul Roberts, Bart Kamp, Jim Samdahl, Chris Floyd, Norma Holmes, Katie Durham and Leif Robinson. In the 1983 Eastern Massachusetts Hawk Watch yearly report (subtitled "September 13th was a very good year"), Paul Roberts wrote: "It was the hottest September in 113 years, in more ways than one!" "The weather "deteriorated" on the 13th, with a moderate wind blowing out of the northeast. The sky was predominantly overcast. The "tail" of the big flight of the 12th seemed to be passing, with extraordinary numbers of harriers and Osprey. The birds did not seem to be finding really good lift, so they moved low and close to the mountain. The flight appeared to taper as the ceiling continued to drop. This reporter was preparing to return to the office for a half-day when the dike broke. Over 2600 hawks, including 14 Osprey, 7 harriers, and a Bald Eagle exploded over the summit between 11 a.m. and noon. Kettle after kettle, often totalling thousands of birds teemed off and over the summit - low. Then a literal river of broadwings became apparent. This river of broadwings moving from kettle to kettle stretched across the horizon as far as the eye could see, even when using high-power scopes! The birds remained low, close to the mountain, and were moving slowly. It was the most incredible, the most beautiful natural phenomenon this reporter's ever observed. An estimated 16,000 hawks passed the mountain between noon and 1 pm. The numerous hawkwatchers on the summit were mesmerized by the sudden, close "materialization" of so many hawks. Counting procedures lapsed momentarily, so we relied on running estimates of the "first wave." All-time daily records for Northern Harrier and Osprey were established, but we no doubt missed many of these and other species that passed between 11 a.m and 1 p.m. The flight proved even more incredible when we learned two other, relatively distant Massachusetts hawkwatch sites had observed comparable movement" (Southwick MA - 12,381 Broad-wings, Mt Tom - 5,310 Broad-wings). "At least three rivers of hawks were moving through Massachusetts, cutting a swath at least 40 miles wide! Or even more incredible, perhaps the river was itself a front 40 miles wide! And birds were missed. When Bart Kamp arrived on the summit of Wachusett at 7:10 a.m. on the 14th, the birds were already pouring over the mountain!"
Non-raptor Observations:
Predictions: We're expecting clear skies, temps in the 60's, moderate to low humidity, and solid 11-13 mph winds out of the NW. Strong NW winds all over New England tomorrow should bring a good flight in our direction. ======================================================================== Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>) Wachusett Mountain information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
