November 24th - Cold and Beautiful!

Today started off fairly early with our first bird being seen as I was tying my clipboard to the fence.  Mike 4 spotted it rising up over the bluffs just out in front of us, it was a young Bald Eagle, number 109 for the season.  With today's blue sky and decent northwest wind, almost all birds were seen low over the park or just out along the bluffs.  Of interest, the crows seemed to be in the mood to harass every Red-shouldered Hawk that came along.  I don't recall ever seeing them focus on just one species like that before.  Also of note today we had 3 adult male Harriers out of the 6 counted.  This year seems to be bringing more males over Rosetta then in previous years.

Today:
Bald Eagle - 1
Northern Harrier - 6
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1
Red-shouldered Hawk - 4
Red-tailed Hawk - 9
Peregrine Falcon - 1
Total - 22

To Date:
Turkey Vulture - 1665
Osprey - 117
Bald Eagle - 109
Northern Harrier - 140
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1607
Cooper's Hawk - 50
Northern Goshawk - 6
Red-shouldered Hawk - 26
Broad-winged Hawk - 139
Red-tailed Hawk - 644
Rough-legged Hawk - 15
Golden Eagle - 7
American Kestrel - 470
Merlin - 63
Peregrine Falcon - 55
Gyrfalcon - 1
Total - 5114

Eagle Time (EST):
09:38 AM - BE immature (non-adult)

Here are some great photos that Patty sent along...

This Red-tailed Hawk with it's dark markings was striking looking

against the bright blue sky.

A Red-shouldered Hawk and a not-so welcoming Crow.

Two not-so welcoming Crows!

 

The park was expectedly quiet today but we did have a nice visit from one of the foxes this afternoon.  Also today, we had two flocks of Sandhill Cranes fly over the north end of the park.  The two, consisting of 12 and then 11 individuals, were hours apart but almost flying the exact same flight line.  This was a big day for Sandhill Crane movement as many sightings were reported from several different places.

Braving the cold wind today were: Mike 4, Mark, Pat & Nancy (thanks for the hot chocolate!), Mike 3, Dave, John, Bruce, Patty, Betty (thanks for the peanut butter cookies!), and Phil (thanks for the lift home!)

Here kitty kitty, want a peanut butter cookie?

 

Walter