Date: 4/15/24 5:13 pm From: Andrew Bechdel <andrewbechdel...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawkwatch = April 14-15th, 2024
Good Evening Birders,
Yesterday kicked off our first big Broad-winged Hawk day and was followed by an *even bigger day today with 168! *Many of today's birds were extremely high and distant, requiring the utmost diligence and sharp eyesight. We undoubtedly missed some birds, but this is inevitable. As our raptor season comes to a culmination, we now have all of the local raptors (Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, and Broad-winged Hawk) back in town and proclaiming and defending their territory around Tussey Mountain. *A large female Merlin streamed by close on the N side of the ridge*, our 3rd of the season. We, along with many hawkwatches and individual birders, only see Merlin a few times a year. It's alway a special moment when you realize the very fast fast isn't a Kestrel.
In other bird news, we had our first warblers (Pine and Black-throated Green) singing away in the woods. It won't be long before Black-and-white warblers are back again too! A Purple Finch was heard emitting its staccato flight calls for several minutes, starting in the powercut and moving into the forest briefly before heading N. While we often get flybys, I haven't seen this behavior yet at the watch.
A big shout out to yesterday's visitor's Coty Ehrenhaus and her 2 sons Ignacio and Santiago. Ignacio was extremely helpful with the data gathering and is primed to be the hawkwatcher for Tussey in 10 years!
Tomorrow is uncertain with Westerly winds. Wednesday and Thursday could be great days if the rain holds off. Only time and scanning will tell.
