[EBB Sightings] Crockett Hills 4/20 Raptor Census

April 20, 2007

Turkey Vulture 42
Red-tailed Hawk 227
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 0
Northern Harrier 10
Am. Kestrel 4
Peregrine 0
White-tailed Kite 6
Golden Eagle 4
Red-shouldered Hawk 0
Merlin 2
Osprey 0
Unidentified Accip 0
Unidentified Buteo 2
Unidentified Raptor 20

Total Count: 318
Total Minutes: 240
Raptors per Hour: 79.5

Temp 56F-62F. Wind first two hours: surface 120 at 3mph, 1000 ft 004 at 5
kts. Second two hours suface 270 at 5G10 mph, 1000 ft 290 5-10 kts. Sky
scattered to broken cumulus with cloud streets. Strong lift conditions.
Offshore low moving south parallel to coast. At 9 a.m. light to moderate
rain was over the mountains at Santa Cruz. By 11:30 the rain in the
mountains was south of Monterey Bay.

Crew: Harv Wilson

Few birds low on the hills today. Most birds were observed at high altitude
approacing from the SW (220T). They remained at high altitude, ascending to
the cloud base before heading north. Those that descended to low altitude
ascended in thermals near the refinery back to high altitude before
continuuing north. 

The wind shifted from 120T to 270T about halfway through the watch. After
the wind shift, the count dropped and more birds were were observed
approaching at low altitude. Hourly counts: 106, 104, 65, 43. 

The high points were two golden eagles at high altitude heading north and
two merlins at low altitude racing everywhere but north. 

Will be on the hill tomorrow and Tuesday. Then will write up the census. May
go back later in the week to do a nest survey.

Harv