October 2025 – Orange Birding

A Double Dose of Hawkwatching

This weekend I counted at Mt. Peter Hawkwatch on Saturday, as usual. I also covered for another counter on Sunday, so I spent nearly 15 hours up at the mountain in two days. I tallied 161 migrating raptors over the two days, but he highlight, by far, was an immature GOLDEN EAGLE, which I located to the east of the platform during the second hour of Sunday’s watch. Unfortunately, the bird went behind the stand of trees to the on that side of the platform before I was able to even attempt a photo. Other noteworthy raptors included my first migrating Merlins of the year (three over the two days), and I enjoyed a substantial flight of Turkey Vultures during the final hour of the watch on Sunday, with over 75 migrants counted.

~Purple Finch at Mount Peter Hawkwatch, 10/25/25.~

In non-raptor news, it was extremely birdy on Saturday, especially in the morning. Purple Finches were a favorite for me, and I was finally able to get a halfway decent shot of one. On Sunday, I had several skeins of BRANT fly over; my first for that species in 2025.

~Brant flying over Mount Peter Hawkwatch, 10/26/25.~

~American Robins were seemingly everywhere on Saturday morning. Mt. Pete, 10/25/25.~

~Red-tailed Hawk flyover at Mt. Peter Hawkwatch, 10/25/25.~

~This little beast wandered out of the woods and spent a while feeding in the brush just to the right of the platform. Mount Pete, 10/26/25.~

~Yellow-rumped Warblers are still hanging in there. Mt. Pete, 10/25/25.~

~Migrating Turkey Vultures over Mount Peter Hawkwatch, 10/26/25.~

Sunday Shots, 10/19/25

First thing this morning I checked a few local lakes but didn’t have much luck so I switched gears and went the Liberty Loop and then continued birding through a bit of the black dirt region, and I finished up at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary. It was a pleasant but mostly uneventful morning of birding. There were plenty of birds around, but nothing exciting. I did manage to get a few shots to share this evening. though.

~Black Vulture in the Black Dirt Region, 10/19/25.~

~I don’t photograph Mute Swans very often, but the light was pleasant first thing this morning at Wickham Lake, 10/19/25.~

~Eastern Bluebird at Wickham Lake, 10/19/25.~

~And one more Eastern Bluebird shot. I enjoyed a few minutes with a small flock at Wickham Lake before they moved on.~

GOLDEN EAGLE at Mt. Peter Hawkwatch, 10/18/25

It was an interesting day at Mount Peter Hawkwatch today. When I arrived, there were already two birders on the platform, Connery and John from Bergen County NJ. And, while we did not have all that many migrating raptors, we did enjoy viewing (3) adult Bald Eagles out to west of the platform; unfortunately none of the three migrated through. We were not bored, however. There were plenty of songbirds around. I was hoping for Purple Finch, and sure enough we had a small flock of Purple Finches.

~The final bird of the day! Golden Eagle at Mount Peter Hawkwatch, 10/18/25.~

By the time I got to the final hour of the watch, I had only 16 migrating raptors counted. To keep myself focused, I made it a goal to try and finish the day with 20 or more. At the end of the final hour, I’d gotten to 19. I filled out the paperwork, and packed up my gear. I had my backpack on, camera over my shoulder. I took one last scan, and would you believe, directly in front of the platform, was an immature GOLDEN EAGLE. I was floored. The bird made some lazy circles and slowly passed through just to the west of the platform. It was exhilarating! What a day, I got my 20 birds, I got a Golden, I even got Purple Finches!

~One more shot of the Golden Eagle – what a beauty! Mount Peter Hawkwatch, 10/18/25.~

~There was still a good number of Yellow-rumped Warblers around today at Mount Peter Hawkwatch, 10/18/25.~

Sunday Shots, 10/12/25

Last weekend I was out of commission with some family in for a visit, but I was back at starting on Thursday after work, when I went to 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, where I had my first Rusty Blackbirds of the fall. On Saturday morning I was up at Mount Peter Hawkwatch; it was not a productive day with very light winds from the east and only 13 migrating raptors before I wrapped it up at 2 pm when the rain started.

This morning was a little more productive. While I didn’t have anything out-0f-the-ordinary, there were plenty of birds around to enjoy. Highlights for me included a large flock of American Pipits (which frustratingly stayed out of photo range), several large flocks of Canada Geese to sift through, my first Dark-eyed Juncos and White-crowned Sparrows of the year, and a Swainson’s Thrush at my last stop of the day – 6 1/2 Station Road.