[EBB Sightings] Crockett Hills 4/16 Raptor Census

April 16, 2007

Turkey Vulture 11
Red-tailed Hawk 145
Sharp-shinned Hawk 4
Cooper's Hawk 5
Northern Harrier 5 
Am. Kestrel 0
Peregrine 0
White-tailed Kite 4 
Golden Eagle 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 
Osprey 2
Unidentified Accip 2 
Unidentified Buteo 
Unidentified Raptor 16

Total Count: 197
Total Minutes: 240
Raptors per Hour: 49.25

Weather: Temp 71F-73F, Wind 290 at 3, becoming 240 at 10G15, sky clear

Crew: Harv Wilson, Leary Wong, Nina Wong

The sightings rate of 40-50 raptors per hour for the last two hours
yesterday continued throughout today. This is about half the hourly rate of
recent watches. The national radar mosaic shows several low pressure systems
centered in the SW U.S. both yesterday and today with rain over large areas
and strong north and west winds. Will be interesting to see if the numbers
rebound when the weather improves there.  

The high points today were a pair of golden eagles that hung around all day
about a mile to the SE. They gave us some impressive bounding-flight
displays. The best look at a bird goes to an Osprey that glided directly
toward us from about a half mile out and passed less than 50 feet over our
heads, all without flapping once. We also got some long looks at soaring
accipiters. 


Harv Wilson