Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Caroline Fegley
Observers: Dan Rossman, Mark Timmerman, Michael Viet
Visitors: 121
Weather: Clear skies in the morning, with some cumulus clouds moving in through the afternoon. Very light N to W winds with some hours having mostly no wind.
Raptor Observations: Distant and high migrants. Was delighted to have a close male kestrel catching bugs on the wing before diving at the owl and perching in a spruce at the end of the day. Locals: 1 broadwing, 2 turkey vultures, 1 redtail, 2 Sharp-shinneds, 1 peregrine, 1 male kestrel
Non-raptor Observations: More songbird movement than my first day on the lookout. Highlights included 1 ovenbird and a flock of red crossbills.
Predictions: "It's all in the weather! Lance Tanino in 2009: ""The weather today was gorgeous. The morning started out with mostly clear skies and as the day progressed cumulus clouds formations showed promise for useful thermal riding by raptors....The first raptor was an Osprey soaring over the center of North Pack Monadnock and in textbook fashion it glided straight down the middle of the Wapack Ridge and directly over the observatory. I sat there in my chair without binoculars and enjoyed the moment wishing that all migrant raptors would make it that easy for counters."" Henry Walters in 2010: ""Gusty as all get out, telescopes, lunchboxes, pomeranians being blown off the side of the mountain right and left. The binocs were shaky, but they had clear air to look through at last, and rows of high cumulus as a backdrop. Majority of flights were at or below eye-level, with birds battling into a 20-mph headwind, and no thermal action to speak of."" ======================================================================== Report submitted by Caroline Fegley (<cgfegley...>) Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory information may be found at: www.harriscenter.org
