Author Topic: Migration: Raptors / Spring  (Read 20389 times)

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Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Migration: Raptors / Spring 2012
« Reply #11 on: March 15, 2012, 18:28 »
We are finally hitting some real numbers for migrating raptors ....

At the Ancon Hill Spring Hawkwatch in Panama City, Panama

Mar 12 - 1,965 turkey vultures + 95 broad-winged hawks
Mar 13 - 408 turkey vultures + 54 broad-winged hawks
Mar 14 - 1,171 turkey vultures + 0 broad-winged hawks
Mar 15 - 1,231 turkey vultures + 3,682 broad-winged hawks

Migration sites also note non-migratory raptor species observed and non-raptor observations - in the case of Ancon Hill (which is a lookout from which you can see the Panama Canal) tourists are included in the non-raptor observations category (really!)  :D

Offline Kinderchick

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Re: Migration: Raptors / Spring 2012
« Reply #10 on: March 13, 2012, 20:19 »
Looks like we do have a "keener" afterall, if that's Ivy who has returned to the downtown! 8)

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Migration: Raptors / Spring 2012
« Reply #9 on: March 13, 2012, 10:51 »
More birds coming through but not fast, pretty much the same old, same old.

One more peregrine sighting, this time at Tussey Mountain in Pennsylvania ...

Offline Kinderchick

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Re: Migration: Raptors / Spring 2012
« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2012, 20:53 »
...Doesn't really look like the falcons are on the move, just a few "keeners" perhaps?  Guess we will have to see what happens over the next week ...
Well, talons crossed that some of ours will be the "keeners"! ;)

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Migration: Raptors / Spring 2012
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2012, 11:45 »
We had a second Peregrine turn up - this time at a hawkwatach site in New York state, so definitely not the same bird identified in  Colorado on the 4th.  Colorado has racked up another 3 if not 4 Prairie Falcons though ...  Only a very few more Merlins and American Kestrels reported from sites right across the US.  Doesn't really look like the falcons are on the move, just a few "keeners" perhaps?  Guess we will have to see what happens over the next week ...

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Migration: Raptors / Spring 2012
« Reply #6 on: March 08, 2012, 10:43 »
At this point there have been under two dozen American Kestrels and Merlins combined at all sites reporting.  Also one Peregrine and two Prairie Falcons on March 4th and 5th at Dinosaur Ridge in Colorado.

Island Girl the female tundrius with the transmitter that nests on Baffin Island is still just north of Constitucion in Chile and she hasn't moved much since mid-December, so she isn't ready to go yet.

Hard to tell whether the Colorado peregrine is just very fast or just a bit ahead of the "wave" ...

Offline Kinderchick

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Re: Migration: Raptors / Spring 2012
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2012, 21:53 »
Very exciting! Yes, indeed, the season is beginning! ;D

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Migration: Raptors / Spring 2012
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2012, 10:02 »
Two more falcon sightings reported on the 27th - both in New York State - another Merlin and our first American Kestrel ... still doesn't make for an early return however for our kids though ;)

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Migration: Raptors / Spring 2012
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2012, 23:30 »
Feb 27th at a New York State Hawkwatch our first falcon - a Merlin - was sighted.  Last year we had American Kestrels observed starting in March, along with a couple of Prairie Falcons before the first Merlin on March 8th. 

Does this mean the birds are returning faster than anticipated, can't say that.  Merlins are known to overwinter here in Manitoba so they most certainly are overwintering in New York's more hospitable winter climate, so it could be a bird that didn't migrate on a tour. 

But there are quite a few hawkwatches up and running so if the falcons are coming back early, we'll know soon enough .... last year the first Peregrine was reported at a Delaware Hawkwatch on March 13th.  Our first bird was on March 17th (Sandy) and our first resident birds were the 18th and 19th I believe (Jules & Ivy) ...

Island Girl, the Baffin Island nesting tundrius peregrine with a transmitter, was still just hanging around north of Constitucion as of Feb 24th so the tundras don't appear to be on their way quite yet ...

Offline Saoirse

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Re: Migration: Raptors / Spring 2012
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2012, 14:03 »
What an encouraging report -- spring (and falcons) are on the way!   8)

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Migration: Raptors / Spring
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2012, 10:11 »
Okay, first report has come in through Hawk Count ...

Borrego Valley, California, USA raptor migration site reported 15 Turkey Vultures migrating through on February 4th.  

Borrego frequently has the first, or among the first counts every year:
- 31 Jan 2011 - 3 Turkey Vultures
-  3 Feb 2010 - 33 Turkey Vultures
- 11 Feb 2009 - 100 Turkey Vultures, 29 Swainson's Hawks
-  1 Feb 2008 - 1 Swainson's Hawk
-  2 Feb 2007 - 19 Turkey Vultures, 2 Swainson's Hawks, 4 Red-tailed Hawks
-  1 Jan 2006 - 15 Turkey Vultures

So it looks like we are off and running folks - and pretty much on schedule so far at least ...