Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Kate McKay
Observers: Annamarie Saenger, Chuck Carlson, Mike Gebo, Nora Hanke, Tom Momeyer
Visitors: 171 visitors from near and far.
Weather: Sunny autumn day with excellent visibility. Winds from the NNW, starting near 20 mph and gradually becoming almost calm. Temps rising from 39 to 48 degrees.
Raptor Observations: Great day for migration, with high numbers and ten different species on the move. We had the season's first double-digit count of red-shoulders (14) and the highest count so far of migrating red-tails (4). The most birds came by during 10 o'clock but there were birds every hour. One red-tail interacted with an immature Bald Eagle, causing the eagle to flip upside down.
Non-raptor Observations: Several waterbirds were seen today including six loons, one herring gull, one cormorant, and 666 geese. There was also a nice mix of finches flying over including the season's first Evening Grosbeak and Purple Finches, along with the biggest flock so far of Pine Siskins (15). Saw my first snow fleas of the season, too, jumping about on the rocks.
Predictions: Rain tomorrow. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Kate McKay (<northernjay444...>) Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory information may be found at: www.harriscenter.org
