[EBB Sightings] Crockett Hills 4/19 Raptor Census

April 19, 2007

Turkey Vulture 29
Red-tailed Hawk 172
Sharp-shinned Hawk 0
Cooper's Hawk 1
Northern Harrier 6
Am. Kestrel 2
Peregrine 0
White-tailed Kite 8
Golden Eagle 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Osprey 1
Unidentified Accip 0
Unidentified Buteo 6
Unidentified Raptor 5

Total Count: 232
Total Minutes: 120
Raptors per Hour: 116

Temp 51F-53F, Wind 240/3 mph becoming 240/11G13 mph, Sky broken cumulus,
high overcast. Low pressure moving south offshore. Rain to north and
northeast.
Abundant lift and southwest wind.

Crew: Laura Thomas, Harv Wilson. Todd Weaver also joined us and took some
bird photography.

Saw several groups of 5-15 RTs arriving from high altitude SSW. They tended
to drop down on the northernmost hill to the south and then work along the
shoreline to the hills near the shore to the north. If you are approaching
the Carquinez Bridge from the north (Berkeley side), these are the hills you
pass just after the refinery and just before the bridge. There is a replica
of the Iwo Jima stature on the left side of the road on top of these hills.

We continue to be conservative about double-counting. I estimate that we
ignored about 15% of all sightings. 

The Golden Eagle sighting was in the same location as the previous watches
and is probably a local bird. Bill Surges who hikes these hills frequently
and is a long-time birder stopped by and confirmed that a pair of Golden
Eagles have been  in the neighboring canyon for several years. 

Also, Laura spotted an RT landing in a tree on the south hills. I saw an RT
land in the same part of this tree yesterday. We suspect this may be a
nesting location. 

We bailed after two hours due to wind and cold. The wind chill, according to
the wind meter we have, was 39F. 

Harv Wilson