Category: Raptors

Mt. Peter Hawk Watch 9/13/14

Five of the 336 migrating Broad-winged Hawks at Mt. Peter Hawk Watch, 9/13/14.
It’s not much of a photo, but here are five of the 336 migrating Broad-winged Hawks at Mt. Peter Hawk Watch, 9/13/14.

I did my first shift of the year as counter at Mt. Peter Hawk Watch last Saturday. I didn’t do a blog post because it was uneventful – I counted only 5 migrating hawks in 6 hours of observation. Today was quite a different story. Despite the cloudy and drizzly weather, I surpassed last week’s total in the first 10 minutes of the watch. The highlight was the third hour of the watch, when I had 301 Broad-winged Hawks pass through. To make it even better, the birds were flying relatively low and could be seen easily with the naked eye. I had two large kettles – one with 126 BWHAs and the other with 105. I was so involved with trying to get a good count that I neglected to take any photos. I had one more sizable kettle of 49 birds where I remembered to get the above photo. My total for the day was 337 migrating raptors. All were Broad-winged Hawks with the exception of a single Osprey. Here’s my report, as submitted to HMANA at hawkcount.org:

Mount Peter
Warwick, New York, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 13, 2014
——————————————————————-

Species / Day’s Count / Month Total / Season Total
____________________________________________
Black Vulture 0 / 0 / 0
Turkey Vulture 0 / 1 / 1
Osprey 1 / 18 / 18
Bald Eagle 0 / 10 / 10
Northern Harrier 0 / 2 / 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 / 31 / 31
Cooper’s Hawk 0 / 6 / 6
Northern Goshawk 0 / 0 / 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 / 2 / 2
Broad-winged Hawk 336 / 444 / 444
Red-tailed Hawk 0 / 0 / 0
Rough-legged Hawk 0 / 0 / 0
Golden Eagle 0 / 0 / 0
American Kestrel 0 / 13 / 13
Merlin 0 / 2 / 2
Peregrine Falcon 0 / 3 / 3
Unknown Accipiter 0 / 0 / 0
Unknown Buteo 0 / 4 / 4
Unknown Eagle 0 / 0 / 0
Unknown Falcon 0 / 0 / 0
Unknown Raptor 0 / 5 / 5

Total:                337 / 541 / 541
____________________________________________

Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 13:30:00
Total observation time: 5.5 hours

Official Counter: Matt Zeitler

Observers: Carol Linguanti

Visitors:
Visitors included: Karen Miller, Carol Linguanti, Carol Pastushok, and
Grace Woleslagle.
Weather:
Cool and cloudy with a light drizzle beginning in the third hour of the
watch and developing into rain on and off during the last hour and a half
of the watch. Winds were from the East at 10 km/hr and temperatures ranged
from 12 to 15 degrees Celsius.

Raptor Observations:
During the third hour of the watch, 301 Broad-winged Hawks were observed.
Kettles formed to the northeast of the platform and most birds flew
directly over the viewing platform – low for Broad-winged Hawks, all could
be seen easily with the naked eye.

Non-raptor Observations:
Other bird species observed: Northern Cardinal (2), Black-capped Chickadee
(5), Tufted Titmouse (2), Downy Woodpecker (2), American Crow (4), Canada
Goose (3), American Goldfinch (3), Pileated Woodpecker (1), Blue Jay (4),
Chimney Swift (5), Gray Catbird (1), Red-bellied Woodpecker (2),
Black-and-white Warbler (1)

**ONE YEAR AGO ON THIS DATE AT ORANGEBIRDING.COM: American Golden-Plovers in Pine Island.**

Broad-winged Hawk – 9/3/14

Broad-winged Hawk in Pine Island NY, 9/3/14.
Broad-winged Hawk in Pine Island NY, 9/3/14.

I had an interesting and fun experience in Pine Island yesterday afternoon watching a young Broad-winged Hawk hunt for insects. The bird was either unaware of my presence (I was using my car as a blind), or just didn’t care. Very close by, the hawk successfully hunted for about a half dozen insects, each of which the bird dismantled and patiently ate. While I was watch ing the bird in the field, I was pretty sure it was a Broad-winged Hawk. But, then when I got home and I thought about doing a post with the photos, I started to ask myself  – “why is this a Broad-winged and not a Red-shouldered Hawk?” Thinking about it, probably the main reason I was thinking BWHA was the size of the bird. To me, the bird appeared small in size – likely the smallest buteo that I have ever seen perched. The hawk’s behavior was another reason; a BWHA hunting insects in a field made sense to me, though I’m not sure why, perhaps Red-shouldered Hawks are just as likely to do this? I also think that at some level I was thinking about the fact that BWHAs are just starting to migrate through our area. For me to post about this bird, I needed to have a more positive identification, so I did a google search and found a very useful comparison of juvenile Broad-winged and Red-shouldered Hawks, provided by the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. The following photos illustrate some of the field marks exhibited by this bird that lead me to believe that the bird is indeed a Broad-winged Hawk:

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According to the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council Raptor ID Series, juvenile Broad-winged Hawks have a malar mark on the cheek and a pale bluish spot on the lower part of the upper mandible. I can see the bluish spot clearly, and I guess the dark area that starts at the base of the bill and goes down and away is the malar mark. Click on the link to see the comparison between the two hawks more clearly.
Again,
Again, according to the IWRC Raptor ID Series, juvenile Red-shouldered Hawks have a reddish panel in the primaries, while Broad-winged Hawks do not.
Fin
And, finally, and also according to the IWRC Raptor ID Series, the markings on the underside of the wing are consistent with a juvenile Broad-winged Hawk: narrow dark bars across the secondaries and inner primaries. Check the link to see how the underwing compares to that of a RSHA.

I guess the bird had eaten enough and it flew (not very far!), and perched in a tree on the roadside:

BWHA in Pine Island, 9/3/14.
BWHA in Pine Island, 9/3/14.

A few more shots of the bird:

BWHA hunting insects. I'm still not sure what the insects were. Pine Island, 9/3/14.
BWHA hunting insects. I’m still not sure what the insects were. Pine Island, 9/3/14.
Eating bugs can be a messy business. BWHA in Pine Island, NY 9/3/14.
Eating bugs can be a messy business. BWHA in Pine Island, NY 9/3/14.
Broad-winged Hawk in flight. Pine Island, NY 9/3/14.
Broad-winged Hawk in flight. Pine Island, NY 9/3/14.

Eastern Screech-owl Release!

Last night, Tricia and I were fortunate enough to be present for the release of not one, but three EASTERN SCREECH-OWLS. The owls were all injured in the Warwick area and rehabilitated by Missy Runyan at the Friends of the Feathered and Furry Wildlife Center. Our friend Carol Linguanti, who is also a wildlife rehabber, was given the wonderful task of releasing the birds and invited me along to witness and take some photos. This, of course made me nervous about getting good shots, but I was thrilled to have the opportunity. Our first stop was at Homestead Village, where one of the birds was found on the lawn of a resident. Since the bird was brought in for rehabilitation a short time ago, it was released in the same spot where it was picked up. Here are some shots from the release:

An Eastern Screech-owl waits for its eyes to adjust to the light before being released. Warwick, NY 7/18/14.
An Eastern Screech-owl seems to be waiting for its eyes to adjust to the light before being released. Warwick, NY 7/18/14.
The EASO was out of the box before I knew it, but I did manage one silhouetted flight shot.
The EASO was out of the box before I knew it, but I did manage one silhouetted flight shot.
Tricia faired much better from the other side, getting this shot.
Tricia faired much better from the other side, getting this shot.
The owl perched on a nearby branch for probably less than a minute and then seemed to get its bearings and took off.
The owl perched on a nearby branch for probably less than a minute and then seemed to get its bearings and took off.

The second and third owls apparently had been in rehab for a longer period of time, during which, they bonded. They were to be released together on a large tract of land that Carol owns in Warwick. This release was made even more exciting with the sighting of TWO BEARS! How good can it get? Here are the photos from that release:

Getting ready to be free again, one rufous and one gray Eastern Screech-owls. Photo by Carol Linguanti, Warwick, NY 7/18/14.
Getting ready to be free again, one rufous and one gray Eastern Screech-owl.  Photo by Carol Linguanti, Warwick, NY 7/18/14.
This EASO behaved similarly to the first release, perching nearby for a short period of time before taking off into the woods.
This EASO behaved similarly to the first release, perching nearby for a short period of time before taking off into the woods.
The first bear we saw was relatively small, presumably a young bear.
The first bear we saw was relatively small, presumably a young bear.
The second bear was huge and Carol's husband Bobby was very excited when we watched the bear use the bridge that Bobby had built to get over a stream.
The second bear was huge and Carol’s husband Bobby was very excited when we watched the bear use the bridge that Bobby had built to get over a stream.

I really cannot thank Carol enough for inviting me to be part of this. It was so exciting to get to see these owls up close and fulfilling to know that they had been successfully rehabbed and now were back where they belonged.

 

 

Double Snowy

IMG_1049It was cold but very beautiful out, and I was lucky enough to locate TWO very distant Snowy Owls in Orange County after work this evening. I spent an hour and a half watching these two incredible birds interact with one another – what a privilege!

Additionally, I had two Short-eared Owls, one of which landed not very far from my car just as the sun was setting. This photo was taken at ISO 12800!IMG_0018

Sunday Shots 3/2/14

WALLKILL RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE – 2/28/14

It was for some reason unexpected that I had a nice evening shooting raptors on Friday after work. But, the light was nice and I was lucky enough to have a few birds close enough for some decent shots. Also noteworthy were my first Red-winged Blackbirds for the year in Orange County.

Rough-legged Hawk on Mt. Eve Road, on my way out to Wallkill River NWR, 2/28/14.
Rough-legged Hawk on Mt. Eve Road, on my way out to Wallkill River NWR, 2/28/14.
When I arrived at the parking area of Wallkill River NWR, this Red-tailed Hawk was perched on the wire across the road. The bird did not leave its perch for a good 25 minutes. I kept waiting for the bird to fly, but when it finally did I missed the shot.
When I arrived at the parking area of Wallkill River NWR, this Red-tailed Hawk was perched on the wire across the road. The bird did not leave its perch for a good 25 minutes. I kept waiting for the bird to fly, but when it finally did I missed the shot.
It's been ages since I've gotten a good Northern Harrier shot - I think I was spoiled last winter when they seemed to always be around. Wallkill River NWR, 2/28/14.
It’s been ages since I’ve gotten a good Northern Harrier shot – I think I was spoiled last winter when they seemed to always be around. Click to enlarge this shot – I think it looks really nice. Wallkill River NWR, 2/28/14.

RONDOUT RESEVOIR – 3/1/14

I had a nice outing at Rondout Resevoir on Saturday afternoon. I knew there was a good collection of waterfowl present because I read about it on John Haas’ blog, Bashakill Birder. I got all the birds John reported in his post, including three first of the year birds for me: American Wigeon (5), Redhead (7), and Killdeer (1). It was not a great outing for photos, the birds were for the most part distant and from where you view the birds, in the afternoon all the birds are backlit. I did have a Common Merganser that didn’t seem to mind my presence at all:

Common Merganser at Rondout Reservoir, 3/1/14.
Common Merganser at Rondout Reservoir, 3/1/14.

 

SOUTHERN ORANGE COUNTY – 3/2/14

This morning I made the rounds in southern Orange County without seeing much of note. I did see a single Common Grackle and a single Red-winged Blackbird, both on Celery Avenue. I sorted through MANY Canada Geese without anything out of the ordinary. American Crows rivaled the Canada Geese in numbers and seemed to be everywhere.

Horned Larks are still present in numbers in Orange County, I came across several good sized flocks today. This shot was from Onion Avenue, 3/2/14.
Horned Larks are still present in numbers in Orange County, I came across several good sized flocks today. This shot was from Onion Avenue, 3/2/14.
It's tough to get a good shot of American Crows. Pierce Circle, 3/2/14.
It’s tough to get a good shot of American Crows. Pierce Circle, 3/2/14.

 

 

 

A Pleasant Evening…

A SEOW does a fly-by at the Wallkill River NWR, 2/19/14.
A SEOW does a fly-by at the Wallkill River NWR, 2/19/14.

I took advantage of the foggy, misty weather by having a peaceful evening watching the Short-eared Owls out at the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge. The parking lot, which has been filled most evenings lately, was practically empty. The owls were up early, and plenty of other raptors could be seen from the viewing platform, including numerous Red-tailed Hawks, a couple of Rough-legged Hawks, and a single male Northern Harrier. Also noteworthy were the seven Northern Cardinals flew into a bush near the entrance to the parking area. It started to rain after a little while, but that didn’t put damper a pleasant evening.

A pair of SEOWs perched in the distance at Wallkill River NWR, 2/19/14.
A pair of SEOWs perched in the distance at Wallkill River NWR, 2/19/14.

Orange County Saturday

Song Sparrow on the Liberty Loop at Wallkill River NWR, 2/1/14.
Song Sparrow on the Liberty Loop at Wallkill River NWR, 2/1/14.

I woke up before sunrise this morning and headed out; I was going to spend the morning birding in southern Orange County. My first stop was at Wallkill River NWR, where I walked the Liberty Loop for the first time in a while. The weather had finally warmed up a bit after the extended cold spell, so it felt really good to be outside and walking the trail. During my walk I had many of the expected birds for this time of year, but the highlight of my hike was seeing a Coyote crossing the marsh.

It's amazing to me how easily this Coyote disappeared from view in the marsh. Still it was a thrill to see, Wallkill River NWR 2/1/14.
It’s amazing to me how easily this Coyote disappeared from view in the marsh. Still it was a thrill to see, Coyote out at Wallkill River NWR just after sunrise, 2/1/14.

After walking the loop, I did a car tour of Pines Island and the Black Dirt Region. I hit many of my usual stops as well as some of new ones, such as Cedar Swamp Road, where I saw a couple of falconers flying their birds way off in the distance, and not surprisingly, I did not have any luck with the pair of Snowy Owls that were reported there. I ended up with 26 species for the day which I don’t think is too bad for not being anywhere near open water all day. Species highlights for the morning included seeing the same Snowy Owl that I’ve been seeing all week and a pair of LAPLAND LONGSPURS in a flock of approximately 45 Horned Larks. The real highlight for me, however was running into several birders I know while viewing the Snowy Owl. It was good to spend time and shoot the breeze with fellow Mearns Bird Club members Gerhard and Tracey, as well as Jack Austin and Linda – they are all such nice folks.

A Rough-legged Hawk flies over, Black Dirt Region 2/1/14.
A Rough-legged Hawk flies over, Black Dirt Region 2/1/14.
American Kestrel in flight, Black Dirt, 2/1/14.
American Kestrel in flight, Black Dirt, 2/1/14.
I will keep posting Snowy Owl shots whenever I get them, not matter how distant. I can't get enough of this bird! Black Dirt Region, 2/1/14.
I will keep posting Snowy Owl shots whenever I get them, not matter how distant. I can’t get enough of this bird! Black Dirt Region, 2/1/14.

Here’s my list for the morning, the numbers are a bit rough since I totaled everything I saw while I was out, but I definitely was very conservative with my counts.

It's not very often an American Kestrel flies towards me. This one was flushed by another vehicle, Black Dirt, 2/1/14.
It’s not very often an American Kestrel flies towards me. This one was flushed by another vehicle, Black Dirt, 2/1/14.

 

Canada Goose  1000
Turkey Vulture  1
Northern Harrier  3
Red-tailed Hawk  8
Rough-legged Hawk  5
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  14
Mourning Dove  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Downy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker  3
American Kestrel  2
Blue Jay  2
American Crow  500
Horned Lark  60
Black-capped Chickadee  2
Tufted Titmouse  2
White-breasted Nuthatch  3
American Robin  18
Northern Mockingbird  1
European Starling  80
Lapland Longspur  2
American Tree Sparrow  10
Song Sparrow  20
Dark-eyed Junco  55
Northern Cardinal  2
House Sparrow  12

American Kestrel perched on some farm equipment. Black Dirt, 2/1/14.
American Kestrel perched on some farm equipment. Black Dirt, 2/1/14.
Red-tailed Hawk shot through the grasses at Round Hill Road, Florida NY, 2/1/14.
Red-tailed Hawk shot through the grasses at Round Hill Road, Florida NY, 2/1/14.

 

 

Saturday 1/25/14

Adult Bald Eagle with prey at Charles Point Pier Park, 1/25/14.
Adult Bald Eagle with prey at Charles Point Pier Park, 1/25/14.

Tricia’s sister and her family came up for a visit this weekend. For me, luckily, that means birding with my future brother-in-law Bill. Over Christmas, he took me out on Long Island and we had a great day of birding, highlighted by 2 Snowy Owls on Dune Road, so I wanted to return the favor. I had two target birds for the weekend: Bald Eagles and Short-eared Owls.

Saturday morning we headed over to Newburgh, hoping for Bald Eagles on the Hudson. The river was nearly entirely frozen over, and there were no eagles to be seen. I called my fellow Mt. Peter Hawk Watch counter, Carol Linguanti, and she directed us to head further south, past the Bear Mountain Bridge. We worked our way south, stopping several times, with our final stop being at Croton Point State Park. We ended up with over 30 Bald Eagles for the day and got our best looks at Charles Point Pier Park, where the birds were close enough for some photos.

Bald Eagle in the snow, 1/25/14.
Bald Eagle in the snow, 1/25/14.
Bald Eagle at Point Pier Park, 1/25/14.
Bald Eagle at Charles Point Pier Park, 1/25/14.
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I love these icy Bald Eagle photos – so much white!

In the afternoon we headed back to Orange County in search of Short-eared Owls where Karen Miller joined us. The temperatures were dropping and the snow was falling pretty heavily, but the owls got up early! Cameras, binoculars filled up with snow as we had at least 10 SEOWs, giving really fabulous looks as they flew all around us and over our heads. Fingers and toes were frozen as we enjoyed the Short-eared Owl show.

This is the first half way decent Short-eared Owl Shot I've gotten since early in the season. This was tough - there was enough light for good photos, but the snow was falling pretty heavily. SEOW, Orange County NY 1/25/14.
This is the first half way decent Short-eared Owl Shot I’ve gotten since early in the season. This was tough – there was enough light for good photos, but the snow was falling pretty heavily. SEOW, Orange County NY 1/25/14.

PicMonkey CollageIt was a great day of birding capped of by the fact that Bill got three life birds on the day: Black Vulture (Route 207 north of Goshen), Eastern Meadowlark (Croton Point State Park), and Short-eared Owl (Orange County NY).

 

**NOTEWORTHY OBSERVATIONS**: In the past week in Orange County, I had Snowy Owl sightings on 1/20, 1/22, and 1/24 (two different owls, one seen twice). It is really great to still have these owls around, it is still so exciting for me to see them every time!