Date: 10/19/26 6:01 am From: \Mandy G.\ (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Suspicious raptor at ARNWR (was Re: Juvenile dark-morph Swainson's at Kiptopeke VA)
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On Mon, Oct 19, 2026, 8:39 AM Sandy Cash <carolinabirds...> wrote:
> While leading a Wings Over Water trip yesterday at Alligator River, I got
> a very brief glimpse of a raptor that I suspect was a Swainson’s, but the
> look was far too brief for me to get sufficient detail, and I did not
> include it on the checklist. This was at the second or third impoundment
> heading West on Sawyer Lake.
>
> -Sandy
>
> Sandy Cash
> Carrboro, NC, USA
>
> On Wed, Oct 7, 2026 at 10:22 AM Alan Meijer <carolinabirds...>
> wrote:
>
>> I know this isn't a bird in North Carolina at the time of its sighting
>> but a juvenile dark m-morph Swainson's Hawk was observed at the Kiptopeke
>> hawkwatch yesterday. Also, two Swainson's were seen at Cape May yesterday,
>> including a juvenile dark morph, possibly the same bird. They are headed
>> south so keep your eyes open. We've occasionally had one at Alligator River
>> including last year.
>>
>> There is a photo of the bird on Facebook. Just head to the page for the
>> coastal Virginia wildlife observatory.
>>
>> Alan
>>
>>
>> ______________________
>> Alan Meijer
>>
>
