And here's another recent migrant, an Eastern Towhee, male, hanging out on our shrub penisula, and area behind the bird feeder that we stock with berry-producing shrubs. This is a species whose populations is declining, so it's nice to see him show up and visit our restaurant to refuel for his migration.
Recently we had this Lincoln's Sparrow migrant stop by our yard. This species breeds in Canada's Boreal Forest, not near us in southern NH. We make a "sparrow feeder" by sprinkling some millet on the ground near a shrubby woodland edge, just the type of place sparrows like. That's where we found this bird. What a lovely sparrow, with its creamy breast with a pale, buffy cinnamon wash across the breast under the fine breast streaks. It has a thin, whitish eye-ring. Note the central breast dot, which might make you think it's a Song Sparrow.
Here's a Song Sparrow for comparison. The breast dot is bigger and the breast streaks are thicker. Sparrow ID is subtle, you must look closely at face and breast patterns. But we have fun searching through those "LBJ's (little brown jobs) to find some treasures, such as our visiting Lincoln's Sparrow.
Blogger Phoebe here,
Then there was the ecology class of older kids, who spent a lot of time petting and admiring me.
In my spare time, not that I had much, I was so busy getting petted, I let the other canine visitors admire me. Here's a 4 month old Golden Retriever puppy showing he's clearly interested in me.
and even a Pug came over to check me out. Reminds me of my Georgia boyfiriend, Stockton, the Pug whose breathing quickens evey time he sees me.
Until next time, this is Blogger Phoebe signing off
The biggest numbers of Broad-winged Hawks went over Pack Monadnock on Thursday 9/18. At one point, we had a kettle of 300 plus broadwings with another several hundred behind them.
There were so many, Ian looked out and said "the sky is black over Pack Monadnock." You have to image the above broadwing photo multiplied many times.
At other times, the hawks were so close the above crowd (Don is in the center in blue) were treated to "naked eye" birds. That's a hawk watcher term for close birds.
Close Broad-winged Hawk.
I was giving another photograher tips for photographing hawks in flight while we were all watching the hawks migrate. Big tip — get on the bird as early as possible. Do not wait until it is right over your head to try and get it in your viewfinder. These photos were taken 2 seconds apart as a beautiful Osprey came right over our heads. The last photo is a slightly cropped version of photo 3. You can see how quickly the Osprey looms up in the camera frames. If I had not gotten on the Osprey in the first frame, I would have not gotten the closer shot. It's an adreneline rush to have the bird come over you so fast, to find, to focus and to hold down the shutter button, letting the camera take almost continuous shots. The result is satisfying photos of these magnificent hawks.
We had quite a week hawkwatching last week. Tuesday 9/16 there were 980 hawks, Wednesday 9/17 there were 860 hawks and Thursday 9/18, there were an awesome 2,533 hawks migrating past Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory where we hawk watch in southern NH. Other hawk watch sites in New England also had a great day on Thursday with 3,816 hawks being seen south of us from Mt. Wachusett in MA and 5,223 hawks seen from Mt. Watatic in MA. The vast majority of these were Broad-winged Hawks, who are on their way to Central and South America and will be passing by southern hawk watch sites in the mid-Atlantic states and the Gulf Coast.
Peregrine Falcon
Broad-winged Hawk, juvenile, against cloudy sky
It was low clouds without strong thermals
I saw the skies west of us and said I hoped the Broadwings weren't passing us by in VT.
Ospreys, Broad-winged Hawks and other raptors will be migrating today.
Tomorrow could be the 'perfect storm' (perfect weather conditions) for hawkwatching if you live in New England. Today, with strong (possible gusts over 40 mph) west/southwest winds is not. Tomorrow the forecast is for northeast winds at 5 mph. The temps are dropping into the 40's tonight and the 68 degree sun tomorrow will warm the cool ground and produce rising thermals of warm air —just the elevators the Broad-winged Hawks use for migration. Broadwings spread their broad wings, ride up on the thermals, then glide to the next thermal. Above is a photo of what a group (called a "kettle") of Broadwings look like while rising up on a thermal. This is what it looks like through your binoculars, and yes they are rather small and high up. This is the search image you want when scanning the skies for migrating Broad-winged Hawks.
Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory in southern NH, where we go to hawkwatch.
Don scanning for hawks. Tip — focus your binoculars on a far distant horizon because the hawks are at a distance, tuck your elbows in to help support your binos and slooowly and systematically, scan back and forth across the sky.
Julie, the official hawk counter, who keeps the records for Pack Monadnock. The records go into the Hawk Migration Association of North America.
Yesterday we had a fabulous day hawkwatching at Pack Mondanock Raptor Migration Observatory in southern NH. A thrilling 1,541 hawks passed the mountain top that day. The majority (1448) were Broad-winged Hawks, who migrate in large groups, called "kettles," that use thermals to circle and rise up high, then glide to the next thermal. Above is a photo of what a kettle of broadwings looks like through your binoculars. I took it with a 300 mm lens and they were high overhead. This was only a small part of the kettle of about 90 birds. How do we count them? One by one really fast. Really. And yes, we can accurately identify those tiny specs.
Pack Monandnock hawkwatch site is an elevated platform at the front edge of the south Pack Monandnock mountain. There are great views to the north and west. The mountain right in front is the north Pack Monadnock.
Here's a Broad-winged Hawk that passed a little closer. Note the broad wings and white undertail feathers.
The official hat sold as a fundraiser to support the hawkwatch site. There is a paid hawk counter who keeps the records which are turned into the Hawk Migration Association of North America.
There was a wonderful group of third graders at the hawkwatch site whose enthusiastic teacher had done a good job of teaching them about hawks. One adult referred to the "gas hawk" and we had to explain to the kids we meant "an airplane." Novices often spot planes at a distance and mistake them for hawks. I was actually photographing this airplane and found there's a real Broad-winged Hawk going by the plane!
Here's a Sharp-shinned Hawk we saw attacking a Broad-winged Hawk right overhead. This is a great size comparison shot. The broadwing has the striped tail, often visible from quite a distance, but note the broad wings, short tail and visible head. The "Sharpie" has short rounded wings, a thin body, square, longish tail and small head that does not stick out in front of its wings much. Most hawk ID from hawkwatch sites is done using the shape of the hawk at a distance. So field guides with close-up photos do you no good. You can download a free silhouette guide to hawks in flight, from the NorthEast Hawk Watch, here.
Something "Sharpies" do is often fight with one another or give grief to other hawks. Sharp-shinned Hawks are feisty hawks who eat other birds, maybe that's why they're always ready for aggression. These two birds put on a show for the kids and all the other hawkwatchers present.
The kids had amazing eyesight and spotted hawks with their naked eyes that the adults, including us, could only see through binoculars. The other thing they were good at was petting Phoebe, our Corgi, who got about 5 hours of solid petting. Here she is soaking it up. Pets are allowed on leash at the hawkwatch site.
A "Tail", a Red-tailed Hawk who had some hawkwatchers wondering about it's ID until it turned and revealed its red uppertail.
At about 7:45 am this morning, I went to the coffee pot and looked out the window at "pinnacle rock," a big rock next to the house. "Look, a hawk!" I exclaimed peering through the foggy light. Husband goes into birder mode and grabs the binos. I go into photographer mode and grab my Canon Mark II with the 300 mm lens plus 1.4 teleconverter. As I grab the camera I check the ISO setting, setting it as low as I think will still take a good photo. Fortunately, I can rest my elbows on the kitchen counter for added stability, even though my camera has image stabilization.
Broad-winged Hawk
Last night, had 82 migrating Common Nighthawks as we sat on the deck and counted. Grabbed the camera and got some of my best nighthawk photos yet.
This morning a wave of little warbler migrants in our yard. Caught this Chestnut-sided Warbler just as it took off.
