Migration: Raptors / Spring

[RCF]

March 2, 2013
First peregrine spotted going through Mission, Texas on Hawkcount.   

2013-03-02: Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park  , Mission, Texas, USA

http://hawkcount.org/day_summary.php?rsite=468&ryear=2013&rmonth=03&rday=02

[The Peregrine Chick]

The first of the falcons appeared on the hawk migration site HawkCount.  It was an American Kestrel today at the Beamer Conservation Area in Grimsby, Ontario.  How it managed to get all the way up there without being seen anywhere along the way is interesting.  We will have to see if it really is the first of the returning birds or an overwintering bird in the right place at the right time to be counted.

According to the reports from these migration sites, there are some birds moving but not many so it looks like it is only just starting.  Looking at last year's numbers for March 1st, the birds are (so far) moving slower than last year.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Just a note, I've merged the 2012 and 2013 thread here so folks can go back if they wish to see what happened last year ... thought it might be useful for comparison's sake ...

[The Peregrine Chick]

First raptor migration report just turned up on the HawkCount website

Borrego Valley, California - 22 turkey vultures on Feb 7th

And that is the start of the wave ... though apparently there are birds in downtown Topeka (Manitoba grand or great-grandkids) and a bird spotted at the nestbox in Lincoln, Nebraska (possibly Alley?)

[The Peregrine Chick]

Valid point, however, this is why I posted my question earlier regarging the "unknown falcons" that were observed migrating.  Any thoughts on that?

Sorry Alli, I answered about trained observers but not about the unknown raptors in your post. 

As you have undoubtedly surmised, since I know you are fan of the HawkCount site, "unknown falcon" just means they couldn't identify species but they were able to identify family/genus.  Usually because of distance between viewer and bird, or it could be weather or lighting conditions or even the number of birds bombing through an area (the Ancon Hill site in Panama is a good example).  The most commonly used "unknown" is "unknown raptor".  So far there have been 4 unknown falcons this spring but thousands of unknown raptors reported.

[allikat]

Valid point, however, this is why I posted my question earlier regarging the "unknown falcons" that were observed migrating.  Any thoughts on that?

[The Peregrine Chick]

Was curious to see how many peregrines had been reported at hawk watch sites this spring ... so far, only 23 according to the lists I've received.  Know lots of birds have been overwintering in the East and some in the Midwest, but what about the rest of them?  If I had the time I would run through the spring 2011 lists to see how many had come in by this point, seems to me that it should be more, but maybe I'm falling into the early spring trap and the peak isn't until a wee bit later ...

[Saoirse]

There used to be a formal hawk watch at St Adolphe but that ended in 2006, now its just birdwatchers who head out there.
The Pembina Valley hawk watch at Windygates is the only formal (ie reporting) hawk watch in the province:
http://hawkcount.org/month_summary.php?rsite=646&ryear=2012&rmonth=03
And they list counts per species per day, per month and per migration season.
On March 18th they had bald eagles, northern harriers, sharp-shinned hawks, northern goshawks, red-tailed hawks, roughed-legged hawks and an unidentifiable eagle.  Oh ya, 1 peregrine.  Could have been Jules' companion I suppose ...

Interesting information, TPC -- and definitely an interesting site. Thanks!

[allikat]

Ah....You are very welcome!   

[bccs]

Here you go, B!  It's a great site, I highly recommend it! 

http://hawkcount.org/index.php

Thanks Alli, this week for sure.

[allikat]

Here you go, B!  It's a great site, I highly recommend it! 

http://hawkcount.org/index.php

[bccs]

Yup, and I'll try to find another fanatic ( retired ) to go with me.
Lots of pictures to follow.

Ooooooooooh.....can't wait!!!  Please share?! 
Hey, did you need the site address for this?

yes please.

[allikat]

Yup, and I'll try to find another fanatic ( retired ) to go with me.
Lots of pictures to follow.

Ooooooooooh.....can't wait!!!  Please share?! 
Hey, did you need the site address for this?

[bccs]

Yup, and I'll try to find another fanatic ( retired ) to go with me.
Lots of pictures to follow.

[allikat]

That would be a grand idea!  What a trip that would be!  Go for it!