Observation start time: 08:45:00 Observation end time: 16:15:00 Total observation time: 7.5 hours
Official Counter: Jim Thomson
Observers: Brian Butler, Brian Hardiman, Phil Rodriguez, Tom Campbell
Visitors: Additional observer - Craig Stockert- Thanks for the great spotting !!!
John Berry- Good to see you again John. Glad you made it up !
Hikers- 7
Weather: Temps- 61-68 Deg.F. Wind- N/NW@ 4-12mph w/higher gusts Light cloud cover to start to deep blue cloudless skies in pm
Raptor Observations: BE- 10 ( 6A, 4I )
Big welcome back to Brian Hardiman !!! Great having you back on Coon ! Morning started out well with some nice action and good diversity but our flight simply shut down in the afternoon. Most of our birds were specks up in the blue and we worked for every bird we got today ! Also had an immie Bald Eagle eating on the wing this morning which is not something we recall seeing in the past. We were struggling with our choice for Bird of the Day but that changed as we were getting ready to head out. 2 redtails were really getting after each other when one of them spotted the owl decoy. This bird came in and hovered over the decoy only to have the second bird come in and attack it again. Both birds disappeared briefly down into the river valley only to pop back up and repeat the process all over again ! This happened 3 times before they decided to take their battle elssewhere ! At times they were approx 50 feet over our heads !!! Crazy, cool action !
Non-raptor Observations: Monarch- 47 RT Hummers- 4 Black Swallowtail Ravens- Many flying back and forth along the ridge TV's & BV'S Cedar Waxwings Chimney Swifts ======================================================================== Report submitted by Jim Thomson (<hawkinflight...>)
