Hazel Bazemore Hawk Watch

Corpus Christi, Texas (Nueces County)

All reports are posted daily to the following newsgroups: 
BirdHawk, TexBirds, BirdChat, TexasBirdChat
   

So, just how do we count all those hawks!?
 

Joel's report:

Broad-winged Hawk 10
Swainson's Hawk 2
Mississippi Kite 51
Am. Kestrel 1
Osprey 1
Total 65

The big news is that we broke our all-time record for Mississippi Kites, added to the record for Swallow-tailed Kites we are off to our best start ever!!!!!

Cheers,
Patty

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Thanks, Joel! This season just keeps looking better and better! Finally we seem to be getting back to a more normal migration pattern. With another "front" due in on Monday or Tuesday, temps should be a little more moderated and winds a little more favorable to incoming raptors. Have a safe holiday period, all. We'll be out on the hill in case you want to drop by and help count. The chocolate's in the ice chest ...

Cheers,
Patty

September 02, 2006:

Libby's report:

Broad-winged Hawk: 9
Red-tailed Hawk: 1
Swainson's Hawk: 6
Mississippi Kite: 8
SWALLOW-TAILED KITE: 1
Cooper's Hawk: 1
American Kestrel: 2
Peregrine Falcon: 1
Crested Caracara: 1

Total: 30

Birds were rather slow but great diversity. Local broadwinged seen at least a dozen times going from east to west and back again just to keep us on our toes. The migrant Red-tail was given a "greeting" by our local RT - "big mama" we call her - she was just making sure it continued on its southerly course.

A nice group of visitors yesterday, including Kathy from Indianapolis, who came back to the hill just in time to get a rump dot view of our lone Swallow-tailed Kite.

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Thanks, Libby! The diversity is the other great aspect that keeps us coming back for more each year. Even on days when the numbers are slow, the sheer diversity of raptors and other migrants (bird and otherwise), along with the natural flora and fauna and resident critters, will keep your eyes busy jumping from one to the next all day long!  

Cheers,
Patty  

September 03, 2006:

Dane's report:

Mississippi Kites : 223
Broad-winged Hawks : 129
American Kestrels : 12
Swainson's Hawks : 10
Northern Harriers : 6
Cooper's Hawks : 3
Red-tailed Hawks : 2
Osprey : 1
Swallow-tailed Kite : 1
Total : 387

Wilson's Warbler in park today ... and Willow Flycatcher ( yes - this Bird spoke for us ) ...

p.s. it was a really fun day - we had Birds every hour - no huge numbers - Awesome help from ALL of the Volunteers today (as usual ) ...

Swallow-tailed Kite again - wow ! there is a Reddish Egret hanging around the Hazel Pond - has been there regularly for at least 4 weeks ... also , a really cool Least Flycatcher hanging around Count Site , as well ... our local Red-shouldered Hawks have been quite a bit more active lately ... counted our first 'moving' Crested Caracara on 09/03/06 ... last but hardly least - we had 12 Kestrels and 6 Harriers today .... hello Fall !!!!

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Thanks, Dane! That front is just north of San Antonio and headed our way, and hopefully it will carry enough punch with it to push some more migrants down the pipeline. (The surfers don't have the only gnarly pipeline going, heh!)

Hummingbirds are flooding the coastal bend, from reports I've been getting from Rockport, Corpus and surrounding areas. Looks like a good passage period for those guys, too, just in time for the HummerBird Festival in Rockport September 14-17. If you're in the area those days, you do NOT want to miss this festival!

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Irwin family of Australia. Steve Irwin loved his crocs, but there wasn't an animal on the planet he didn't also cherish and respect. Steve brought the world's attention to the importance of environmental preservation and conservation, subjects close to our own hearts. His color and passion will be deeply missed.

Cheers,
Patty  

September 04, 2006:

Libby's report:

Broad-winged Hawks: 54
Red-tailed Hawks: 2
Swainson's Hawks: 8
Mississippi Kites: 24
Swallow-tailed Kite: 1
Cooper's Hawks: 1
American Kestrel: 1
Unidentified raptor: 1

Total: 92

Nice diversity again - Broadies and Missies coming in mixed kettles now keeping us on our toes. Believe this is the first day the Broadies took over Missie numbers. Expecting great things from the front and NW and NE winds.

Birds added to our park list yesterday were Bullock's Oriole, Spotted Sandpiper, and Lincoln's Sparrow.

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Thanks, Libby! The front is now passing through. Let's hope it helps some migrants along the front wave. The hill country and San Antonio area finally got some long-needed rain, lucky ducks. Been pretty fried up there this summer and dry enough down here.

Cheers,
Patty    

September 5, 2006:

Dane's report:

Mississippi Kites : 492
Broad-winged Hawks : 95
Swainson's Hawks : 9
Cooper's Hawks : 5
Red-tailed Hawks : 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk : 1
Peregrine Falcon : 1
Harris's Hawk : 1
Total = 607

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Thanks, Dane! Whooo-hoooo! The front is through (it actually reached us!) and if nothing else, the temps are actually dropping a bit! Rain all over the Coastal Bend as the front meandered its way on down with storms in tow broke up the migration a bit, but Wednesday promises to be more clear, allowing raptors to resume their flow. Get out on the hill with us; let's see what the post-frontal passage looks like today!

Cheers,
Patty  

September 6, 2006:

Joel's report:

A cool north wind, plenty of clouds, no bothersome insects....it just couldn't be Hazel in September. With only 150 raptors in the first six hours we were still not disappointed, but then it really got busy with over 840 in the last two hours.
We had our first Vermilion Flycatcher and Eastern Wood-Peewee of the season. The dickie bird of the day was Baltimore Orioles with an estimated 100+ for the day. The resident White-tailed Hawks really put on a show all day with many close looks and the pair parachuting together.

Broad-winged Hawk 390
Swainson's Hawk 13
Mississippi Kite 579
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
American Kestrel 3
Peregrine Falcon 2
Osprey 3
Northern Harrier 3
Harris' Hawk 3
Unidentified Buteo 2
Total 999

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Thanks, Joel! It was beautiful today, indeed! I just stood in my driveway this morning en route to work, threw my arms out and soaked up the first cool air I've felt outside an air conditioner in at least six months. What a relief. Let's hope those north winds hang on at least another day or two.

Tonight, our thoughts and prayers go out to one of our own. Ray Little, one of our local birding experts, the premier guide for the whooping crane boat trips on the Wharf Cat, and one of our long time hawk watchers, lost his dear wife, partner and soul mate, Margie. My Little Margie, as Ray called her, passed away quietly in her sleep this morning. Please keep Ray and his family in your hearts and prayers as they work through this difficult time.

Cheers,
Patty

September 7, 2006:

Joel's report:

Broad-winged Hawk 738
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Swainson's Hawk 36
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Mississippi Kite 408
Cooper's Hawk 3
American Kestrel 8
Peregrine Falcon 4
Prairie Falcon 1
Osprey 4
Northern Harrier 5
Crested Caracara 1
Unidentified Accipiter 1
Unidentified Buteo 1
Unidentified Raptor 1
Total 1,214

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Thanks, Joel! The weather was nice but the ozone action day was the harbinger of calm. And calm it was, with high cirrus and haze predominating throughout the day. Even so, Joel says the hawks still flew and took advantage of thermals created in the drier air brought by the passing front. The first two hours were active, with a liftoff of about 280 raptors (200 or so low broadwinged hawks and about 80 Miss. kites). As the liftoff was being tallied, a little different looking raptor zoomed in and a prairie falcon joined the count! The rest of the day was slower as one might expect on low/no air days like today, but the variation of species kept things interesting. North of us, the air must've been good as the late afternoon flights got so busy the counters stayed an extra half hour to tally them, with more than 500 hawks being counted in the last hour and a half. About 160 broadies opted to turn in and look for overnight accommodations, so Friday morning hawkers should see a bit of a liftoff.

Cheers,
Patty  

September 8, 2006:

Libby's report:

Broad-winged Hawk: 641
Swainson's Hawk: 13
Turkey Vulture: 3
Mississippi Kite: 11
Swallow-tailed Kite: 1
American Kestrel: 4
Osprey: 1
Northern Harrier: 8
Harris Hawk: 1
Unidentified Falcon: 2
Unidentified Raptor: 1

Total: 686

Busy mid-day for Broad-wings. Then light rain started around 2:30 - sat through it for 45 minutes then closed down the watch a little early. We were sure it would stop after 15 minutes (as any proper Texas rain should) but we kept waiting......

Another Swallow-tailed Kite makes any day a special one! Diversity still picking up with a good Harrier showing - last bird of the day was an adult male Harrier coming in right overhead and going down to hunt in the river bottom during the rain. We expect (hope) he spent the night.

September 9, 2006: 

Dane's report:

Broad-winged Hawks : 311
Mississippi Kites : 47
Swainson's Hawks : 3
American Kestrels : 3
Red-shouldered Hawks : 2
Cooper's Hawks : 2
Peregrine Falcon : 1
Harris's Hawk : 1
Total : 370

September 10, 2006:

Libby's report:

Broad-winged Hawks: 429
Swainson's Hawks: 6
Turkey Vulture: 1
Mississippi Kites: 135
Swallow-tailed Kite: 1
Cooper's Hawk: 2
American Kestrel: 3
Peregrine Falcons: 3
Osprey: 5
Northern Harrier: 2

Total: 587

Interesting day - most raptors came through between 1: and 3:00. Early morning and late afternoon we had rain clouds everywhere around us - light rain at the site a couple times so we danced and sang. The Swallow-tailed Kite came in around 12:30 about 30-40 feet up right over the road and circled for quite some time before moving on. Lots of Mississippi Kites were very low and feeding as they moved through.

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Thanks, Libby! With all the storms in and around the area, it's a wonder the watch wasn't rained out this weekend! Most of the moisture stayed around the coast, apparently, which was good for the inland watch site. More rain in the forecast for the next few days. We sure need it!

Cheers,
Patty

September 11, 2006 (We Will Never Forget):  

Libby's report:

Broad-winged Hawks: 10
Swainson's Hawks: 3
Mississippi Kites: 37
Cooper's Hawk: 1
Norther Harrier: 2
Merlin: 1
Unidentified Buteo: 1

Total: 55

Birds and hawkwatchers alike dodged scattered rain storms throughout the day. Rain caused a short mid-morning shut down and finally caused us to leave the hill a little early after watching most of the Kites run the gauntlet through the last bit of clear sky before the grey closed in there too.

September 12, 2006:

Dane's report:

Mississippi Kites : 46
Swallow-tailed Kites : 3
Broad-winged Hawk : 1
Total = 50

We only counted for 2.5 hours due to rain - Swallow-tailed Kites and majority of Mississippi Kites were 30 feet overhead , feasting on Dragonflies ... totally awesome ...

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Thanks, Dane! The rain has sure been persistent this week and last, but definitely badly needed. Just think of all those raptors that are backing up behind the fronts, though. When that gate opens, it's gonna be some fun, heh!

Cheers,
Patty

September 13, 2006:

Dane's report:

Broad-winged Hawks : 4159
Mississippi Kites : 469
Unidentified Raptors : 40
Swainson's Hawks : 25
American Kestrels : 20
Turkey Vultures : 8
Northern Harriers : 8
Cooper's Hawks : 7
Osprey : 6
Swallow-tailed Kites : 2
Sharp-shinned Hawks : 2
Unidentified Falcon : 1
Peregrine Falcon : 1
Total : 4748

Lots of diversity! Swallow-tailed Kites were not as low as yesterday - but still good looks! Had 3 'new' Vireo species for Hazel count (2006) in the past 2 days : Warbling, Red-eyed, and Blue-headed ... Hazel rocks!

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Thanks, Dane! Ohhh, yeah, that rain backed those babies up, all right! Here we go, heading towards peak passage period for our site. It's only going to get better! Don't forget the Celebration of Flight, held this fall from September 28 - October 1. Details on the web site; check it out!

Cheers,
Patty   

September 14, 2006:

Libby's report:

Broadwinged hawk: 11771
Swainson's hawk: 17
Red-tailed hawk: 2
Miss Kite: 263
Sharpshinned hawk: 3
Cooper's hawk: 14
American kestrel: 55
Peregrine falcon: 2
Osprey: 10
Northern harrier: 14
Short-tailed Hawk: 1
Unid accip: 1
Unid falc: 1
Unid rapt: 2

Total: 12156

Broadwings started early - kettles forming by 10:30 and lasted throughout the day, including during the short shower in the early afternoon. The Short-tailed Hawk was the last bird of the day - a great look from out front, overhead, and enjoyed by the counters, Bob Creglow and Jimmy Swartz.

Dickey birds: appr. 1000 Anihingas, 500 White Pelicans, still large flocks of Baltimore Orioles, Wood Storks, and a Ringed Kingfisher.

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Thanks, Libby! The broadies are definitely on the way! Thanks a ton to John M for the Lake Erie Metropark advanced warning ... these must be your birds, John! It just gets more fun from here on out, folks! Keep those eyes skyward. Down here we have as many hummingbirds flitting around as raptors ... more even. The peak hummer passage period is pretty much upon us, and this looks to be another banner year as migration patterns finally settle out to more normal numbers.

Cheers,
Patty   

September 15, 2006:

Libby's report:

Today we picked up the stragglers from yesterdays groups:

Broad-wingeds: 1921
Swainsons: 4
Turkey Vulture: 1
Black Vulture: 32
Mississippi Kites: 14
Coopers: 2
Kestrels: 2
Ospreys: 2
Harriers: 2
Caracaras: 2
White-tailed: 1
Unidentified raptors: 3

Total: 1986

Almost all the birds were very distant west of the site today - I was accused of finding kettles in the next county. But anyway - we got them before they blinked away. Our first Black Vultures were added to the count today - all 32 moved through with our largest kettle of 700 Broadwings. Hummingbirds arrived in huge numbers today right on schedule for the Hummingbird Festival.

And forgot to mention we saw a red fox on the hill two days ago - trotted across an old woodpile and then curled up for a nice nap.

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Thanks, Libby!

Hummerbird Fest in Rockport this weekend; plenty of time to get over there and catch the birds and programs and come to the hill, too!

2006 Celebration of Flight, September 28 - October 1. Details on the web site; check it out!

Cheers,
Patty   

September 16, 2006 (Diez y Seis):

Libby's report:

Broad-winged Hawk: 95
Swainsons Hawk: 1
Miss. Kite: 41
Osprey: 2
Harris Hawk: 1

Total 140

Today was HOT, s-l-o-w and HOT with very strong winds from the South and Southeast. Not many birds wanted to fight that head wind.

We were happy to see many visitors on the hill, including John Economidy - however, even his blessings and all of our wishings couldn't slow the wind enough to bring the birds. Our sky scans began and ended with watching the swarms of hummers at the feeders on the hill.

September 17, 2006:

Libby's report:

Broadies: 30
Turkey Vultures: 11
Black Vultures: 15
Cooper's Hawk: 2
Amer Kestrel: 2
Merlin: 1
Osprey: 3
Unid Buteo: 1

Total: 65 

September 18, 2006: 

Libby's report:

Broadies: 1506
Swainson's: 1
Red-shouldered: 1
Turkey vulture: 7
Black vulture: 1
Miss Kite: 137
Swallow-tailed Kite: 1
Sharpies: 4
Cooper's: 5
Amer Kestrel: 5
Osprey: 1
Northern Harrier: 2

Total: 1671

September 19, 2006:

Dane's report:

YES! 41,463 ... Raptor total for 09/19/06 !

Broad-winged Hawks : 41,106
Mississippi Kites : 204
Red-tailed Hawks : 4
Swainson's Hawks : 34
Red-shouldered Hawk : 1
Turkey Vultures : 2
Swallow-tailed Kites : 5
Sharp-shinned Hawks : 6
Cooper's Hawks : 31
Unidentified Accips : 4
American Kestrels : 33
Peregrine Falcons : 2
Osprey : 15
Northern Harriers : 8
Harris's Hawks : 2
White-tailed Hawk : 1
Unidentified Raptors : 5

Total = 41,463

Largest kettle was 6540 Broad-winged Hawks ... biggest hour was from 4pm to 5pm (Texas time) 19,995 Birds !! ... we want to thank our excellent visitors, and a Big, Big THANK YOU to our outstanding Volunteers - we literally could not do it without you'all ... and oh yes - Happy Birthday Jimmy Swartz ! (we call him Merlin Man) ... Hazel 2006 ...

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Thanks, Dane! Wowsa, baby!!! Now THAT's what I call a good day! Shoot, I call any day with any raptor a good day, but now we're talking good days in Hazel language!

Now, here's the thing ... yesterday, my spreadsheet had a mark by the broadie total. Not for what the day brought (1506) but for what LAST YEAR brought on that day ... the first four-digit day of the last season after a long period of dribbling broadies. And last season, the first five-digit flight day was the 22nd. This season, our first four-digit day came AFTER our first five-digit day! We're right on track, on the earlier side of the track, if you will ... and it's a very nice thing to see!

Interestingly enough, Kirk Moulton posted just yesterday about how the broadies in his Pennsylvania transept need to get a move on and start migrating through in larger numbers. Eastern watches traditionally get their big flights through a week before they hit down here, but their numbers have been relatively mild so far. I suspect that will change very soon, as our flight today indicates some pops likely did skid and swerve around those weather systems bisecting the country in the last couple weeks, balling up behind the fronts, culminating in reaching Hazel tonight.

In the meantime, I think it's probably a bit safe to say there might be a liftoff of some sort tomorrow morning! With the number of birds coming through at the last hour ... there's a good possibility of some action tomorrow morning. Good thing it's picking up, too, 'cuz we're supposed to get another front through and it's supposed to be wet. Bring on them broadies, baby, we're ready, with clickers and chocolate to spare! Surf the incoming front line; line up behind it and barrel on through for the weekend. We're heading into high traffic!

2006 Celebration of Flight, September 28 - October 1. Details on the web site; check it out!

Cheers,
Patty   

September 20, 2006:

Joel's report:

A Great Horned Owl was seen flying low over the site as the count team drove up to begin the day. Jumping out to try to find it setting somewhere on the golf course an American Kestrel fussing and dive bombing the owl led to a fun and close up look. Good start!!

We had our first good lift-off of the season with 4700 broadies coming up from the west. The high-light bird of the day was an adult Bald Eagle flying with three broadies....what a difference in size. After providing us and an excited visitor good looks it flew to the east. Also, a Krider's Red-tailed Hawk added to the spice of the day. Mostly slow for large numbers during the middle of the day until just after 3:30 pm when the largest single group of broadies this season, 5050, came right down the middle, wow what a sight!!

Broad-winged Hawk 14864
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Swainson's Hawk 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Black Vulture 12
Mississippi Kite 8
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2
Cooper's Hawk 5
American Kestrel 14
Peregrine Falcon 3
Osprey 3
Northern Harrier 19
Bald Eagle 1
Unidentified Accipiter 4
Unidentified Raptor 3
Total 14,943

September 21, 2006:

Joel's report:

We were treated to a lift-off of 1400 with about 500 coming up from Hazel itself. These low and slow looks were at treat to our visitors. The highlight of the day, especially for me, was a Northern Goshawk, the third for our site. Bob Creglow found it with a loose group of broadies, it was definitely larger. But the flight was different than any buteo. Long periods of strong wing-beats punctuated with short glides. The strong south winds were playing havoc with most birds but not this one. I had this adult bird it in the scope for about one minute.
A close look of a Prairie Falcon was also very nice. Mostly slow during the middle part of the day until 3:30 pm when we had our largest kettle of the day, 6820.

Broad-winged Hawk 20974
Swainson's Hawk 10
Turkey Vulture 34
Black Vulture 62
Mississippi Kite 123
American Kestrel 3
Peregrine Falcon 2
Osprey 4
Northern Harrier 1
Prairie Falcon 1
Northern Goshawk 1
Unidentified buteo 1
Total 21216

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Thanks, Joel! This is the really special time of the season; not only for peak passage, but for the increase in species count. This is when the more northern species start coming through, and this season, it looks like we're definitely back on a more "normal" track for migration patterns after so many years of weather influenced flights. Yes, I know, "normal" is a relative term, especially in the fluidity of migration, but you know what I mean! Tells me all that chocolate must be working. Whatever they're eating out at the watch - I'm doing my part cooped up at work, and I know you all are, too, for your own respective watches! <laugh!>

Speaking of migration patterns, since we're now in our peak passage period for this watch site, just assume at least through October 1st that there will be good lift off and set down potential every day, so plan your visits accordingly. In other words, you can't hardly miss good flights by coming out on any day through the first of October, short of bad weather blocking entire flights. And I can tell you, the crew would absolutely love to have as much help and company during the weekdays as they can get. During peak passage, there are never too many eyes in the skies helping to spot the incoming kettles, especially during the week when so many of us have to be at our 9-5's!

Don't forget to come out for the 2006 Celebration of Flight, September 28 - October 1. Details are on the web site; check it out! FMI: go to http://www.ccbirding.com/thw/2006/cof.html

Cheers,
Patty

September 22, 2006: 

Libby's report:

Broadwings: 81
Swainson's: 4
Peregrines: 5
Osprey: 3
White-tail hawk: 1
Unid buteo: 1
Unid raptor: 1

Total: 96

Very strong south winds today kept the raptors away. 70 of the broadies lifted off early to the west of the site and were blown out front for all to see. The remaining raptors came in hugging the tree-tops and broadies starting going back down into the park as early as 10:30 - nice low sitings of these throughout the day as the got up to check the wind periodically and then went back down. Of course, the peregrines were not really affected by the winds.....

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Thanks, Libby! A cold front with decent northerly winds is coming in Saturday night/Sunday morning. Let's hope it brings waves of raptors with it!

Cheers,
Patty

September 23, 2006:

Dane's report:

Broad-winged Hawks : 9
Swainson's Hawk : 1
Mississippi Kite : 1
American Kestrels : 3
Peregrine Falcons : 6
Unidentified Raptor : 1

Total = 21

South winds again ( or as we call them , "anti-migration winds" ) - Hazel should totally rock , once this front move thru ...

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Thanks, Dane! When the rains do down, the front-line scouts will push onward, and as Dane notes, once the full front is through, the backwash should be pretty good!

Cheers,
Patty   

September 24, 2006:

Joel's report:

The much needed front arrived in the wee hours this morning but unfortunately the light rain kept us from opening until 11:30 am. The first two and a half hours were slow but then we got busy. Not a huge day but most of the hawks today were low. Absolutely killer looks of broadies, peregrine, Mississippis, kestrels, both accipiters, and White-tailed Kites. There was also a set-down in the park so we will have a lift-off of broadies tomorrow. We had an unusually large flight of kestrels, maybe even a record.

Besides the great weather we also had a large number of visitors that helped make our day by just enjoying the hawks with us today.

Broad-winged Hawk 15514
Swainson's Hawk 5
Turkey Vulture 1
Black Vulture 38
Mississippi Kite 24
Sharp-shinned Hawk 45
Cooper's Hawk 16
American Kestrel 128
Peregrine Falcon 17
Osprey 24
Northern Harrier 12
Merlin 2
White-tailed Kite 2
Unidentified Buteo 1
Unidentified Accipiter 9
Unidentified Raptor 2
Total 15840

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Thanks, Joel! Wow, excellent day! I honestly didn't expect it to be that good so soon after the front, especially as it was still raining in the morning all over the area, as Joel noted. It was an interesting front; 65,000-foot supercells all along the line from Laredo to Corpus up to Victoria, TX, "shrinking" to 60,000-55,000 cells and the line continued up into the eastern seaboard. I don't think I've seen such a large band of 65,000-footers before, but I'm sure seeing a lot more of them in the last year. Makes one wonder ...

Locally, we enjoyed some awesome lightning; decent thunder, lots of rain to daybreak Sunday. Still wet today, but you know raptors ... falcons, kites and accipts aren't as concerned with wet weather as buteos. As evidenced by that awesome kestrel count! Everything did eventually start drying out and I still expect Monday and Tuesday to be killer days with some righteous counts of broadies and friends! Come out to the hill if you can! 

Cheers,
Patty

September 25, 2006: 

Libby's report:

Broadwings: 139,563
Redtails: 12
Swainsons: 50
Red-shouldered: 8
Turkey Vultures: 26
Miss Kites: 89
Swallow-tailed Kites: 2
Sharpshins: 78
Coopers: 86
Unid accips: 20
Kestrels: 52
Peregrines: 10
Prairie falcons: 3
Unid falcons: 1
Ospreys: 18
Harriers: 26
Unid raptors: 3

Total: 140,047

We started at 8:15 w/ Mississippis coming up east and broadies west and all out front - those that sat down last nite - not too many. 9 - 10 there were 8250 mostly coming from straight north and going west of the site. Busy all day with a couple lulls ( lulls are 4 digit hours instead of 5 digit hours). Biggest hour was 5 to 6 with 59846 that hour including a kettle of 13900 followed by our largest kettle of 22500. The first two dark morph broadies for the season were in that hour, too. Those were still high so not indicating a set down. We stayed until 6:30 with another 1500 coming in and probably going down in the west - they'll be lifting off for sure in the distant west - you know how they do.

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Thanks, Libby; great job under pressure!

Ohhhh, yeahhhhh, now THAT'S what I'm talking about! Good old fronts; ya gotta love 'em! All those birds streaming in ... and needless to say, there will be a really decent lift off tomorrow (Tuesday) morning! We do indeed know how they do! Look for more slamming flights on Tuesday!

Dicky birds (our vernacular for non-raptor species) seen today, with thanks to Jim Stevenson of Galveston, Brian from the King Ranch, and a very special thank you to Lynn Guerra for calling them all in to me!: summer tanager, Carolina wren, green jay, scissor-tailed flycatcher, Couch's kingbird, Eastern kingbird, great-crested flycatcher, dickcissal, white-eyed vireo, indigo bunting, glue-gray gnatcatcher, golden fronted woodpecker, verdin, mourning dove, inca dove, white-winged dove, catbird, barn swallow, rough-winged swallow, cliff swallow, cave swallow, bank swallow, Bullock's oriole, Baltimore oriole, buff-bellied hummingbird, ruby-throated hummingbird, black-chinned hummingbird, white ibis, snow geese, Tennessee warbler, whew!!! Hard to know where to look next with so many hawks AND dicky birds around!

Before I close, let's re-visit one item from yesterday's watch. The day's kestrel count for Sunday was pretty high at 128; thought to possibly be a record, but alas, 'tis not to be. Even so, it did place fourth highest for the watch from the data culled by our own Hazel Bazemore hawk watcher Emeritus John Economidy. Check out his analysis, and remember, the watch peak period is still young and anything is possible this week!

* Days with Largest Kestrel Flights
* 184 on October 14, 2003.
* 143 on October 7, 1998.
* 136 on September 28, 2003.
* 67 on October 13, 2002.
* 63 on October 2, 1999.
* 52 on September 25, 2003.

* Earliest Double-Digit Day for Kestrels: September 8, 2004 with 13.
* Earliest Day with 50+ Kestrels: September 25, 2001 with 52.
* Latest Double-Digit Day for Kestrels: October 29, 2002 with 23.
* Earliest Triple-Digit Day for Kestrels: September 28, 2003 with 136.
* Latest Three-Digit Day for Kestrels: October 14, 2003 with 184

Oh, one other item; I think I forgot to update the season-to-date list yesterday in the email post reports. Sorry; it's updated now.

Cheers,
Patty   

September 26, 2006:

Joel's report:

Broadwings: 120,388
Redtails: 7 (1 rufous morph)
Swainsons: 7
Red-shouldered: 14
Turkey Vultures: 22
Black Vultures: 20
Miss Kites: 17
Sharpshins: 36
Coopers: 46
Kestrels: 32
Peregrines: 4
Merlin: 2
Prairie falcons: 1
Ospreys: 16
Harriers: 10
Harris's hawk: 1
Unid buteos: 1
Unid accips: 7
Unid raptors: 4

Total: 120,635

The day started with a very nice liftoff of a little over 12,000 broadies, most of them very close. Flights were very consistent each hour throughout the day, with the hour of 5-6pm the best, when the largest kettle of the day came through at 21,700. Many of those will be part of the liftoff tomorrow morning. We had a four-falcon day, a grand slam of American kestrel, peregrine falcon, prairie falcon and merlin. Today was the second day over 100,000 and tomorrow may be the third! At 5pm, we weren't sure we'd even break the 100,000 mark; by 5:30pm we were still 1700 hawks short of six figures. And it wasn't as though we hadn't been eating chocolate all day long; we'd been putting it away! Still, it was looking like that might be it for the day, until Swarovski's Clay Taylor got out the day's apparent secret weapon ... Reese's Peanut Butter Pieces! Clay handed out Pieces to everyone and not even one minute later, the skies opened up again, and the largest single flight of the day came into view ... 21,700 broadies strong! With the thermals collapsing, the flight began looking for places to stay. Many went west; many more went east, in Pollywog Pond and even further east. Without a doubt, there will be a good liftoff Wednesday morning!

-----------

Thanks, Joel! Kudos to Clay for eleventh-hour quick thinking about getting the dose of chocolate on board before end of watch! We've had good luck with Reese's Pieces in past recent seasons. Joel did tell me tonight that there were all sorts of chocolate at the hill thanks to the inventiveness of our intrepid hawk watchers, and applications were liberal and frequent! No question in my mind -- just look at the hourly flight reports, <grin!>!

Actually, I was especially interested to hear of the consistency of the flights throughout the day, as I'd been unable to be on the hill today. Locked on to the radar screens all day at my lab today, I saw movement southward from the watch starting early in the morning, with incoming flights coming head to tail throughout the day and lasting well past 5pm. Apparently, those really were raptors, based on the hourly count reports! Maybe I'm finally learning how to read the things, heh! Yesterday's screens also tallied with what the watch reported for Monday; good flights at various times of day with periods of lesser activity between. There were, of course, on both days, many many more concurrent flights through the Coastal Bend and west heading into south Texas than showed up directly over the park, where they could be counted. From the quick snips I peeked at of other area NEXRADS off and on today, especially towards late afternoon, I believe Wednesday is going to be yet another six-fig day for the watch, and likely Thursday as well, as all those hawks affected by the weather fronts of the past two weeks push through. Lake Erie had a great day today with over 31,000 through their watch. Other watches in the past week that traditionally have large flights like Hawk Ridge and Hawk Cliff are showing a pick up in business as well. There are still a lot of raptors out there yet to come through any of our sites!

Cheers,
Patty   

September 27, 2006:

The twenty-fourth species of the watch made the list today!

Libby's report:

Broadwings: 164723
Redtails: 2
Swainsons: 9
Red-shouldereds: 2
Unid buteo: 3
Turkey Vultures: 30
Miss Kite: 1
Sharpshins: 7
Coopers: 5
Unid accips: 2
Kestrels: 5
Peregrines: 2
Unid falcons: 1
Ospreys: 13
Harriers: 1
Zone-tailed Hawk: 1

Total: 164,807

"The day of the HUGE kettles". Broadies got up a little late today - only about 2700 before 11:00 this morning. Then BIG groups starting just after noon of 39,900 - then 47,100 - 9,363 - 15,430 and the last of 34,100 a little after 4:00. "Little" ones (less than 3000) in between. When these groups were in the sky there was almost nothing else - no other raptors seemed to want to fly with that much of the sky filled with broadies. That is why other raptors numbers are very small today but we did add our first Zone-tailed hawk today spotted by Dane streaming under one of the huge groups. The stripes in its tail were spotted by Bob Creglow who managed to get it in the scope long enough to confirm. Lots of fun!

-----------

Thanks, Libby! Once again, NEXRAD pointed the way today to the ground-spotted flights! From my lab in Port Aransas, I monitored the radars all day long. I just knew it was going to pop today! And sure enough, the strings started kicking in about 11am, turning into ropes from noon to 4pm, snaking southward into the Coastal Bend and points west between Corpus Christi and Alice, and when I left at 5:30pm, they were still coming, but tapering off as thermal action cooled. Another six-figure day! I knew that without hearing a count (at least, I prayed like crazy that at least half of what I saw actually came over the watch site - much like yesterday, <laugh!>). Half again of today's count easily went much further west, from the looks of the strings wending southward. Awesome! Needless to say, I was squirming in my seat all day, wishing I were 45 miles west at the watch site! Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, the hill must've been swimming in it today! Not a bad visualization, now that I think of it, heh!

Anyone wanna make any bets about liftoffs tomorrow? <laugh!>

The rest of the week is looking equally good, and hopefully even larger flights will find their way over the watch site by and through the weekend, in time for the Celebration of Flight. Speaking of ...

Don't forget to come out for the 2006 Celebration of Flight, September 28 - October 1. Details are on the web site; check it out! FMI: go to http://www.ccbirding.com/thw/2006/cof.html

Cheers,
Patty

September 28, 2006:

Dane's report:

Broad-winged Hawks : 90,981 + 2 dm
Red-tailed Hawks : 13
Red-shouldered Hawks : 5
Swainson's Hawks : 13 + 1rm
Turkey Vultures : 47
Mississippi Kites : 10
Sharp-shinned Hawks : 15
Cooper's Hawks : 29
Unknown Accips : 6
American Kestrels : 28
Peregrine Falcons : 23
Merlin : 7
Unknown Falcons : 3
Osprey : 33
Northern Harriers : 2
Harris's Hawks : 5
Unknown Raptors : 2
Total = 91,225


An awesome day ... great visitors , and the usual AWESOME help from our family of volunteers ... several close streams and kettles of Broad-winged Hawks ... several streams overhead - some with thousands of Birds ! Seven Merlin - including 2 chasing one another thru a kettle of Broad-winged Hawks ... 23 Peregrine - with many high-quality looks ... Red-tailed Hawks are starting to increase ...

And now for some highlights ( just kidding - kinda ) ... 2 Chocolate-Drops ( 2 dark-morph Broad-winged Hawks ) ... 1 intermediate ( or rufous-morph ) Swainson's Hawk ... Accipiters provided very cool action , as well ... and how about 33 Osprey ? way cool ... Harris's Hawks moving thru with streams of Broad-winged Hawks - wow ...

Update on non-Raptors tomorrow ...

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Thanks, Dane! Another awesome day, is right! For everyone unable to be at the watch, who are meticulously poring over every NEXRAD screen between us and everyone else north of us, I say again, ya just gotta love technology! Once again, the beams held true, showing us clearly the slow march of hawks kicking off and resuming their southward flights in the morning, gradually growing and flowing and wending their way from the north and east southward over the watch and onward towards wintering grounds. Watching those strings, ropes and downright thick ship's cables' worth of raptors on electronic beams streaming through the coastal bend and points west was almost as much fun as seeing them in person!

Two more chocolate drops (that one's Dane's, by the way ... we're having an evil influence on him with all the chocolate saturating the hill, I think!). The dark-morph broadies are good to see; that means the western Alberta population is starting to find its way over the watch.

Hawk Watcher Emeritus John Economidy, bless him, has been as busy as our counters, poring over years of watch records as each new count day brings new realizations. Check out his latest observations, on records broken to date by the 2006 fall season (thanks so much, John!):

Records at Hazel Bazemore broken so far in 2006:

* Day with most Broad-winged Hawk daily flights of
over 100,000: September 26 (with four years)

* Earliest double-digit daily flights of Cooper's Hawk:
14 on 14 September 2006, replacing 10 on 16 September.

* Most Swallow-tailed Kites in a season: 98 (so far) in 2006.

* Most Mississippi Kites in a season: 14,041 for 2006
and still counting.

* Most Mississippi Kites in a single day: 4,484 on August 23, 2006. 

Cheers,
Patty

September 29, 2006: 

Joel's report:

Another small lift-off but all very low and close. Slow until noon when we had some nice kettles also low and over head. Great falcon day with 117 kestrels and 40 peregrines many very low providing great looking to the 90 or so people attending. The great bird was a late Swallow-tailed Kite that almost everyone got to see....number 99 for the season!!

Last Chance Forever did a program for the Calallen Middle School for 650 excited students. They will have a program tomorrow at Hazel at 10 am.

Broad-winged Hawk 37431
Red-tailed Hawk 3
Swainson's Hawk 13
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Turkey Vulture 64
Mississippi Kite 7
Swallow-tailed Kite 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 57
Cooper's Hawk 37
Unidentified Accipiter 6
American Kestrel 117
Peregrine Falcon 40
Merlin 2
Unidentified Falcon 1
Osprey 36
Northern Harrier 30
White-tailed Kite 2
Unidentified Raptor 2
Total 37851

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Thanks, Joel! NEXRAD showed a lot of incoming flights again today, but unfortunately, most were too far to the west to make the watch's official count. Even so, we're looking for a good weekend, and a good weekend it shall be with fun, friends, feathers and flight for all. Oh, and chocolate, of course! 

Cheers,
Patty

September 30, 2006:

Broad-winged Hawk 66742
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Swainson's Hawk 8
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Turkey Vulture 8
Mississippi Kite 7
Sharp-shinned Hawk 11
Cooper's Hawk 8
American Kestrel 18
Peregrine Falcon 20
Osprey 19
Northern Harrier 2
Unidentified Accipiter 1
Unidentified Falcon 2
Total 66,849

Wow, what a day! Ironically, being at the hill all day today, I was unable to get any radar information on flights (no web access at the hill, land or wireless). Fortunately, there was so much going on today thanks to the Celebration of Flight and the regular passage of raptors that there were only a few times I really missed not being able to get a heads-up on what was (or wasn't) coming.

The liftoff this morning was a bit sparse; less than 400 broadwings, but the mid-morning flights sent everyone running for binos, scopes and a clear position to view -- from 10 to 11 am the largest kettle of the day flowed through at 44,500 strong (also known as an "oh my god!" kettle!). A second medium-sized kettle of 4,900 came through shortly afterward in the same hour. Next hour's block saw yet another good stream, this time of 14,060.

Heartfelt thanks to our friends John, Melissa, Kelly and Matt of Last Chance, Forever raptor conservancy for bringing their live raptor education program to our hill and our area schools. And to Swarovski Optics for sponsoring their program.

The early morning pre-watch bird walk down to the pond yielded a good collection of dicky birds. Some of the more notable were the vermilion flycatcher male in the scope; a yellow-headed blackbird that flew through the watch with a red-winged blackbird, and the green kingfisher that appears to have taken up winter residence at the pond just down the hill from the watch. Hooded warblers, yellow-throated vireos, northern parula, Nashville warbler, American redstart were also found in the brush, as well as the resident green jays and groove-billed anis that popped in during the morning to thrill the many Celebration of Flight visitors from all over the country.

Cheers,
Patty  

Information in above chart compiled by John M. Economidy.
Thanks, John!!
 

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