This year seems to be starting off strong! Certainly
our best August flight ever - mostly Osprey. The
Ospreys, Cooper's Hawks, Merlins, and Peregrines are above
average. While Northern Harriers, Sharp-shinned Hawks
and American Kestrels are below average (see
below).
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"This year
seems to be starting off strong!"
Best August
ever!
- mostly OSPREY.
Above
average:
Osprey
Cooper's Hawk
Merlins
Peregrines |
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The Kestrels and Sharpies are well
below the 25 year average. This is not new for the Sharpies,
but the continuation of a trend of the last 12 years. The
Kestrel numbers have been very depressed for 5 years.
The Peregrine numbers are high, but probably not
meaningful. They are not due to arrive in numbers until Oct.
And the high numbers are entirely due to one day - 9/22 - when
the winds were NE and ENE and there was a low out over the
ocean. I expect that the Harrier numbers will be low
this year after their record breaking flight last year.
Harriers almost always seem to crash the year after a good
flight. But we may see a good flight of adults late in the
year.
All the totals were pretty low until 9/18, when on gusty NE
winds with clear skies, the Ospreys and Merlins poured
through.
Be on the lookout for the next cold front - Monday(?). It may
be very good!
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