Observation start time: 06:00:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 10.5 hours
Official Counter: David Brown
Observers: Bridget Watts, David Rothrock, Greg Sanda, Janis George, Jean Dalton, Jess Cosentino, Kim Steininger, Lorenzo C., Mike Tetlow, Roger Clark, Rosemary Reilly, Shannon Sanda, Vid Killius
Visitors: 50
Weather: Sunny skies to start the day with strong southerly winds. A high layer of clouds that thickened throughout the day with the winds eventually shifting to a moderate southwest. Some darker periods in the afternoon and some sprinkles towards the end of the day as rain moved in.
Raptor Observations: As expected we had a huge flight today with nearly 6,000 migrants. Broad-winged Hawks were the most numerous with over 4,700. Turkey Vultures had a strong flight with nearly 700. Sharp-shinned Hawks were coming through high and low, left and right and overhead, with more than 300. An excellent eagle day with 83 Bald Eagles, including the first southern juvenile of the season, and 6 Golden Eagles! Two Rough-legged Hawks, one of each color morph. There was also a high streaming Buteo that was a probable Swainson's Hawk, but we didn't get enough of a look to rule out Rough-legged. We had all three falcons with 34 kestrels, 2 merlins, and a peregrine.
The flight was steady most of the day with a huge push in the 11am EST hour. After another good hour the flight slowed as darker clouds rolled in, but picked back up to a moderate flight for the last few hours. The biggest groups were high and overhead or to the lake-side, but there was a spread out flight line the whole day.
Predictions: TOMORROW: Morning showers then partly cloudy. High 49F. Winds NNW at 10-20mph. Expect minimal migration. Count will likely be shortened.
THURSDAY: Mainly sunny. High 44F. Winds NE at 5-10mph. Expect light to moderate migration. Count may be held at Frisbee Hill.
FRIDAY: Sunny. High near 55F. Winds E at 10-20mph. Expect light to moderate migration. ======================================================================== Report submitted by David Brown (<davidebrownpa...>) Braddock Bay information may be found at: http://www.bbrr.org/
