Daily Reports from Derby Hill Bird Observatory
Friday, May 31, 2019
Observation start time: 8:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 2:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 5.12 hours
Official Counter: Bill Purcell
Observers: Judy Thurber
Visitors: NR
Weather: NR
Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: NR
Predictions: NR
Thursday, May 30, 2019
Observation start time: 8:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 2:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 6.5hours
Official Counter: Bill Purcell
Observers:NR
Visitors:NR
Weather:Southerly winds and a moderate amount of blue sky. Enough for a nice late season flight.
Raptor Observations:Expected species.
Non-raptor Observations:Blue Jays & Cedar Waxwings.
Predictions:Sunny but N-NW wind, less than classic for the last day of the count.
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Observation start time: 6:45 a.m.
Observation end time: 2:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 7.25 hours
Official Counter: Bill Purcell
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: For most of the day there was no wind, no sun and no hawks. Around 2 PM daylight time there was a 5 minute warm spell followed by cold north winds.
Raptor Observations: Nothing moving.
Non-raptor Observations: NR
Predictions: Allegedly tomorrow will be warmer with southwest wind and that should bring some birds. We’ll see.
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Observation start time: 7:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 2:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 6.5hours
Official Counter: Bill Purcell
Observers:NR
Visitors:NR
Weather: Rain early which was supposed to stop late morning, the rain did stop occasionally but never for long.
Raptor Observations: Nothing moved today.
Non-raptor Observations: Flocks of Cedar Waxwings flying by, Blackpolls and one Tennessee Warbler on the bluff.
Predictions: Supposed to be clearing with moderate NW wind but unseasonably cool.
Monday, May 27, 2019
Observation start time: 6:30 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 8.25hours
Official Counter: Bill Purcell
Observers: Judy Thurber
Visitors: NR
Weather: West wind was overtaken by the lake breeze early on and that continued through the day. Sunny with few clouds.
Raptor Observations: Most raptors drifted to the south during the day.
Non-raptor Observations: Four Common Nighthawks feeding in front of the watch for about 90 minutes.
Predictions: East winds and some rain, not good flight conditions at this time of the season.
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 1:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Kevin McGann, Bill Purcell, Phil Taylor, Judy Thurber
Visitors: NR
Weather: NR
Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: NR
Predictions: NR
Saturday, May 25, 2019
Observation start time: 4:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 9.5hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Peter Davidson, Don Metzger, Bill Purcell
Visitors: NR
Weather: NR
Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: NR
Predictions: NR
Friday, May 24, 2019
Observation start time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: Overcast with strong W-NW wind.
Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: NR
Predictions: NR
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 7:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 14 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Peter Davidson, Phil Taylor
Visitors: NR
Weather: Mostly sunny but with thunderstorms in the afternoon, SE wind shifting around to W by evening, 55-77 degrees F.
Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: Highlights were 110 Brant, 3169 Blue Jays, 960 Cedar Waxwings, 9 Scarlet Tanagers, 12 Baltimore Orioles, 44 American Goldfinches.
Predictions: NR
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 10 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Peter Davidson
Visitors: NR
Weather: Mostly sunny with light south winds in the morning shifting to NE, then becoming mostly cloudy by the end of the count, 39-69 degrees.
Raptor Observations: Most birds were exceptionally far south of the south lookout.
Non-raptor Observations: Not much non-raptor migration this morning- 1169 Blue Jays and 2 Sandhill Cranes were highlights.
Predictions: Tomorrow may be better for migration with SE winds, though thunderstorms are predicted in the afternoon.
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Observation start time: 7:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Phil Taylor
Visitors: NR
Weather: Mostly sunny with strong W wind, 44-61 degrees.
Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: Zero non-raptor migration today.
Predictions: NR
Monday, May 20, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 10.5hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers:Bill Purcell
Visitors:NR
Weather:Mostly cloudy in the morning becoming mostly sunny in the afternoon, south wind in the morning shifted to strong west in the afternoon.
Raptor Observations:Likely missed raptors in the morning when SW winds pushed them out over the lake, but a change in the wind to W-NW after 09:00 am brought a huge push of Broad-wings right over the south lookout.
Non-raptor Observations:Surprisingly few non-raptors this morning with south winds, highlights were 4 Rock Pigeons (appeared to be migrating), 1890 Blue Jays, 6 Wilson’s Warblers.
Predictions:Strong west winds tomorrow probably won’t be all that great for migration.
Sunday, May 19, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 8:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 13.5hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers:Peter Davidson, Andrew Dreelin, Wayne Fidler, Kevin McGann, Judy Thurber
Visitors:NR
Weather:Partly sunny with SE wind in the morning, then shifting to light N wind around 10:00, thunderstorms began around 12:30 and continued off and on until 16:30, then south wind in the evening.
Raptor Observations:NR
Non-raptor Observations:Great non-raptor flight, over 11,000 birds, highlights included 39 Wood Ducks, 377 Long-tailed Ducks, 1 Great Egret, 10 Green Herons, 3 Red-headed Woodpeckers, 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee, 8 Great Crested Flycatchers, 39 Eastern Kingbirds, 9014 Blue Jays, 10 Eastern Bluebirds, 881 Cedar Waxwings, 14 species of warblers, 26 Scarlet Tanagers, 4 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, 13 Indigo Buntings, 16 Bobolinks, 2 Orchard Orioles, 103 Baltimore Orioles, 19 Pine Siskins, 164 American Goldfinches.
Predictions:NR
Saturday, May 18, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 10 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Ron Burdick, Charlie Long
Visitors: NR
Weather: Mostly sunny, calm wind becoming moderate north, 42-64 degrees F.
.Raptor Observations: Some decent kettles from the south lookout, mostly immature Broad-wings.
Non-raptor Observations: Another decent morning flight, highlights were 25 Chimney Swifts, 4482 Blue Jays, 10 species of warblers, 8 Scarlet Tanagers, 16 Baltimore Orioles, 190 American Goldfinches.
Predictions: Heavy rain tomorrow will likely dampen any flight.
Friday, May 17, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 11 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Peter Davidson, Dave Fitch
Visitors: NR
Weather: Mostly cloudy until after 14:00 when skies cleared, south wind early in the morning became W-NW after 09:00, 53-63 degrees F.
Raptor Observations: Flight very high and dispersed.
Non-raptor Observations: Excellent morning flight included 6 Brant, 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers, 4 Great Crested Flycatchers, 4447 Blue Jays, 59 Cedar Waxwings, 13 species of warblers, 32 Scarlet Tanagers, 7 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, 2 Indigo Buntings, 110 Baltimore Orioles, 101 American Goldfinches.
Predictions: Tomorrow will be sunny with light NW winds, migration will probably be similar to today.
Thursday, May 16, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 11 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Andy Saunders, Judy Thurber, Ron Burdick
Visitors: NR
Weather: Mostly sunny, light to moderate NW wind.
Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: Highlights 2909 Blue Jays, 41 Cedar Waxwings, 13 species of warblers, 6 Scarlet Tanagers, 28 Baltimore Orioles, 53 American Goldfinches.
Predictions: Rain in the morning tomorrow, then west winds in the afternoon.
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 8:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 11 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Peter Davidson Phil Taylor
Visitors: NR
Weather: Partly sunny, SE wind becoming NW after 9:00 am.
Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: Highlights were 3334 Blue Jays, 2 Scarlet Tanagers, 4 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, 14 Bobolinks, 43 Baltimore Orioles, 15 Pine Siskins, 103 American Goldfinches.
Predictions: Partly sunny tomorrow with light NW winds.
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Observation start time: 10:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 2:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 3 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: Breaks in the rain, overcast, N wind.
Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: Orchard Oriole at the feeder, but otherwise zero non-raptor migration.
Predictions: NR
Monday, May 13, 2019
Observation start time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 11:00 a.m.
Total observation time: 2 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: A break in the rain, overcast, E wind.
.Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: Lesser Black-backed Gull on the lake, Red-headed Woodpecker at the feeder, but virtually zero non-raptor migration.
Predictions: NR
Sunday, May 12, 2019
No count was conducted – rain.
Saturday, May 11, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:15 p.m.
Total observation time: 10.25 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Don Metzger, Peter Collins
Visitors: Many visitors today for “Derby Day”
Weather: Mostly sunny, NW wind, 43-57 degrees.
.
Raptor Observations: Juvenile Broad-wings are starting to show up in larger numbers and there was a good flight of juvenile Red-tails today.
Non-raptor Observations: 3651 Blue Jays, 4 Red-bellied Woodpeckers (migrants), 7 Evening Grosbeaks.
Predictions: Tomorrow is forecasted to be cloudy with moderate SE wind, 30% chance of rain, there will probably be fairly decent migration.
Friday, May 10, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 10 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: NR
Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: NR
Predictions: NR
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 8:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 15 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: Strong SE wind, mostly cloudy to partly sunny, 49-70 degrees.
Raptor Observations: Excellent flight, with great diversity and good numbers of everything expected except Broad-wings, including the peak day of Ospreys for the season, another great Bald Eagle flight, and lots of falcons.
Non-raptor Observations: Non-raptors flew throughout the day, highlights included 2 Great Egrets, 3 Sandhill Cranes, 25 Common Terns, 19 Chimney Swifts, 1 Red-headed Woodpecker, 2953 Blue Jays (including one albino), 7 Northern Rough-winged Swallows, 130 Tree Swallows, 49 Bank Swallows, 215 Barn Swallows, 20 Cliff Swallows, 668 unidentified swallows, 37 Eastern Bluebirds, 236 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 32 Bobolinks, 1488 Red-winged Blackbirds, 47 Rusty Blackbirds, 8 Baltimore Orioles, 54 Pine Siskins, 2063 American Goldfinches. Dunkadoo.org is used to keep track of the total number of birds, which is now 914,894 individual birds of 173 species for the entire season.
Predictions: Tomorrow will likely be rained out.
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 10 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: Sunny with ESE winds in the morning shifting to N in the afternoon, 37-57 degrees.
Raptor Observations: Very light migration, some may have been pushed to south beyond visibility due to the stiff north breeze.
Non-raptor Observations: Spectacular morning flight! Despite the forecast for N winds this am, there was an ESE wind for about four hours, which put the birds very low and directly overhead- the majority of the flight was counted without binoculars. Highlights included 1 Red-headed Woodpecker, 7 Eastern Kingbirds, 1171 Blue Jays, 2367 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 3720 Red-winged Blackbirds, 6 Baltimore Orioles, 197 Pine Siskins, 1839 American Goldfinches.
Predictions: SE winds are predicted for the next two days, so migration might be good if there isn’t too much rain.
Tuesday, May 7, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 7:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 9.67 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Jane Hosking,
Visitors: NR
Weather: Rain and drizzle until 14:00, then clearing, light NW wind.
Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: Large number of warblers and other non-raptors moving, but difficult to find where to watch them from since the flight was very spread out, and many birds were likely missed. Highlights included 978 Blue Jays, 12 species of warblers including 2,012 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 36 Bobolinks, 2025 Red-winged Blackbirds, 97 Rusty Blackbirds, 86 Purple Finches, 107 American Goldfinches.
Predictions: Sunny with light to moderate north winds tomorrow, some migration is likely.
Monday, May 6, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 7:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 14 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Ron Burdick, Peter Davidson, Jane Hosking, Bill Purcell, Judy Thurber
Visitors:Quite a few folks were out to enjoy this great day.
Weather: Fog until 09:00 (EST) when it suddenly cleared, light lake breeze, 50-73 degrees.
.Raptor Observations: A huge flight of Broad-wings was already well in motion when the fog lifted at 09:00, so we probably missed the beginning of the flight, but it was a spectacular day once we could see. This was a rather shocking late flight of adult Broad-wings, with a small number of juveniles just now starting to show up (less than 1% of today’s flight). Also counted a record number of Bald Eagles today.
.Non-raptor Observations: Although there wasn’t much moving over in the fog this morning, the hedge rows were filled with 53 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 11 species of warblers, and various other birds, while there was 1362 Blue Jays flying over mostly in the evening.
Predictions: Unfortunately it is supposed to rain the first half of tomorrow, but when it clears there may be a late flight.
Sunday, May 5, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 6:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 13.5 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Jane Hosking, Peter Davidson
Visitors: NR
Weather: Mostly overcast, moderate N wind.
.
Raptor Observations: Excellent flight of sharpies, Ospreys and broad-wings, but birds very spread out, with many sharpies over the north lookout and most broad-wings way south of the south lookout
.Non-raptor Observations: Awesome non-raptor migration, highlights included 27 Northern Flickers, 7223 Blue Jays, 9 species of warblers including 22 Palm and 940 Yellow-rumped, 8900 Red-winged Blackbirds, 42 Rusty Blackbirds, 534 Common Grackles, 3 Baltimore Orioles, 16 Pine Siskins, 120 American Goldfinches.
Predictions: Tomorrow should be another good day, sunny, 66 degrees, light wind.
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Jane Hosking, Kevin McGann, Chris Reynolds
Visitors: NR
Weather: Overcast with fog in morning, slowly becoming partly sunny, then becoming overcast again by the end of the count, moderate NW wind.
.
Raptor Observations: Surprisingly slow for raptors.
Non-raptor Observations: Modest number of non-raptors compared to past two days, most common was 637 Blue Jays.
Predictions: Tomorrow could be better with sunny skies and light winds.
Friday, May 3, 2019
Observation start time: 7:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 8.5 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Peter Davidson, Jane Hosking
Visitors: NR
Weather: Rain and fog until around noon when raptors suddenly started appearing, NW wind, 48-58 degrees.
.
Raptor Observations: Broad-wing kettles drifted way south of the south lookout again.
Non-raptor Observations: Large non-raptor migration this morning, with thousands of blackbirds in the rain, then a big wave of warblers starting at 9:00 am. Highlights were 11 Chimney Swifts, 1 Least Flycatcher, 19 Eastern Kingbirds, 728 Blue Jays, 10 species of warblers including 24 Palms, 24 Yellows, and 1168 Yellow-rumps, 18 Bobolinks, 4505 Red-winged Blackbirds, 997 Rusty Blackbirds, 294 Common Grackles, 1 Baltimore Oriole.
Predictions: Hopefully the lack of rain tomorrow will bring some birds!
Thursday, May 2, 2019
Observation start time: 8:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon, Bill Purcell
Observers: Jane Hosking
Visitors: NR
Weather: Mostly overcast, light NW wind, 43-51 degrees.
.
Raptor Observations: A new seasonal high count for Derby Hill was set this morning when raptor number 69,072 flew by- a Sharp-shinned Hawk!
Non-raptor Observations: Major influx of new arrivals overnight, including 10 species of warblers, Green Heron, Gray Catbird, Great Crested Flycatcher, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Wood Thrush, White-crowned Sparrow, Orchard Oriole, etc.
Predictions: Rain.
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
Observation start time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 7:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 10 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Jane Hosking, Bill Purcell, Mike Tetlow, Judy Thurber
Visitors:NR
Weather: Mostly overcast with strong SE wind, 44-60 degrees.
.
Raptor Observations: Excellent flight of falcons, sharpies and Ospreys
Non-raptor Observations: Nothing happening this morning in the rain even though there were SE winds, but a good swallow flight developed in the evening. Highlights were 2 Spotted Sandpipers, 2 Solitary Sandpipers, 12 Chimney Swifts, 6 Eastern Kingbirds, 2 Purple Martins, 716 Tree Swallows, 291 Barn Swallows, 1 Cliff Swallow, 79 Purple Finches, 40 American Goldfinches.
Predictions:Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for light NW winds and mostly cloudy skies, there will probably be modest migration.
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Observation start time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:30 p.m.
Total observation time:7.5hoursOfficial Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Dave Fitch, Ron Burdick
Visitors:NR
Weather: Sunny with moderate NNW wind.
.Raptor Observations: Most birds were very distant to the south of the south lookout, Broad-wings seemed weirdly absent (or not visible).
Non-raptor Observations: Another morning without non-raptor migration.
Predictions: Tomorrow’s forecast of rain and east winds does not sound good at all!
Monday, April 29, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 2:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 9.57 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Peter Davidson, Bill Purcell, Phil Taylor, Judy Thurber
Visitors: NR
Weather: Sunny with light SE wind in the morning, becoming cloudy in the afternoon with moderate NE-NW wind, 27-51 degrees.
Raptor Observations: Small kettles of Broad-wings drifted south of the south lookout.
Non-raptor Observations: Not much moving for non-raptors.
Predictions: Tomorrow’s forecast sounds cloudy with light south winds shifting to north.
Sunday, April 28, 2019
Observation start time: 9:30 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 7hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Paul Shanahan, Judy Thurber
Visitors: NR
Weather: Light rain until about 0900, then gradually becoming sunny, N-NW wind, 38-47 degrees.
Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: Zero non-raptor migration this morning.
Predictions: Tomorrow is forecasted to be sunny with light NE wind.
Saturday, April 27, 2019
Observation start time: 2:30 p.m.
Observation end time: 4:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 2hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers; NR
Visitors:NR
Weather:Rain and snow and west gale with very little visibility until after 2 pm when the count was opened, but remained overcast with very strong west winds.
Raptor Observations:NR
Non-raptor Observations:NR
Predictions:NR
Friday, April 26, 2019
Observation start time: 5:30 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 11.5hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Dave Fitch, Bill Purcell, Paul Shanahan
Visitors:NR
Weather: Rain and drizzle throughout most of the day, except from about 1:30-4:30, when most of the raptors were seen, strong SE wind, 53-64 degrees.
Raptor Observations: A little burst of sharpies and falcons in the afternoon when the rain quit.
Non-raptor Observations: Highlights included 2 Great Egrets, 2 Lesser Yellowlegs, 12 Barn Swallows, 119 Tree Swallows, 45 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 3190 Red-winged Blackbirds, 1020 Rusty Blackbirds, 370 Common Grackles, 111 Purple Finches, 32 Pine Siskins, 222 American Goldfinches.
Predictions: Rain and snow showers tomorrow, with strong west winds- not good conditions for migration.
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 10.75hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers; NR
Visitors:Thanks to all the visitors for help in spotting birds, especially Pete who brought pizza for everyone!
Weather:Mostly sunny with SE wind in the morning shifting to a lake breeze in the afternoon, 31-64 degrees.
Raptor Observations:The flight was quite high over the north lookout in the morning, and then mostly very distant to the south from the south lookout in the afternoon.
Non-raptor Observations:The morning started out quite chilly (below freezing) and non-raptor migration was relatively modest. Highlights were 1 Mute Swan, 439 Blue Jays, 1 Bank Swallow, 1 Palm Warbler, 3 Pine Warblers, 12 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 405 Red-winged Blackbirds, 272 Common Grackles, 26 American Goldfinches.
Predictions:Rain all day tomorrow does not bode well for raptor migration.
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Observation start time: 6:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 10 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: NR
Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: NR
Predictions :NR
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Observation start time: 5:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:15 p.m.
Total observation time: 11.25hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Peter Davidson, Bill Purcell, Phil Taylor, Judy Thurber, David Wheeler
Visitors:Nice to see a large gathering of visitors enjoying this great flight.
Weather:Light to moderate SE wind, mostly sunny skies but rain moving in during the last hour of the count, 42-74 degrees.
Raptor Observations:Just the right combination of wind and lake effect kept the birds from getting too far out over the lake, so we were treated to the majority of the flight fairly low and right overhead- a wonderful day.
Non-raptor Observations:Despite the lack of migrant non-raptors the last two days, seemingly perfect conditions this morning (clear skies and light SE winds) did not produce nearly as much as expected. Highlights were 3 Sandhill Cranes (all singles), 83 Northern Flickers, 86 Blue Jays, 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, 46 American Robins, 4 Pine Warblers, 1260 Red-winged Blackbirds, 20 Rusty Blackbirds, 420 Common Grackles, 11 Pine Siskins, 10 American Goldfinches.
Predictions:Tomorrow’s forecast of clouds and strong west winds does not sound nearly as ideal as today.
Monday, April 22, 2019
Observation start time: 8:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 5:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 9hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Chris Holt, Bill Purcell, Judy Thurber
Visitors: NR
Weather: Overcast until after noon, then very gradual clearing, light NW wind, 47-58 degrees.
Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: Very little non-raptor migration again this morning.
Predictions: Tomorrow’s south wind should bring some birds!
Sunday, April 21, 2019
Observation start time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 5:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Glen Chretien, Bill Purcell
Visitors: Thanks to the lucky few observers who showed up to see this flight.
Weather: Fog and drizzle until about 9:00 a.m., cloudy until about 4:00 p.m., then finally clearing, light lake breeze pushed birds to south lookout, 45-53 degrees.
Raptor Observations: Awesome Broad-wing flight, especially during the 1-2:00 p.m. hour when over 8,000 flew over in multiple flight lines. The overcast conditions and cold lake breeze kept the birds low.
Non-raptor Observations: Zero non-raptor migration this am- fog.
Predictions: Tomorrow will be cloudy early then sunny in the afternoon, with light NW winds- Hopefully it will be another good day.
Saturday, April 20, 2019
Observation start time: 8:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 6.5hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Chris Holt Bill Purcell, Judy Thurber
Visitors: NR
Weather: Mostly cloudy, light lake breeze, 44-63 degrees.
Raptor Observations: Small kettles of Broad-wings, most of which were well to the south of the south lookout. An approaching band of rain shut down the flight by 3 p.m.
Non-raptor Observations: Virtually zero non-raptor migration this a.m.
Predictions: Tomorrow is forecasted to be partly sunny with light NW wind in the afternoon.
Friday, April 19, 2019
Observation start time: 5:15 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 10.25hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Kevin McGann, Don Metzger, Bill Purcell, David Wheeler
Visitors: Thanks to all the visitors who showed up today to enjoy the flight.
Weather: Mostly cloudy, wind variable, count shut down at 3:30 when a strong cold front came in off the lake bringing fog.
Raptor Observations: Excellent flight, with two main pulses of Broad-wings appearing to be moving ahead of rain, and there was a curious complete lull of activity (zero Broad-wings) from about 13:40-14:40.
Non-raptor Observations: Good non-raptor migration in the morning, which finally had some new variety, including the first significant flight of warblers and finches. Highlights included 27 Common Loons, 157 Double-crested Cormorants, 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 127 Northern Flickers, 12 Blue Jays (first migrants), 120 Tree Swallows, 28 Black-capped Chickadees, 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 104 American Robins, 1 Palm Warbler, 51 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 10 Chipping Sparrows, 2250 Red-winged Blackbirds, 7 Eastern Meadowlarks, 146 Rusty Blackbirds, 820 Common Grackles, 80 Purple Finches, 4 Pine Siskins, 16 American Goldfinches, 2 Evening Grosbeaks.
Predictions: Tomorrow morning does not look good with rain and NE wind, but later in the day might be better.
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Observation start time: 5:15 a.m.
Observation end time: 6:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 12.75hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Kevin McGann, Bill Purcell, Phil Taylor
Visitors:NR
Weather:Mostly cloudy, strong south winds, 52-67 degrees.
Raptor Observations:The lake breeze dispersed the flight, with the majority of birds moving well south of the south lookout.
Non-raptor Observations:Good non-raptor migration, highlights included 30 Common Loons, 84 Double-crested Cormorants, 1 Sandhill Crane, 2 Greater Yellowlegs, 1 Chimney Swift, 26 Northern Flickers, 124 Tree Swallows, 12 Barn Swallows, 2 Pine Warblers, 6 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 14,973 Red-winged Blackbirds, 137 Rusty Blackbirds, 12,230 Common Grackles, 9 Purple Finches, 3 Pine Siskins, 13 American Goldfinches.
Predictions:NR
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Observation start time: 5:30 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 10.5 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Don Metzger, Bill Purcell
Visitors:NR
Weather: Sunny, calm wind becoming a cool lake breeze by 11 am, 29-59 degrees.
Raptor Observations: The lake breeze dispersed the flight, with the majority of birds moving well south of the south lookout.
Non-raptor Observations: A modest non-raptor flight, highlights included 72 Double-crested Cormorants, 4 Great Blue Herons, 16 Northern Flickers, 39 Black-capped Chickadees, 7 White-breasted Nuthatches, 1 Brown Thrasher, 1 Pine Warbler, 1200 Red-winged Blackbirds, 3290 Common Grackles, 1 Common Redpoll.
Predictions: Tomorrow’s forecast of strong south winds should bring more birds.
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Observation start time: 5:30 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 10.5hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Kevin McGann, Bill Purcell, Phil Taylor
Visitors:NR
Weather:Sunny with moderate west winds becoming NW, 33-50 degrees.
Raptor Observations:Fewer raptors than expected after two days of rain.
Non-raptor Observations:Only small numbers of non-raptors noted today, none of which were notable.
Predictions:Hopefully more birds than today!
No count was conducted on Monday, April 15 because of rain.
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Observation start time: 6:30 a.m.
Observation end time: 10:00 a.m.
Total observation time: 3 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors:NR
Weather: Overcast with light east wind, several brief showers before rain began around 11 am and continued throughout the day.
Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: NR
Predictions: Tomorrow will likely be another rain day.
Saturday, April 13, 2019
Observation start time: 5:30 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 11hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Bill Purcell
Visitors: Thanks to all for visiting, and bringing treats.
Weather: Mostly sunny through most of the day, mostly calm for a few hours in the morning but strong west wind developing by late morning, then shifting to NW, 50-64 degrees.
Raptor Observations: Flight was high and dispersed, typical for west wind, shifted between north and south lookouts.
Non-raptor Observations: Modest non-raptor migration, highlights included 5 Common Loons, 116 Double-crested Cormorants, 1 Iceland Gull, 179 Northern Flickers, 89 Black-capped Chickadees, 445 Red-winged Blackbirds, 2320 Common Grackles.
Predictions: Tomorrow’s forecast includes rain and east winds, which seems unlikely to produce much migration.
Friday, April 12, 2019
Observation start time: 5:15 a.m.
Observation end time: 7:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 11.75hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Kevin McGann, Bill Purcell
Visitors: Thanks to all the visitors who showed up to watch the flight.
Weather: Partly sunny, strong SE-S wind, temp 45-71 degrees, rain at end of count.
Raptor Observations: Excellent raptor migration!.
Non-raptor Observations: Decent non-raptor migration, highlights included 13 Common Loons, 2 Horned Grebes, 2 Great Egrets, 1 Sandhill Crane, 1 Lesser Yellowlegs, 26 Mourning Doves, 72 Northern Flickers, 2210 American Robins, 1560 Red-winged Blackbirds, 94 Rusty Blackbirds, 336 Brown-headed Cowbirds, 5450 Common Grackles, 15 Purple Finches.
Predictions: Sunny and 60 with west winds, should be a pretty good day.
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Observation start time: 5:30 a.m.
Observation end time: 2:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 8.5 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: Partly sunny with light E or calm wind in the morning shifting to NE and becoming overcast in the afternoon, 27-40 degrees.
Raptor Observations: Small number of raptors today, flight was completely dead by 2 pm.
Non-raptor Observations: Modest non-raptor migration, highlights were 43 Northern Flickers, 94 Black-capped Chickadees, 244 American Robins, 2 Pine Warblers, 3 Common Redpolls.
Predictions: Strong south winds tomorrow should bring a lot of birds- hopefully they don’t all get blown out over the lake!
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Observation start time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Peter Davidson
Visitors: NR
Weather: Mostly sunny, N-NW wind 8-14 mph, temp 34-41 degrees.
Raptor Observations: NR
Non-raptor Observations: Not really any non-raptor movement today.
Predictions: Tomorrow’s weather doesn’t sound like there’ll be much moving but Friday should be good with strong south winds.
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Observation start time: 6:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:00 p.m.
Total observation time:9hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Kevin McGann,Bill Purcell, Chris Reynolds
Visitors: A few- thanks for visiting!
Weather: Partly sunny with some rain during the 9:00 hour, south winds becoming NW after 10:00, increasing to 30 mph with gusts to 47 mph, temp 44-59 degrees.
Raptor Observations: Although it was a fun morning with some low birds harassing the owl decoy, the afternoon wind became way too strong for anything to fly except vultures.
Non-raptor Observations: Over 30,000 non-raptors counted today including 6 Common Loons, 31 Double-crested Cormorants, 8 Great Blue Herons, 6 Sandhill Cranes, 1 Caspian Tern, 1 Bonaparte’s Gull, 21 Northern Flickers, 110 Tree Swallows, 16 Black-capped Chickadees, 36 White-breasted Nuthatches, 209 American Robins, 1 Pine Warbler, 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler, 12,170 Red-winged Blackbirds, 32 Rusty Blackbirds, 19,690 Common Grackles, 140 Brown-headed Cowbirds, 1 Purple Finch, 3 Common Redpolls, 1 Pine Siskin, 2 American Goldfinches.
Predictions: Tomorrow sounds fairly cold with NW winds, probably will not be a lot happening.
Monday, April 8, 2019
Observation start time: 5:30 a.m.
Observation end time: 6:30 p.m.
Total observation time:12hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors:Thanks to Dave Fitch for bringing hot hot dogs to the south lookout!
Weather:Rain showers and south wind throughout the morning, suddenly shifting to NW at noon, then becoming mostly sunny by late afternoon with strong west winds.
Raptor Observations:I’m certain this would have been a record Turkey Vulture day but the flight was lost for several hours during the rain when a strong NW wind pushed the birds out of my range to the south, where I could occasionally see kettles through the rain and fog miles away in my scope- it seems likely 1-2,000 vultures were missed during this period.
Non-raptor Observations:A huge non-raptor flight in the morning during the rain mostly stopped when the rain stopped, totaling about 70,000 birds. Highlights included 460 Canada Geese, 53 Common Loons, 112 Double-crested Cormorants, 25 Great Blue Herons, 24 Mourning Doves, 85 Horned Larks, 213 Tree Swallows, 4270 American Robins, 1730 European Starlings, 27,770 Red-winged Blackbirds, 12 Rusty Blackbirds, 34,890 Common Grackles, 510 Brown-headed Cowbirds, 105 Common Redpolls.
Predictions:Tomorrow’s weather sounds similar today with rain and south winds in the morning shifting to west winds in the afternoon, how much of a flight we get depends on how many birds are left after today’s big flight.
Sunday, April 7, 2019
Observation start time: 5:30 a.m.
Observation end time: 6:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 12 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Kevin McGann
Visitors: Thanks to all the visitors who showed up to watch the flight and help spot birds.
Weather: Cloudy early, then becoming partly sunny, light SE winds shifted to a lake breeze after noon, 39-62 degrees.
Raptor Notes: Although a decent flight was tallied throughout the day, there may have been many birds lost to the south due to the lake breeze in the afternoon when much of the flight was only visible in the scope, and some of the vultures were easily five miles away.
Non-raptor Observations: A big non-raptor flight in the morning totaling over 50,000 birds, highlights included 422 Snow Geese, 1 Ross’s Goose, 795 Canada Geese, 7 Common Loons, 38 Great Blue Herons, 14 Sandhill Cranes, 2 Wilson’s Snipe, 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 8 Northern Flickers, 4 Eastern Phoebes, 59 Tree Swallows, 11 Black-capped Chickadees, 492 American Robins, 13 Cedar Waxwings, 1 Vesper Sparrow, 5158 Red-winged Blackbirds, 45 Rusty Blackbirds, 42,641 Common Grackles, 138 Brown-headed Cowbirds, 47 Common Redpolls.
Predictions: Tomorrow morning is calling for rain before noon, and west winds after noon, so I’m not really sure how many raptors will be flying.
Saturday, April 6, 2019
Observation start time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 5:30 p.m.
Total observation time:8.5hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors:NR
Weather: Overcast with fog early, gradually becoming mostly sunny, NW wind pushed birds to the south lookout, 41-53 degrees.
Raptor Notes:Strong Turkey Vulture flight.
Non-raptor Observations:Virtually zero non-raptor flight this morning.
Predictions:Mostly cloudy, light east wind, high 65, I’m not really sure how many birds will fly tomorrow.
Friday, April 5, 2019
Observation start time: 5:45 a.m.
Observation end time: 11:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 5.5hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors:NR
Weather: Overcast with SE wind, 28-38 degrees, rain beginning at 11:15 with the count terminated at 11:30.
Raptor Notes:Ospreys have begun bringing sticks to the cell tower at the south lookout.
Non-raptor Observations:Modest non-raptor flight this morning, highlights included 11 Common Loons, 3 Pied-billed Grebes, 110 American Robins, 1 Fox Sparrow, 510 Red-winged Blackbirds, 4900 Common Grackles, 98 Brown-headed Cowbirds, 1 Purple Finch, 4 Common Redpolls.
Predictions:There should be some migration tomorrow, especially once the sun comes out, light west wind predicted.
Thursday, April 4, 2019
Observation start time: 6:30 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 10hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors:NR
Weather: Mostly sunny, west wind 13-17 mph, 33-37 degrees.
Raptor Notes:The very cold wind produced mostly just Turkey Vultures again.
Non-raptor Observations:Very few non-raptors moving.
Predictions:Tomorrow’s forecast calls for snow and sleet before 11 am and rain after 11 am, so there probably won’t be much of a raptor flight.
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Observation start time: 6:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 10hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: David Wheeler
Visitors:NR
Weather: Partly sunny, moderate south wind becoming very strong west at 10:00 am, sustained at 30, gusting to 50 mph, 38-49 degrees.
Raptor Notes:A very one-dimensional flight as only Turkey Vultures were able to withstand the wind.
Non-raptor Observations:Also counted 1 Snow Goose, 1369 Canada Geese, 40 Double-crested Cormorants, 6 Great Blue Herons, 6 Sandhill Cranes, 141 American Crows, 421 American Robins, 5710 Red-winged Blackbirds, 4 Rusty Blackbirds, 9390 Common Grackles, 290 Brown-headed Cowbirds.
Predictions: The west wind won’t be so strong tomorrow but it will be colder- I suspect the Turkey Vultures will continue to move.
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Observation start time: 6:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 5:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 11.5 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Kevin McGann, Bill Purcell, David Wheeler
Visitors: Thanks to all the visitors who showed up to enjoy the flight and help spot birds
Weather: Partly sunny becoming mostly cloudy, strong SE wind shifting to SW late in the day, 26-50 degrees.
Raptor Notes: Excellent flight of raptors, especially in the morning and evening when the flight line was directly overhead and many of the Turkey Vultures were at tree height or below, but during mid-day the flight shifted out over the lake where some of the vultures and buteos were at least a mile away.
Non-raptor Observations: Highlights included 1250 Snow Geese, 9 Common Loons, 15 Great Blue Herons, 2 Sandhill Cranes, 21 Mourning Doves, 448 American Crows, 42 Tree Swallows, 1075 American Robins, 1 Eastern Towhee, 1414 Brown-headed Cowbirds, 19 Common Redpolls.
Predictions: Tomorrow should be another good day with strong south winds shifting to west in the afternoon.
Monday, April 1, 2019
Observation start time: 7:45 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 8.75 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Don Metzger
Visitors: NR
Weather: Sunny with strong NW winds, 28-35 degrees.
Raptor Notes: Turkey Vultures found the strong winds to their liking, but most other raptors decided to sit this one out.
Non-raptor Observations: Very few non-raptors moving today.
Predictions: Tomorrow should be a good day with south winds and a high of 50 degrees.
Sunday, March 31, 2019
Observation start time: 10:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 6hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: Mostly overcast with rain and snow showers throughout the morning, strong W-NW winds, 33-36 degrees.
Raptor Notes:Only a small number of raptors were moving today.
Non-raptor Observations:Virtually no non-raptor migration today.
Predictions:Tomorrow may be a bit better than today with partly sunny skies, but the wind will still be strong NW.
Saturday, March 30, 2019
Observation start time: 6:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 9.75 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Kevin McGann, Bill Purcell
Visitors: Thanks to all the folks who braved the rain to see Derby in action.
Weather: Overcast with rain and drizzle throughout most of the day, strong SE wind, 42-61 degrees.
Raptor Notes: Few raptors were able to fly in the rain.
Non-raptor Observations: This was a great day for non-raptors, which flew throughout the day. A total of 14,439 birds of 43 species, highlights included 636 Snow Geese, 3 Common Loons, 28 Great Blue Herons, 119 Killdeer, 24 Mourning Doves, 3 Belted Kingfishers, 164 Tree Swallows, 3307 American Robins, 3250 European Starlings, 36 Cedar Waxwings, 669 Red-winged Blackbirds, 3 Eastern Meadowlarks, 5430 Common Grackles, 104 Brown-headed Cowbirds, 41 Common Redpolls.
Predictions: NW winds, rain and snow will likely not produce as many birds.
Friday, March 29, 2019
Observation start time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Bill Purcell
Visitors: NR
Weather: Mostly sunny, moderate NW wind, 41-50 degrees.
Raptor Notes: Nice movement of relatively low raptors, dominated by Turkey Vultures.
Non-raptor Observations: Highlights included 19,470 Snow Geese, 1 Common Loon, 1 Eastern Phoebe, 20 Common Redpolls.
Predictions: Tomorrow is calling for south winds and rain after noon so there may be some movement of birds before the rain starts.
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Observation start time: 6:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 10 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Deborah Dohne,Bill Purcell, David Wheeler
Visitors: Thanks to the many visitors who showed up to enjoy the flight and help spot birds.
Weather: Partly sunny becoming mostly cloudy, strong south winds, 39-47 degrees.
Raptor Notes:Good flight of raptors until a rain shower at 3 pm shut down the flight.
Non-raptor Observations:Another large non-raptor flight totaling 56,192 individuals of 52 species, highlights included 41,135 Snow Geese, 1 Cackling Goose, 3799 Canada Geese, 56 Wood Ducks, 83 Northern Pintails, 11 Green-winged Teal, 4 Redhead, 71 Ring-necked Ducks, 212 Greater Scaup, 12 Lesser Scaup, 12 White-winged Scoters, 34 Long-tailed Ducks, 23 Buffleheads, 1 Common Loon, 6 Double-crested Cormorants, 14 Great Blue Herons, 4 Sandhill Cranes, 18 Killdeers, 269 American Crows, 1 Horned Lark, 17 Tree Swallows, 47 American Robins, 3290 Red-winged Blackbirds, 3 Eastern Meadowlarks, 5920 Common Grackles, 14 Common Redpolls.
Predictions:Rain tomorrow morning probably won’t help the non-raptor flight unless your a duck, but by afternoon it should be sunny with light west winds, which will likely give us some migration.
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Observation start time: 6:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 7:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 13.5 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Scott Peterson, Bill Purcell, David Wheeler
Visitors: Thanks to all the visitors who helped spot birds today, including the small group from Hawk Mountain
Weather: Light S wind, mostly sunny, 18-48 degrees.
Raptor Notes:Good numbers of birds today but the flight was quite high.
Non-raptor Observations:Large non-raptor migration, total of 57,977 birds of 43 species. Some of the highlights were 13,704 Snow Geese, 11,010 Canada Geese, 10 Great Blue Herons, 2 Sandhill Cranes, 526 American Crows, 5 Common Ravens, 6 Tree Swallows, 70 American Robins, 6350 Red-winged Blackbirds, 24,734 Common Grackles, 4 Common Redpolls.
Predictions:Strong south winds tomorrow should bring lots of birds, especially earlier in the day before rain showers are likely after 2 pm (70% chance of rain).
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
Observation start time: 8:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Bill Purcell
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: Temperature just nudging past freezing and a brisk northerly flow. Clear blue sky throughout. Shoreline ice that had sailed off towards Ontario on south winds is now back in Mexico Bay.
Raptor Notes:Mostly TV’s while the Rough-leg and Golden Eagles were nice rewards for sticking out the day.
Non-raptor Observations:Little else moving.
Predictions:Light south winds will likely give way to a lake breeze but there should be a better flight tomorrow.
Monday, March 25, 2019
Observation start time: 6:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 7.5 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Dave Fitch
Visitors: NR
Weather: Sunny, light to moderate N wind, 25-35 degrees.
Raptor Notes:Single Black Vulture with Turkey Vultures during last hour of the count.
Non-raptor Notes:Very few non-raptors moving today.
Predictions:Tomorrow will likely be similar today, sunny with N winds, high of 32.
Sunday, March 24, 2019
Observation start time: 6:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 10 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Steve Kelling, Bill Purcell, Brian Sullivan, David Wheeler, Chris Wood
Visitors: About 20
Weather: Partly sunny, moderate winds variable SW-NW, temperature 27-48 degrees
Raptor Notes:Modest flight of Turkey Vultures, Red-tails, and Red-shoulders.
Non-raptor Notes:A total of 13,576 non-raptors were counted, but most of them were 10,824 Snow Geese and 1955 Canada Geese. One Ross’s Goose and one Cackling Goose were spotted among them. Very few songbirds were moving today.
Predictions:Based on the relatively light flight today, there probably won’t be much happening the next two days as the weather turns back to N winds and temperatures in the low 30s, but by Wednesday things look better for migration.
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Observation start time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 2:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 4 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: Sunny with strong NW winds, temperature 24-28 degrees F.
Raptor Notes:Very few migrants.
Non-raptor Notes:Very little migration noted, the only geese that were seen were headed back south.
Predictions:Tomorrow will likely be a bit better for migration with light west winds and a high of 45.
Friday, March 22, 2019
Observation start time: 8:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 12:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 4 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: Overcast with NW wind and light rain, temperature 36-37 degrees.
Raptor Notes:Very few migrants.
Non-raptor Notes:There was another good flight of 64,615 Snow Geese today, and two Ross’s Geese were seen with them, but otherwise not much else was moving.
Predictions:Tonight’s NW wind is predicted to bring 3-7 inches of snow, and tomorrow will be cold with NW winds, so there probably won’t be a lot happening.
Thursday, March 21, 2019
Observation start time: 6:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 10 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: 4
Weather: Overcast with SE winds, 41-50 degrees.
Raptor Notes:Relatively light migration but good diversity.
Non-raptor Notes:Another excellent day of non-raptor movement with 97,612 individuals of 48 migrant species. Highlights were 75,243 Snow Geese, 1 Cackling Goose, 3300 Canada Geese, 24 Redhead, 103 Ring-necked Ducks, 552 Greater Scaup, 13 Lesser Scaup, 26 Killdeer, 294 American Crows, 120 American Robins, 1 White-throated Sparrow, 10,930 Red-winged Blackbirds, and 6,140 Common Grackles. Complete list at dunkadoo.org.
Predictions:Rain showers and NW winds will likely stall any migration.
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Observation start time: 6:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 7:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 12 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Matt Brown, Ken Burdick, Scott Peterson, Bill Purcell, David Wheeler
Visitors: 12
Weather: Sunny, light S-SW wind becoming N-NW after 3 pm, temperature 22-52 degrees F.
Raptor Notes: Nice flight of raptors today, dominated by Turkey Vultures. Highlight was watching a Golden Eagle stoop on a Snow Goose that broke off from a small flock.
Non-raptor Notes: Huge non-raptor migration dominated by Snow Geese. Counted 89,817 migrant birds of 45 species including 67,120 Snow Geese, 12 Cackling Geese, 8,570 Canada Geese, 61 Northern Pintail, 22 Buffleheads, 997 American Crows, 3 Tree Swallows, 155 American Robins, 10,506 Red-winged Blackbirds, 15 Eastern Meadowlarks, 1 Rusty Blackbird, 953 Common Grackles, and 2 Common Redpolls. Complete data can be seen at dunkadoo.org.
Predictions: Although there will be SE winds tomorrow, there is also a 40% chance of rain and snow showers, so its hard to know how many birds will be moving.
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Observation start time: 6:30 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 8.5 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: Mostly cloudy in the morning becoming mostly sunny in the afternoon, light wind variable but mostly NW, temperature 25-40 degrees.
Raptor Notes:Another modest push of Turkey Vultures, buteos, and eagles.
Non-raptor Notes:Another light non-raptor migration.
Predictions:Tomorrow’s forecast of sunny skies, SE winds, and a high of 48 sounds perfect for a good day of migration.
Monday, March 18, 2019
Observation start time: 6:30 a.m.
Observation end time: 2:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 7.5 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Dave Fitch, Bill Purcell
Visitors: NR
Weather: Light SW winds shifted to NW around 11 am, partly cloudy skies with a little snow shower, temperature 21-37 degrees F.
Raptor Notes:Modest numbers of Turkey Vultures and buteos moving.
Non-raptor Notes:With a rather chilly start to the day (21 degrees), only small numbers of non-raptors were moving (2152 individuals of 35 species).
Predictions:Tomorrow looks mostly cloudy with a 40% chance of snow showers and light west winds, so not a lot will be happening, but Wednesday looks better with south winds and a high of 46 degrees.
Sunday, March 17, 2019
Observation start time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 1:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 4 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: NR
Raptor Notes:NR
Non-raptor Notes:NR
Predictions:NR
Saturday, March 16, 2019
Observation start time: 10:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 2:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 4 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers:
Visitors:
Weather: Overcast with very strong W-NW winds, temperature in low 30s.
Raptor Notes:Only a few birds observed today.
Non-raptor Notes:The only non-raptors moving today were some large flocks of Snow Geese totaling 4,160.
Predictions:Tomorrow will still be very cold with NW winds, so there isn’t likely to be much happening.
Friday, March 15, 2019
Observation start time: 6:15 a.m.
Observation end time: 2:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 8.25 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: David Wheeler
Visitors: 1
Weather: Sunny early in am but quickly became overcast and remained so throughout the rest of the day, light west wind, temperature falling from 54 to 45 through the day.
Raptor Notes:Modest flight, birds spread out, switched from North Lookout to South Lookout at 12:30 pm, first Peregrine (adult) and Northern Goshawk (juvenile) of the season
Non-raptor Notes:Not as many non-raptors as yesterday but the first big push of Snow Goose occurred in the morning and many other waterfowl were flying about. Some non-raptor highlights include 6321 Snow Geese, 1 Cackling Goose, 7722 Canada Geese, 122 Wood Ducks, 18 Gadwall, 27 American Wigeon, 59 American Black Ducks, 32 Northern Pintail, 26 Green-winged Teal, 293 Ring-necked Ducks, 1302 American Crows. First Belted Kingfisher, Song Sparrow, and Eastern Meadowlark.
Predictions:Snow showers, strong west winds, temperature in low 30s- does not bode well for raptor migration.
Thursday, March 14, 2019
Observation start time: 6:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 6:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 12.5 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Joe Brin, Bill Purcell, Mickey Scilingo, David Wheeler
Visitors: 10- thanks to all the visitors who came out to watch and help spot birds, and to Judy for her yummy cookies and suet donations.
Weather: Mostly overcast with occasional sun, moderate SE wind, temperature 40-53 degrees F.
Raptor Notes:First good push of buteos: Red-shouldered, Red-tailed, and Rough-legged Hawks. First Merlins.
Non-raptor Notes:Large non-raptor flight included 84 Snow Geese, 1 Cackling Goose, 9898 Canada Geese, 71 Wood Ducks, 44 Northern Pintail, 33 Ring-necked Ducks, 34 Hooded Mergansers, 51 Killdeer, 7242 American Crows, 971 American Robins, 2736 European Starlings, 22 Snow Buntings, 35,409 Red-winged Blackbirds, 230 Common Grackles. Noted first American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Great Blue Heron, Tree Swallow, and Brown-headed Cowbird of the season.
Predictions: With rain in the morning, mostly cloudy skies and west winds, tomorrow will probably not be anything like today.
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
Observation start time: 6:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 8.5 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Bill Purcell, Ken Burdick
Visitors: Dave Fitch
Weather: Mostly overcast with light SE wind, temperature rising to about
40 degrees F.
Raptor Notes:Only a few migrants including first American Kestrel and Red-shouldered Hawk.
Non-raptor Notes:Decent migration with 3 Cackling Geese, 2873 Canada Geese, 3580 American Crows, 51 Horned Larks, 222 American Robins, 438 European Starlings, 64 Cedar Waxwings, 51 Red-winged Blackbirds. Also first Wood Duck, Northern Pintail, Ring-necked Duck, Mute Swan.Predictions: Tomorrow should be fairly good with SE winds and mostly cloudy skies.
Predictions: Tomorrow should be fairly good with SE winds and mostly cloudy skies.
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Observation start time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 2:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 4 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: Strong NW winds, temperature remained below freezing, sun came out for a bit but then clouded up again
Raptor Notes: Virtually nothing moving today
Non-raptor Notes: NR
Predictions: NR
Monday, March 11, 2019
Observation start time: 7:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 6:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 11 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Mickey Scilingo
Visitors: NR
Weather: Overcast with very strong west winds 18-26 mph with gusts to 35 mph, temperature in the mid-30s.
Raptor Notes: Very few migrants observed.
Non-raptor Notes: Nice American Crow migration in the morning (2199) and large reverse migration of gulls in the afternoon (7594 Ring-billed Gulls, 164 Herring Gulls, 12 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1 Iceland Gull, 1 Glaucous Gull, all headed west). A good variety of waterfowl were seen including the first Canvasback, Green-winged Teal and Hooded Mergansers. Also noted first Northern Flicker and 2 Snow Buntings.
Predictions: Strong west winds and cool temperatures continue tomorrow, but a few birds might move when the sun comes out in the afternoon.
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Observation start time: 9:30 a.m.
Observation end time: 2:30 p.m.
Total observation time: 5 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Bill Purcell
Visitors: NR
Weather: Overcast with strong SE winds, temperature reaching the lower 40s, rain and sleet before and after the count.
Raptor Notes:. Small number of Rough-legs and harriers mostly heading out over the lake.
Non-raptor Notes:26 Canada Geese, 8 American Black Ducks, 2 Mallards, 6 Redheads, 12 Greater Scaup, 4 Buffleheads, 3 Common Mergansers, 13 Ring-billed Gulls, 254 American Crows, 2 Common Ravens, 3 Horned Larks, 23 American Robins, 16 European Starlings were all seen flying over the North Lookout.
Predictions: Strong West winds and cool temperatures the next few days will likely not produce much migration but by next Thursday and Friday it will be warmer.
Saturday, March 9, 2019
Observation start time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Bill PurcellVisitors: NR
Weather: Calm wind became light lake breeze around noon, sunny skies, temperature rose just above freezing.
Raptor Notes: Small number of Red-tails and eagles pushed well to the south with winds off the lake.
Non-raptor Notes: 661 American Crows, 2 Eastern Bluebirds, 19 European Starlings, 1Common Redpoll
Predictions: NR
Friday, March 8, 2019
Observation start time: 9:30 a.m.
Observation end time: 4:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 6.5 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: Gerry Smith and Bill Purcell
Weather: Remained below freezing, but was sunny with light southwest winds
Raptor Notes: A few birds started moving in the mid-afternoon. First Golden Eagle, Turkey Vulture and Cooper’s Hawk of the season.
Non-raptor Notes: 168 American Crows, Dark-eyed Junco singing.
Predictions: A small flight might develop tomorrow once it warms up but a light lake breeze might push the birds to the south lookout. Although there will be strong SE winds on Sunday, its supposed to rain all day so there probably won’t be much happening for raptors.
Thursday, March 7, 2019
Observation start time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 10:00 a.m.
Total observation time: 1 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: Strong west winds and cold temperatures with lake effect snow.
Raptor Notes: No migrants observed.
Non-raptor Notes: No migrants observed.Next Day Forecast: NR
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Observation start time: 10:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 12:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 2 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: Partly sunny, 17 degrees F, N-NW wind 14-15 mph with gusts to 25 mph.
Raptor Notes: No migrants observed.
Non-raptor Notes: No migrants observed.
Next Day Forecast: More lake effect snow, cold temperatures, and strong west winds suggest tomorrow will be similar to today.
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Observation start time: 10:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 2:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 4 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: Strong SW wind, partly sunny sky, temperature in the teens.
Raptor Notes: Despite the southerly component to the wind, only 2 migrant raptors were seen.
Non-raptor Notes: Other than a few crows, no other migrants were seen.
Next Day Forecast: More lake effect snow tonight, cold temperatures, and strong west winds tomorrow indicate another slow day for migration.
Monday, March 4, 2019
Observation start time: 11:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 1:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 2 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: Partly sunny with strong NW winds, blowing snow.
Raptor Notes: No migrants observed.
Non-raptor Notes:No migration today, not even crows.
Next Day Forecast: Heavy lake effect snow predicted tonight and tomorrow morning, and strong NW winds will continue, so I doubt there will be any migration tomorrow.
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Observation start time: 10:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 2:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 4 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: NR
Weather: Mostly overcast with light wind, occasional flurries, temperature in the low 30s.
Raptor Notes: Only a few migrants.
Non-raptor Notes:Small numbers of American Crows migrating (169).
Next Day Forecast: A few birds may move tomorrow after ten am when the sun is predicted to come out, but it will remain cold with west winds.
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Observation start time: 10:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 2:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 4 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: NR
Visitors: None
Weather: Heavy overcast and calm during first few hours, then light offshore (NE) breeze during last hour.
Raptor Notes: No migration observed.
Non-raptor Notes: A few American Crows moving, Iceland Gull on the lake.
Next Day Forecast: Continued snow and cold makes me suspect there won’t be any migration until at least until next Friday.
Friday, March 1, 2019
Observation start time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation end time: 3:00 p.m.
Total observation time: 4.53 hours
Official Counter: Karl Bardon
Observers: Bill Purcell, Gerry Smith, Mickey Scilingo
Visitors: 6
Weather: Sunny with light south winds, about two inches of snow on the ground.
Raptor Notes: Roughly ten Bald Eagle were seen but most appeared to be just flying back and forth, and only four were counted as migrants.
Non-raptor Notes: 60 American Crows were counted migrating, 2 Eastern Bluebirds were seen at the South Lookout.
Next Day Forecast: The forecast for the next week calls for snow showers and temperatures below freezing so it is unlikely there will be much if any migration.
onondagaaudubon.com 