Date: 4/12/24 1:27 pm From: Andrew Bechdel <andrewbechdel...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawkwatch - April 12th, 2024
Good Afternoon Birders,
After a few hours of off and on drizzle, I decided to call the day early before the impending rain showers. Before I packed it in, I was fortunate to see another* subadult Golden Eagle, our 158th GE of the year!* With today's strong winds, the GE flew more like a Turkey Vulture, tilting side to side and swaying instead of taking a more steady and linear flight path typical of most Golden Eagles. Additionally, we heard our *first Brown Thrasher of the year!* I heard it singing its song on the S side of the mountain in the powercut, a song Thoreau described as "Plant a seed, plant a seed, bury it, bury it, cover it up, cover it up, let it grow, let it grow, pull it up, pull it up, eat it, eat it". It's always fun to hear, especially on a slow day.
Tomorrow's very strong W wind will likely deter most raptors, but we will count on nonetheless. The next good day appears to be Tuesday or Wednesday next week.
