Observation start time: 05:15:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 11.25 hours
Official Counter: Bob Secatore
Observers: Christopher Godfrey, Eric Mueller, Janet Kovner, Julie Roberts, Mark Schoene, Paul Roberts, Ted Mara, Tom Wetmore
Visitors: Dawn Beckman, Tom Graham, Dick Hughes and Dexter.
Weather: Wind velocities were variable but moderate for the most part throughout the watch period and out of the W, NW or NNW. Not a cloud in the sky all day. Temps starting in the mid 30s and rising to mid 50s at end of watch.
Raptor Observations: Migrant counts per hour were rather modest until noon but increased to better levels thereafter. In all, 72 migrants passed including 48 Kestrels, and 11 Merlins. With plenty of sunlight all day, we got some really great views of birds that passed on the island itself, especially of Kestrels and Merlins. We also had no less than 4 Merlins that each perched in full view for several minutes on trees or brush and three of these only a short distance away on one of the two low sand hills we refer to as "middens". Raptors that failed to migrate: 2 BEs, several NH and one imm Red-tail.
Non-raptor Observations: Birds: 2 Purple Martins, Canada Geese, Black Ducks, a pair of nesting House Finches, a moderate flow of Tree Swallows early in the watch, Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, 8 Great Egrets and quite a few Mockingbirds, 2 of which continue their comedic territorial squabble immediately in front of often right on our watch platform.
Predictions: Tomorrow's forecast calls for weak to moderate winds out of the south and SSE all day which is probably not going to encourage many raptors to pass over the island. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Robert Secatore (<rs8843829...>) Plum Island MA information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
