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!?
 

November 1, 2008:

Broad-winged Hawk: 2
Red-tailed Hawk: 2
Turkey Vulture: 796
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 3
Coopers Hawk: 9
Unknown Accipiter: 3
American Kestrel: 2
Northern Harrier: 5
White-tailed Hawk: 3
Bald Eagle: 1
Unknown Raptors: 2

Total: 828

Highlights included 2 late-moving Broad-winged hawks. Two adult Northern Harriers in the same hour. Real nice immie White-tailed Hawk action; 3 movers,and numerous looks at our young local bird as well. And, of course, an adult Bald Eagle moving South - awesome!

It is November, and -

Hazel Rocks ... (ED: thanks, Dane!)  

November 02, 2008:

Broad-winged Hawks = 4
Red-tailed Hawks = 1
Swainson's Hawks = 1
Turkey Vultures = 288
Sharp-shinned Hawks = 2
Cooper's Hawks = 5
Total = 301

Hazel Rocks...

Corpus Christi Hawkwatch '08 

November 03, 2008:

Red-tailed Hawk: 3
Swainson's Hawk: 1
Turkey Vulture: 171
Cooper's Hawk: 1
Northern Harrier: 2
White-tailed Hawk: 1

Total 179

Intermittent showers kept the birds and numbers low today. The White-tailed Hawk was a really nice Sub-adult I bird that made us think "Swainson" for a minute. Nice challenge on a slow day! Most exciting, Harriet may have returned. We spotted a large adult female Harrier just before the watch closed. Maybe she'll still be around tomorrow.

Hazel Rocks! 

November 04, 2008:

Red-tailed Hawks = 1
Turkey Vultures = 100
Black Vultures = 2
Northern Harriers = 2
Merlins = 1
Total = 106

Hazel Rocks...

November 05, 2008:

Goose eggs all around. We were skunked! Harriet seems to have returned with a male harrier. Both hunted along the river for the last hour of the watch. We kept a day list to keep ourselves awake that yielded 55 species. We hope that tomorrow will be a better day!


Hazel still rocks on a slow day!

November 6, 2008:

Red-tailed Hawks = 3
Swainson's Hawks = 1
Red-shouldered Hawks = 1
Unknown Buteos = 1
Turkey Vultures = 153
Sharp-shinned Hawks = 9
Cooper's Hawks = 6
American Kestrels = 5
Peregrine Falcons = 1
White-tailed Kites = 1
Total = 181

Raptor highlights included an excellent look at a White-tailed Kite - just beautiful. Also, a high-quality look at an immie Peregrine Falcon - awesome! And in a battle of field goals, Sharp-shinned Hawks defeated Cooper's Hawks, 9 to 6.

Non-Raptor highlights included Northern Bobwhite, and Hooded Merganser (adult male).

Hazel Rocks...

Corpus Christi Hawkwatch '08

Dane 

November 7, 2008:

Red-tailed Hawks = 8
Red-shouldered Hawks = 2
Turkey Vultures = 306
Sharp-shinned Hawks = 5
Cooper's Hawks = 10
Unknown Accips = 1
Peregrine Falcons = 1
Ospreys = 1
Northern Harriers = 2
Unknown Raptors = 2
Total = 338

Highlights included another peregrine Falcon. Also a nice Red-tailed Hawk action; and nice Accipiter movement.

Hazel Rocks...

Corpus Chrisiti Hawkwatch '08

Dane  

November 8, 2008: 

Broad-winged Hawks = 2
Red-tailed Hawks = 7
Red-shouldered Hawks = 1
Turkey Vultures = 494
Sharp-shinned Hawks = 4
Cooper's Hawks = 3
Unknown Accips = 2
Peregrine Falcons = 1
Northern Harriers = 2
Total = 516

Nice day for Red-tailed Hawks. We had quality looks at an adult Krider's Red-tailed Hawk, and an adult rufous morph Red-tailed Hawk as well.

Even as the Season winds down:

Hazel Rocks...

Corpus Christi Hawkwatch '08 (Dane)

November 9, 2008:

Red-tailed Hawk: 3
Turkey Vulture: 69
Merlin: 1
Northern Harrier: 1
Unknown Eagle: 1

Total: 75

Libby caught the eagle flying in the east while up the hill near the bathroom and couldn't get anything on it. Heavy cloud cover moved in and kept the birds low. One of the Red-tails was a dark morph immature bird. There are lots of ducks at the duck pond. We also had field sparrow at the drip.

Hazel Rocks!

Leslie  

November 10, 2008:

Peregrine Falcon: 1
White-tailed Hawk: 1

Total: 2

High winds and consistent cloud cover kept our numbers low again today. The adult Peregrine flew over the pond and along the river giving us a spectacular view of this bird's ability to handle strong gusts. The sub-adult White-tail was escorted out by the local juvenile bird with some very close flying and plunging dives.

Acree Carlisle from Houston visited us again today. Check out his wildlife art at www.wildlifeartbyacree.com

Hazel Rocks!

Leslie

November 11, 2008:

Swainson's Hawks = 1
Turkey Vultures = 2
Total = 3

Highlight of the day was a stunning male Summer Tanager. Great spot, Leslie!


Hazel Rocks...

November 12, 2008:

Broad-winged Hawks = 1
Turkey Vultures = 14
Cooper's Hawks = 1
Merlins = 1
White-tailed Hawks = 1

Total = 18

Late-moving Broad-winged Hawk was a nice surprise; and of course Merlins are always exciting.

Hazel Rocks...

November 13, 2008:

Merlin: 1
Total: 1

Not quite a goose egg day, but very close! Watch closed at 1440 due to lightening and heavy rain. Better luck tomorrow, we hope.

Leslie

----------------------------------

Thanks, Leslie! It was raining sideways out here in Port Aransas today, too. Our Pacific front turning itself upside down, apparently.

Cheers,
Patty

November 14, 2008:

Turkey Vulture: 15
Black Vulture: 5


Total: 20

November 15, 2008:

Red-tailed Hawk: 1
Unknown Buteo: 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 1
Northern Harrier: 1
White-tailed Hawk: 1
Turkey Vulture: 336


Total: 342


A great way to end a fantastic season. Brisk winds from the north finally blew us some birds after a week of low numbers. In addition to the counted birds, there were several highlights. The immature Peregrine that has been hanging around the past couple days made several impressive passes at three Anhingas and even perched long enough to get a scope on em'. An immature Harris Hawk made a low pass over the platform for all to admire and the local Sharp-shin dove on the birds at the drip several times in search of dinner. In other exciting news, 201 species were counted in the park from August 1, when the watch opened, through today.


Thank you to all of you who have spent hours scanning the skies with us. Our volunteers undoubtedly add enjoyment, birds and accuracy to the watch. We hope all our visitors loved the platform as much as we do and also got to see good birds. Until the hawks return, farewell.


Hazel Rocks!