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Click on a day to see HawkWatch Activity
for that day.
November
September
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December 4, 2005
Daily HawkBlog So sad, the final Hawkwatch day of the 2005 season. The morning started off with an exciting sighting of a juvenile Bald Eagle over north slacker. It flew over towards the Vortac, then flew north after being mobbed by 20-30 ravens. Other highlights for the day included a beautiful adult Coop, and a few nice sightings of adult Peregrines. It's been a great season, thank you Sunday II and everyone else. I hope to see you all at the banquet in January!! --Joe Daily HawkCount (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 149
 Fly to the Top December 3, 2004
Saturday 2 bids farewell this year following a sunny, chilly, and slow day on the hill. With wind speeds of 20+ miles an hour and a wind chill of 24 degrees, we braved frostbite to look at whatever Hawks showed up in the sky. We had a lovely view of a juvenile Red-shouldered at around 11, a rare bird these days. After midday, the wind finally died down and our dexterity returned. Admist periods of dead sky, we spotted a partial Harlan's Hawk and a juvenile Ferruginous Hawk that was being attacked by a juvenile Peregrine. A toast to you all for a lovely season. Yiwei (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Total Hawks: 105 Turkey Vulture: 47
Fly to the Top Colleen: Wow, Yiwei, this is our last hawkblog update together. (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Species: 7 Turkey vultures: 54 UnID Accipiter: 1
Fly to the Top Considering the fact that I almost quite literally had to SWIM to work today, it's no surprise Hawkwatch was canceled. The storm is pounding with biblical strength, and Hawkwatch stayed warm and dry inside with wine and cheese and mushroom patte. We wish everyone a warm and dry holiday season!
Fly to the Top (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Turkey Vultures: 66 UnID Raptor: 3 Total: 93
Fly to the Top The race for the team with the least amount of time on the hill is a close one this year. Tuesday 2 continued the Tuesday Curse with heavy clouds and rain/mist (up for debate). We decided to forego the long wet drive up the hill and stayed in the office for a wonderful potluck feast. Some then went out for a walk, some just rolled out to their car to head home. We wish everyone a merry New Year and happy Hawking for the holidays.
Fly to the Top November 28, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Burrr..cold. Today was very foggy/overcast and cold. The birds must have been cold too, because they were nowhere to be seen. Highlights included good food, and 4 Red Crossbills. Thanks for a great year Monday II! -Joe Daily HawkCount (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 91
Fly to the Top November 27, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Nice sunny, warm weather, but lacking in wind, and even more lacking in birds. So few birds that Sandy fell asleep. Thanks for a great season Sunday I!! Daily HawkCount (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 167
Fly to the Top November 26, 2005
In the race to see which team had the least amount of time on the hill, Saturday 1may have had the last laugh. For while this was only one of the very, very few complete days spent on the hill, it was rife with species to make up for it. Before noon, we saw a juvenile Bald Eagle (big head on 'em!), an adult Red-Shouldered Hawk (sooooooo pretty, like a checkered jewel in the scope), and two juvenile Ferruginous hawks (still one of my favorites). We also had quite a few good looks at peregrines. But the day dropped off in activity quickly after that, despite the sunny warm weather. Saturday 2 called it a year with 295 birds and an even 59 birds an hour. (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Turkey Vultures: 166 UnID Accipiter: 1 Total: 295
Fly to the Top November 25, 2005
No Hawkwatch today. It was raining this morning, but then it cleared up after we all left. So, I took a walk up the hill with Carrot and heard from GGRO birdwatchers that few birds were seen for the day besides a few Red-tails, Accipiters, and a couple of Peregrines. Tomorrow should be sunny! Yiwei Fly to the Top November 24, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Happy Thanksgiving! The company and food was great-the weather was less than great. The morning was cool and progressed to windy, cold, and fogged out. We left the hill at 2:30. The highlight was an adult and juvenile harrier flying and hunting together. Thanks for a great season Thursday I. Daily HawkCount (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 124
Fly to the Top November 23, 2005
Wednesday 1's last day on the hill was slow but it proved unforgettable. After five hours of seeing the usual Turkey Vultures and Red-tails, we saw two Swainson's hawks between 2 and 3!!! The first one was a nice speckled dark morph juvenile who gave us an excellent look and flew right over the hill. We saw the second one about half an hour later; it was a bit further but we still managed a decent look at the bird. Other than that, we had an uneventful day including a Merlin, some Kestrels, Harriers, and Accipiters. We had a nice good bye though at 3:30, just when we had given up hope of ever seeing another bird, a male Northern Harrier flew directly over us and sent us off to post season boredom. Yiwei (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Total Birds: 208 Turkey Vultures: 108
Fly to the Top November 22, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Another nice hot summer day in November on Hawk Hill today. The morning started off with some excitement with an adult Peregrine Falcon making an unsuccessful stoop on a Purple Finch, but activity really slowed down soon after. Around 2pm, Steve spotted a Bald Eagle in the north saddle, a beautiful fourth year bird with a white head and tail, but still with some white speckling on the body and a brown tail edging. The bird was very cooperative, and after flying towards Vortac, it came straight overhead, no more than 150 feet away. What a wonderful way to end the season for Tuesday I!! Thanks Tuesday I for a fun and exciting season.-Joe Daily HawkCount (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 224
Fly to the Top November 21, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Today was beautiful, warm, and relaxing. Not a whole lot of birds, but we did see an excellent view of a White-tailed Kite, and a distant juvenile Ferruginous Hawk. The last bird of the year for Monday I was a handsome blue backed adult male Merlin. Thanks for a great season Monday I, and I'll see the rest of you on the hill. -Joe Daily HawkCount (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 166
Fly to the Top November 20, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Once again, a wonderful warm day on Hawk Hill today! A fairly strong north wind persisted throughout the day, however Raptor action remained quite slow. The morning started off with a great view of a juvenile Broad-winged Hawk rising out of Kirby Cove followed by 2 adult Peregrine Falcons. The afternoon was slow but steady. Not many Accipiters around, and once again, still waiting for those Red-tails to show up. See you all on the hill-Joe Daily HawkCount (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons American Kestrel-12 Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 195
Fly to the Top The day was positively balmy, with Hawkwatchers practically coming down with heat strokes. Unfortunately, no one was coming down with any Hawk-strokes since the skies proved relatively birdless. It seemed the heat was too much for the birds as well since we began the count slowly and ended it even more slowly. About half of our birds were Turkey Vultures and the rest were Red-tails, Sharpies and miscellaneous Raptors. Our highlight came when a White-tailed Kite flew right over us, giving us a lovely view of its plumage. Otherwise, we had a few fun dark-morph Red-tail sightings, a Kestrel that flew by with a snake in its talons, and a far glimpse at a Merlin. - Yiwei (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Total Birds: 239 Turkey Vulture: 120
Fly to the Top November 18, 2005
Well... What to say about today. It was a warm day, and windy and long. Did we see birds? I suppose you could say we did. The morning was definitely more interesting with Peregrines and Merlins spotted every so often, including a Harrier and Peregrine fight. Other than that, one strange looking Red-ail amidst many other Red-ail sightings. No unusual species were spotted and activity died down in the afternoon to the point where we started counting Quail. - Yiwei (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Total Hawks: 247 Turkey Vulture: 122
Fly to the Top November 17, 2005
The day was a lot like any other this week--warm, breezy, sunny, dry--but today was special because it was the Day of Dark morphs. We saw at least four distinctly different Red-ails showing dark morph characteristics, three adults and one juvenile. The last adult we saw at the end of the day was exceptionally dark, with a dark dark chocolate body and a tail so dark it was almost black. But there were shades of deep blood red on the top side of the tail feathers, so its hard to decide how to classify this bird. In any event, it was cool. We also saw a juvenile Ferruginous Hawk, two White-ailed Kites, and 11 Harriers, including a couple adult males. We saw one small Buteo that practically flew from horizon to horizon in our line of sight, but try as we ay and as long as we looked at it, we could not decide if it was a Red-shouldered or a Broad-winged Hawk. It knew how to keep at *just* the right angle to make his outline and flight pattern perfectly ambiguous. -Colleen (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Turkey Vultures: 123 UnID Accipiter: 6
Fly to the Top November 16, 2005
Today marked the start of the Red-tailed Hawk migration. It's about time! Our day began with a bang when an adult Peregrine Falcon practically flew into our faces. About an hour later, one of our diligent watchers noticed an adult Red-tailed Hawk with a white tail. What could that be? Hm... something from Alaska maybe? Like... a Harlan's Hawk!!! Wow, we practically fainted, but didn't because we wanted to watch the bird. After that, we had some fun Red-tail action with quite a few dark morphs mixed in and almost equal amounts of juveniles and adults. Other exciting views were of three Kites, one that flew directly overhead, and two Merlins. One of the Merlins awed us by consuming a poor unsuspecting dragonfly. All in all, one of the busier days of the last few weeks for any Hawkwatching team. Yiwei (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Total Birds: 363 Turkey Vulture: 134
Fly to the Top November 15, 2005
Today was like the summer that Tuesday 2 never had. We got an entire, sunny day up on the hill. Unfortunately we spent quite a lot of it fighting to stay ON the hill. Yes, the offshore winds were up in force, with gusts up to a recorded 35mph. We think they were stronger than that at some points but the weather-thingy was on the fritz. Still, the wind didn't seem to deter the birds. We saw three White Tailed Kites and had great close-up looks of Peregrine Falcons and an adult Golden Eagle. A good number of Red-tails were around as well, but numbers still continue to be lower than expected for that species. In non-raptorine news we saw two big flocks of snow geese twinkling high overhead, although one was heading NORTH which confused and worried us. - Colleen (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Turkey Vulture: 157 UnID Accipiter: 2 Total birds: 342
Fly to the Top November 14, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Today was another beautiful, sunny, and warm day in the Headlands. Still no Red-tail push, but we remain hopeful. Many Peregrine Falcon sightings today, including an adult that passed over Hawk hill multiple times, coming within 50 feet of the hawk watchers. We enjoyed watching a Merlin successfully hunting dragonflies on the wing, and a good look at an adult male harrier-very nice day. I hope to see you all on the hill - Joe Daily HawkCount (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 226
Fly to the Top November 13, 2005
Daily HawkCount (Data have not been entirely checked ?contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 310
Fly to the Top November 12, 2005
Ok so get this, it is the second-to-last cycle of the season, and Saturday 1's team just got their first full day on Hawkwatch today. Insanity. Well, the day did well at making up for it. We saw 10 species, including a Golden Eagle (from afar) and a juvenile Peregrine (very very close.) A couple good looks at Merlins but eh, thats old news by now. We counted 152 Red-tails, many of them adult pairs that wow'ed us all by circling around with each other and doing their "sexy legs" routines. Our informal carnivore-count today counted one Bobcat and one Coyote. (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Turkey Vultures: 162 UnID Accipiter: 6 Total: 396
Fly to the Top November 11, 2005
Yiwei: Brrrrrrrr. (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Total Hawks: 27 Turkey Vultures: 8
Fly to the Top Date November 10, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Today was another slow, but pleasant day. Very mellow weather until the wind picked up mid-afternoon. Highlights included 2 Osprey, a bobcat near Hawk Blind, and 9 Merlin, including an overhead view of a Merlin making multiple passes on a butterfly. Thanks for a great season Thursday I crew! -Joe Daily HawkCount (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 219
Fly to the Top November 9, 2005
The skies were magnificent today, the birds were not too shabby. Our day started out hot and slow, but ended blisteringly cold and slow. We saw some fun birds between intervals of emptiness. A Red-shouldered Hawk was spotted and so was a Ferruginous Hawk, bringing the buteo species total up to three for the day. Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures dominated the count as usual, but we also had some fun Falcon activity involving Peregrines and Kestrels. Of course, there were tons of Ravens around who decided to do battle with anyone they saw, Red-tails, Harriers, Ferruginous Hawks, Kestrels, Peregrines. Ravens don't discriminate. We got a treat at the end of our day when we watched a juvenile Harrier hunt successfully right in front of us, only to be chased about by a couple of Ravens afterwards. Yiwei (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Total Raptors: 244 Turkey Vultures: 107
Fly to the Top November 8, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Another overcast, yet beautiful day on Hawk Hill. Luckily, the rain stayed away from us all day and allowed us to have a complete HawkWatch day. Although there was very little Raptor activity, we managed an amazing look at a juvenile Ferruginous Hawk over the rifle range and a similar view of a Merlin. Not to mention some delicious apple fritters from Dr. Bauer. A good day with good company. See you all on the hill. Daily HawkCount (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 193
Fly to the Top November 7, 2005
Daily HawkBlog The morning started off with a very wet, misting fog, and absolutely no raptors. After driving down to 1064, the fog seemed to clear so we headed back up to the hill. No more wetness, but it was very windy and overcast. Raptor activity was slow and steady throughout the day. Highlights included 2 adult Peregrines flying through the bridge cables, and a raven playing with a stick-it was cooler than it sounds. Daily HawkCount (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 111
Fly to the Top Fly to the Top November 5, 2005
The day started so promising with abundant sunshine and ... semi abundant birds. We had good numbers of Turkey Vultures, Red-tails and a few Accipiters here and there. Our fourth Rough-legged Hawk of the season was spotted a little before noon, and we had a few decent looks at it. Also visiting were some Harriers, including a few gray ghosts, a few Kestrels, and at least one dark morph Red-ail. But then everything went downhill in the afternoon, as the magic of Hawk Hill suddenly conjured up a cloud from an otherwise clear sky. We had periodic clearings amidst fog for the last hour during which we saw few Raptors. Finally, we decided to pack it up at 2:45 after hanging on to hope for more than an hour that the fog would leave us. Oh well. (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Raptors: 233 Turkey Vulture; 71
November 4, 2005
Holy Hawkmonkies, batman, but today was a crazy day. The excitement started with a juvenile Bald Eagle that came right up over the pines at Hawk Hill, then booked it over the channel and across the city. Not an hour later, we saw yet another Rough-legged Hawk way out over Slacker Ridge, making it the second or third Rough-leg of the season. The day ended with a spectacular Falcon grand-finale: we first watched the Bridge Peregrines circle together over Alcatraz, and then were surprised by two MORE adult Peregrines that emerged from the trees on Hawk Hill. They moved up the valley and proceeded to, well, harry a harrier, taking it in turns to dive-bomb him. Luckily no one was hurt, and the team left the hill very pleased with the show. (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Total birds: 283 Turkey Vultures: 88 UnID Accipiter: 7
(Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Total birds: 291 Turkey vulture: 113 UnID Accipiter: 5
November 2, 2005 Dear Rough-legged Hawk, it's me Wednesday II. Why don't you come and visit anymore? It's been a long time since we've seen you. We stood out in the cold, windy, overcast landscape, waiting for you to show up. When others told us you weren't coming, we persisted, waiting until 3:30 PM. The Turkey Vultures came in droves; even the red-tails finally made a big appearance. But where were you? The Sharp-shinned Hawks and Coopers Hawks have been coming for months, and while we appreciate their visits, we really miss you. We saw a white tail in the distance and thought maybe you were coming, but no, it was your distant relative, a Ferruginous Hawk. He doesn't come see us that often, but at least we've seen him a few times this season. Even the Falcons, Peregrines, Merlins and Kestrels, visited us several times today, but alas, still no sign of you. Well, Rough-legged Hawk, we'll be there again in two weeks, rain or snow, waiting patiently as always for your visit. Please come see us and cure us of our heartache; we miss you. - Yiwei (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Total Hawks: 326 Turkey Vultures: 85
November 1, 2005 Tuesday 2 arrived today to find sunny skies, and concluded that the Curse had been lifted! Indeed, the first hours on the hill were warm and clear. We saw five white-tailed kites, including two definite juveniles that circled right over the hill. We saw a good number of Accipiters as well. Around noon, however, we noticed that the fog was starting to creep in below us, slowly taking over Rodeo Valley. It was low and moved with glacial slowness, so we believed it would merely sit below us, leaving us in the clear. But then, without warning, the fog gathered speed and POUNCED over the hill, inundating us and stampeding in to take the Golden Gate. Visibility dropped nearly as fast as our layers of clothing increased. We abandoned the hill at 1, dejected that the curse yet lives on. (Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use.) Total Hawks: 249 Turkey Vulture: 79 UnID Accipiter: 14
Fly to the Top October 29, 2005
(data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Total Hawks: 243 Turkey Vultures: 65 UnID Accipiter: 13
Fly to the Top Colleen: Today on HawkWatch I had a lot of time to really
observe and reflect on how cloud patterns and the quality
of light can really change the ambient mood and impression
on Hawk Hill One minute, you're in broken sunlight and seeing
birds everywhere. The air is filled with color and light and
San Francisco glitters below you, seemingly close enough to
touch. Then, later, the sky clouds over and the dimming light
makes the hill seem to tower in the dusk, and-
(data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Total Raptors: 173 Turkey Vultures: 82 UnID Accipiter: 4
Fly to the Top October 27, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Wow what a day! The morning started off with a juvenile NORTHERN GOSHawk that appeared over the pines in south and crossed the bay straight over the Golden Gate Bridge. After spotting the GosHawk, dayleader Josh was elated, but still wasn't satisfied-ordering the team to produce a Rough-leg for him. Sure enough, Steve "Pizza Man" Bauer spotted a Rough-legged Hawk over the flat white house that traveled south over slacker ridge and crossed into San Francisco. PIZZA PIZZA PIZZA YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY. Joe Medley Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 315
Fly to the Top October 26, 2005
No amount of cold, fog or rain can stop Wednesday I's team from going up to the hill. And we were generously awarded with 45 minutes of fairly clear skies and a total of 17 different Raptor sightings. Highlights included a Kestrel chasing a Red-tail and a lovely show by a large female Peregrine less than 50 feet away. I'm sure we would have had more excitement had not the fog come charging back with a vengeance. After being socked in for half an hour, we finally gave up and retreated to the safety and warmth of our cars. Yiwei (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Total Hawks: 17 Turkey Vulture: 5
Fly to the Top October 25, 2005
Daily HawkBlog The morning started off with a ceiling of fog, which remained for most of the day. The day began with a bang, with 10 species before 11am, but then slowed down significantly until around 1:30-when we saw a juvenile Swainson's Hawk, two Peregrines fighting each other, and a Merlin dive-bombing another Peregrine. An overall pleasant day-including the weather, the birds, and the company. Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 262
Fly to the Top
Fly to the Top October 23, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Following a nice hike up the Gerbode Valley-where we saw a Coop, a Sharp, a Harrier, a Kestrel, and a Merlin, we arrived Hawk Hill around 1145 just in time for a nice clearing. We saw 80 raptors in the first half of an hour, and had fairly steady raptor activity for the hour and forty-five minutes we spent on the hill. Highlights included a close up Merlin feeding on the wing, a possible adult Golden Eagle, and a nice Adult Peregrine playing with Slacker blind. Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 160
Fly to the Top October 22, 2005
An anonymous tip off led us up the hill at around 9:45 AM. There, we sat, or slept, waiting for the fog to clear for the next two hours. Mutiny was mentioned, but we were all too lethargic to attempt anything. However, the skies cleared briefly at noon and we enjoyed a flurry of activity before fog once again closed in on us. In our brief hour of greatness, Accipiters rained upon us and we also caught exciting glimpses of a Broad-wing and a Ferruginous Hawk and a couple of Merlins. But good things are not meant to last and our visibility once again reverted back to earlier conditions and we were forced down the hill around 2 PM. Yiwei (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Total Hawks: 161 Turkey Vultures: 15
Fly to the Top October 21, 2005
(data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Total Hawks 382 Turkey Vultures: 43
Fly to the Top October 20, 2005
Despite yesterday afternoon's clear air and thin cloud layer (leading to a spectacular sunset, by the way), today the fog returned in force. It was cold, it was wet, so the team curled up in the office with a bunch of slides. Once staring at photos of birds became monotonous, we switched to watching videos of birds. Finally, after lunch, we got word that the hill was clearing and headed up. We got there just as the hill poked through the top of the fog, around 1, which incidentally was the exact same time most of the Hawks in the valley took flight. We had around 40 birds and about 8 species in the first fifteen minutes up on the hill. For the next two and a half hours, the fog came and went, but we saw a pretty steady stream of a wide variety of birds, including a Ferruginous Hawk and a juvenile golden eagle. We were fogged out right at 3:30 and departed with a pleasing record of 93.6 Hawks per hour. -Colleen O'Rourke (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Turkey Vulture: 57 Unid. Accipiter: 22 Total Hawks: 234
Fly to the Top October 19, 2005
We spent the morning watching some scientists gather tide fish gobies from a lagoon and ended it watching a Golden Eagle fly right over us. Today the ominous clouds in the morning happily gave over to sunny skies and nice winds, bringing us a lovely bit of bird action. Although some were ready to quit by 11, our dayleader used his cattle prod and forced us onto the hill. Things started out fairly busy with lots of adult Red-tails and Turkey Vultures and a far White-tailed Kite. For a while, the fog hovered over us like a cold wet blanket and we strained to see any birds. However, things picked up in the afternoon and we got a good look at a juvenile Ferruginous Hawk, some nice adult Peregrines dancing around, and finally a Golden Eagle that flew right over to us from miles away. Now, we're just waiting on that Rough-legged Hawk to show up. (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Total Hawks: 308 Turkey Vulture: 95
Fly to the Top October 18, 2004
(data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Turkey Vulture: 18 Unidentified Accipiter: 1 Total: 49
Fly to the Top October 17, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Another beautiful day in the Headlands! A fairly light, swirling wind seemed to keep raptor activity fairly slow throughout the day. However, we were very lucky to see the first Swainson's Hawk of the year, which flew over the volcano, then headed south over San Francisco. Other highlights included a great, close up view of a Prairie Merlin, and a similar view of an adult Peregrine Falcon. Overall, a slow, yet rewarding day. -Joe Medley Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 279
Fly to the Top Oct 16, 2005
Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 353 Daily HawkBlog A shifty or nonexistent morning wind resolved to west-NW by 1 pm, pushing Red-tails, Coops, Sharpies, and some late afternoon Merlins. A good run of Shoulders given a general low Shoulder year. One third to one half of Accips were adults. Still waiting for a Gos or Roughleg. Lots of VG Swallows and BT Pigeons flocking about. Two more weekends of docent programs -- please come join us for a 12 noon HawkTalk or 1 pm Banding Demo. Allen Fish Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified
Fly to the Top October 15, 2005
For those who have never experiences Hawkwatch, today would have been a good day to get an idea of the entire Hawkwatch experience all in one go. I call it The Four Seasons Of Hawkwatch Experienced In A Time Frame Of About 6 Hours. Observe: The day started with high clouds and pretty good visibility. Then patchy clouds moving across the hill obstructed views of some of the quadrants on occasion. Then the low clouds switched to true fog, and we had 0% visibility for a large amount of the time coupled with increasing winds. Still, patches of clarity and occasional Hawks identified through the gloom kept us tied to the hill. As the day wore on, we knew there was sun somewhere, as we could see patches of it shining below us on the valley and water. I spent many a bleary minute gazing at the marbled-light pattern on the Golden Gate Channel, casting shades of jade and cobalt on the choppy waves. Then, without warning, the clouds and fog all blew past up and the heavens opened up in a glorious revelation of blue sky and sun. Oh, oh the spectacular views we were finally granted, with a whole hour and a half of Hawkwatch to go! The birds, also awakened by the afternoon sun, took off in force and our numbers jumped. We saw some great views of adult Red-tails stilling over the hill, watching us intently, as if trying to distinguish dark-morph Hawkwatchers from more light-patterned ones. As we were getting ready to leave, we were highly amused to see that a white-tailed kite we had spotted way down in the valley when we first got on the hill in the morning was IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE six hours later. -Colleen O'Rourke (data have not been entirely checked contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Turkey Vultures: 120 Total count: 267
Fly to the Top October 14, 2005
(data have not been entirely checked contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Total Hawks: 46 Turkey Vultures: 41
Fly to the Top October 13, 2005
Daily Hawk Blog Today was very warm and sometimes even hot, with fog-free skies. There was very little wind throughout the day, but raptor activity picked up around 12. Highlights included many adult Accipiters, two Merlins, and a great look at a juvenile Ferruginous Hawk. See you all on the hill. -- Joseph Medley Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings:389
Fly to the Top October 12, 2005
Today was the opposite of yesterday: clear until about 1:30 and then fog started creeping in. Well, by creeping, I mean creeping at a very fast rate. A lot more adult Accipiters were seen today than in previous weeks, but juveniles still dominated in the numbers. Not that we had very high numbers. Highlights included the adult Accipiters, an Osprey, a Merlin, a couple of Harriers, and a lot of Kestrels playing in front of us. Unfortunately, we had to miss the late hour birds because we became surrounded by grayness. Oh well, better luck tomorrow. Yiwei Total Hawks: 270 Turkey Vultures: 26
Fly to the Top October 11, 2005
FOG FOG FOG FOG... We went for a hike around the stables, saw a couple TVs.... tons of fun. -- Joseph Medley
Fly to the Top October 10, 2005 - Daily
HawkBlog
Weather conditions on the hill were sunny and hot. Raptor activity was slow throughout the day, but it didn't keep us from having fun. Highlights were a good view of a Merlin, lots of Kestrels, and a quiet, Blue Angel-free sky. Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 307
Fly to the Top October 9, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Once again, another beautiful day on the hill for Sunday II. The morning started off slow, but Raptor activity picked up around noon with a wind shift coming out of the northwest. The Blue Angels were performing crazy aerial acrobatics, but of course, as always, we were all paying attention to the birds. An overhead Prairie Falcon that crossed the bay was a special treat, along with huge amounts of Violet-green and Northern Rough-winged Swallows. Lets hope the weather holds up for the rest of the week! Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 444
Fly to the Top October 8, 2005
A quiet and sunny day on the hill, except for the jets flying around us. Alas, no Blue Angels were counted today as they arrived after the 3:30 shut down time. All the usual birds were seen: Red-tails, Sharpies, Coops, Turkey Vultures. Highlights included a Merlin briefly diving on an adult Peregrine Falcon and a Sharpie and a Kestrel having a little duel in the distance, and of course acrobatics from some visiting gas-Hawks. Yiwei Daily HawkCount Total Hawks: 354 Turkey Vulture: 147
October 6, 2005
Hey, what's that up in the sky? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's birds AND planes! Yes, Fleet Week has arrived in the Bay Area, and today's Hawk count was done to the background drone of WW2-era fighter planes and roaring screams of the Blue Angels doing maneuvers overhead. *I* thought it was cool, since my dad used to take me to airshows when I was a kid, and I find that anything in the sky with wings is intrinsically beautiful. But to some of the other Hawkwatchers they were just exceptionally-loud gasHawks. The planes *did* seem to inspire the ravens to do barrel rolls and the Accipiters into zipping, diving stoops past the hill. Anyway, Hawk counts were slow but steady. Things picked up toward the afternoon when the wind shifted to the north and picked up speed. The non-gaspowered highlight for the day was definitely a juvenile Ferruginous Hawk that came by fairly close to the hill, showing great views of both dorsal and ventral sides. She circled the hill, eventually disappearing over the Golden Gate Bridge. One was spotted across the valley later in the afternoon and may or may not have been the same bird. No official eagles today, though word has recently reached the office that one of our banding blinds saw one in the valley this afternoon. -Colleen O'Rourke Daily HawkCount Turkey Vulture: 193 Unidentified Accipiter: 28 Total count: 425
October 5, 2005
Daily HawkCount Total Birds: 358 Turkey Vulture: 141
September 4, 2005
The light looked bright and newly-minted as it glittered off the calm waters of the Golden Gate channel on Hawkwatch this day; newly-minted, in fact, like the Tuesday 2 Hawkwatch team, as this was the FIRST TIME this team has gotten up to the hill ALL SEASON. It was a perfect day for it, though, as the sky was clear, the air was warm, and the winds stayed down almost all day. Still, Accipiter counts continued to show the general declining trend that has been evident in these post-peak days. But 93.7 Hawks per hour isn't bad, and neither are 10 species for the day. Way to come back from behind, Tuesday 2! -Colleen O'Rourke Daily HawkCount Turkey Vultures: 193 Unidentified Accipiter: 26 Total count: 347
October 3, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Today was another beautiful day in the Headlands--sun, blue sky, and a northwest wind. Highlights included a juvenile Golden Eagle and an adult Ferruginous Hawk. Raptor activity dropped off significantly around 1pm, but it was still an overall great day. Daily HawkCount Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 374 -- Joseph Medley
September 30, 2004
(Data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Turkey Vulture: 128 Unidentified Accipiter: 25 Total count: 452
September 29, 2005 Daily HawkBlog Finally a day up on the hill for Thursday I!!!! The weather was very warm and there was a lack of any wind for most of the day. Other than a large flurry of birds between 11 and 12, Hawk activity was relatively slow. Nonetheless we had a great time and enjoyed some great views of an Osprey and many Broad-winged Hawks. Lets hope the weather holds up the rest of the week! Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 420
Fly to the Top September 28, 2005
Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) A mouse-breath of wind this morning kept the flight quiet until about 11 am when the numbers started picking up with more wind. Sharpies and Turkey Vultures dominated, but Coops and Red-tails ran a close second. Recurring looks at Broadwings kept the day exciting. Also a few afternoon Merlins. Very few adult Accipiters so far. Fog fingered into the Golden Gate at midday then retreated. Lots of fire smoke to the northwest; someone said controlled burns at Pt Reyes -- in fall? Regardless, these are lovely days for burning your eyes on too many Accipiters and a few Broadwings. Tell work that you have to take a long lunch for mental wellness purposes. Come join us on Hawk Hill. - Allen Fish Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 608
Fly to the Top September 27, 2005
Broad-wings galore! A great day on the hill-fun was had by all. Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 734
Fly to the Top September 26, 2005
Daily HawkBlog The morning started off with a bit of fog, but it burned off quickly. Just when we thought it was going to be a beautiful day, the fog came back in and almost completely obscured our vision. The fog didn't keep us from seeing hundreds of Accipiters and some great views of a few juvenile Broad-winged Hawks though. A juvenile Peregrine gave us a great show with many stoops and aerial acrobatics while trying to escort a juvenile Northern Harrier. An overall great day, despite the fog. See you on the hill. Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons American Kestrel-3 Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 599
Fly to the Top September 25, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Today was a very warm and fog-free day on Hawk Hill. Unfortunately the wind was coming out of the South for most of the day, but it didn't prevent us from seeing 15 different species and a total of 630 raptor sightings. Highlights included two Broad-wings, one Ferruginous Hawk, one Golden Eagle, and the first Bald Eagle of the Season. Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons American Kestrel-4 Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 630 Fly to the Top September 24, 2005
Wow! What a day for birds! The weather was lovely (I managed the whole day in a T-shirt or less) and a nice northwesterly breeze came by in the afternoon. I suppose there were two highlights for the day: a dark morphed juvenile Broad-wing and a Prairie Falcon who gave us a show for several minutes. We saw 13 species of birds today, mostly Red-tails, Turkey Vultures, and the two smaller Accipiters. It was also a four Falcon day; yay! The Merlins are really coming in early this year! IN addition, we had five Broad-wings, 12 Red-shouldered Hawks, 9 Harriers, 6 Osprey, and one White-tailed Kite. In addition, we had almost as many visitors to the hill today as we did birds, but they all got quite a nice show. I'm going to go rest my eyes now. Come visit. Yiwei Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Total Number of Birds: 775 Turkey Vulture: 152
Fly to the Top Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Turkey Vulture: 41 Total: 664
Fly to the Top September 22, 2005
Well, the Headlands rang in the Fall by bringing in the fog. What a surprise. The team went up to the Annex to watch the fog's morning assault on Hawk Hill After a span of nothing, we were treated to a spectacular aerial chase between an adult Red-tail and two ravens, one of whom seemed to have a mouse in its beak. Eventually the sun broke through in patches and we went up to the hill around 11. The hill was periodically barraged by walls of fog throughout the day, which made it hard to count the many, many kettles of Sharp-shinned Hawks that ducked in and out of visibility. Allen Fish said himself that they were crazy hard conditions to work in, since the sun was bright overhead but the fog was thick to the north and Accipiters were racing through in groups faster than we could see them and pass them through the quadrants. Arrggh! Still, we saw a total of six Broad-wing Hawks-one of whom flew right overhead for a slow, beautiful look-and that made the day worthwhile. -Colleen O'Rourke Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified
Fly to the Top Ironically, Hawk Hill saw sunshine today while the rest of the bay was covered in fog. Before the fog closed in on us at 2 PM, we saw 519 birds in the 4 and half hours that we were up there. I was told by fellow Hawkwatchers that what I observed today is termed a "migration." Don't think I've ever seen that before... We were graced by Sharpies and Coopers falling out of the sky, two Broadwings that gave us a lovely view, two Ferruginous Hawks playing with each other, a lone kite sitting in the bushes far below us, a couple of Northern Harriers and Merlins, and the usual Red-tails and Turkey Vultures. But despite the high activity, we were forced to retreat when the fog blew in and surrounded us. Was it only a dream? Did I actually see the sun, and more importantly a migration? Eh, whatever, it was fun while it lasted. - Yiwei Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Total Species: 12 Turkey Vulture: 77
Fly to the Top September 19, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Finally a warm and sunny day on the hill! The word "hot" was even mentioned a few times throughout the day. The day started off with a juvenile Red-tail cruising around the top of Hawk Hill, coming within feet of us. Highlights included 11 Red-shoulders, one adult male Harrier, one White-tailed Kite, one juvenile Ferruginous Hawk, and one juvenile Broad-wing that showed up above Angel Island just minutes before the end of the count. Let's hope the weather stays nice all week! - Joe Medley Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 459
Fly to the Top September 17, 2005 - A gloriously clear morning begat a scattered fog day and afternoon, and lots and lots of Sharp-shinned Hawks. Nearly 200. Many Coops and Redtails. We're still looking for the gloriously clear day. Big congrats to Peter Walsworth on his wedding day, this. - Allen Fish 463 sightings
Fly to the Top Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Turkey Vulture 93 Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 471 Daily HawkBlog A never quite cloud-free day that produced the best count so far this year. Good numbers of Sharpies and Redtails. A four-falcon day! Maybe that's what made the Red-shoulders shy away. As the sun busts out this week, let go of your work obligations and visit Hawk Hill -- it'll be memorable. Allen Fish
Fly to the Top September 14, 2005 - Another
foggy shut out. We waited for 4 hours this morning for a clear
spell on Hawk Hill. No avail. After the 1 pm mandatory go-home
call by me, skies broke wide open at 3 pm and small gangs of
Sharp-shins flew til sunset. Also some Merlins and a Broadwing.
A great sunset. - Allen Fish
Fly to the Top September 13, 2005
Daily HawkBlog FOG FOG FOG FOG FOG. COLD COLD COLD.. You get the picture. Raptor activity was very slow, but we were lucky enough to see the bridge Peregrines escort a couple of juvenile Peregrines from their hunting territory. Still waiting for the huge day when all this fog finally clears.. Daily HawkCount Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 93 --
Fly to the Top September 12, 2005
Daily HawkBlog Today was a very cold and windy/foggy day on the hill. We observed a fair number of quotidian birds. The weather conditions were arguably inimical. The evanescent Sharpies came by and gave us some fleeing looks before disappearing into the gray matter. A feeling of ennui spread throughout the team members by the end of the day. Have a frabjous day tomorrow. Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 149 -- Joseph Medley
Fly to the Top September 11, 2005
Daily HawkBlog The morning looked promising as we arrived to see a sunny Hawk Hill. Many Accipiters and juvenile Red-tails were seen in small groups throughout the day. The fog rolled in around 12 and slowly took over the hill and our views, forcing us to head home early at 3. Daily HawkCount Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 404 --
Fly to the Top September 10, 2005
Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Buteos & Aquila Falcons American Kestrel - 22 Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 461 Daily HawkBlog The first fog free morning in a few weeks kept its promise throughout the day. Not only was it a superb day of raptors, but today brought the highest Osprey day on record at GGRO, from 1983 to the present. Incidentally, only one out of the 36 was packing a fish. Looked troutish to me, silvery. Wind shifted between W and NW through the day, mostly around 3 to 5 mph. Other high spots included a great run of afternoon American Kestrels, and our first substantial Accipiter day, which is normal for September 9 to 12. Today brought the first Broad-winged Hawk of the season, an adult chased by three antagonistic juv Redtails. And we had some great Merlin looks. Also a juv Ferruginous Hawk, still a tad early for that species. Banders, still out at 5 pm, just picked up the second Prairie Falcon of the season. - Allen Fish Fly to the Top Total Number of Birds: 91 Turkey Vultures: 51 Fly to the Top September 8, 2005 - Well, the pressure was low but our spirits were high, as was the cloud ceiling. After killing a little bit of time doing some slide quizzes, we went up to the hill to find it overcast and chilly, but not too windy. Visibility was excellent, and many of us could see all the way to San Jose unaided. Still, the birds were sluggish. We only saw about thirty birds in the first hour, and over half of them were Turkey Vultures; the rest, the usual assortment of Red-tails Later in the day, though, we saw a juv. Cooper's Hawk and a juv. Sharp-Shinned. We also saw a Peregrine that flew right over Hawk Hill. The data say we saw a Red-Shouldered around noon but I didn't see it. I have yet to see one. Not that I'm bitter or anything. Unfortunately, with the dropping barometric pressure came a dropping of the ceiling, and fog moved in in force around one. We went from perfect visibility to almost none in the course of about ten minutes. After a couple minutes standing around munching on Dutch chocolates, we abandoned the hill to the Ravens, who cackled at our defeat. -Colleen Daily HawkCount (data have not been entirely checked -contact Buzz Hull at bhull@parksconservancy.org for final results and for permission to use) Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 92 September 6, 2005 - fog (fôg,
fg) n.
1. Condensed water vapor in cloudlike masses lying close
to the ground and limiting visibility. -Colleen September 5, 2005 Daily
HawkBlog
Finally a warm and sunny day on the hill. Juvenile Red-tails were everywhere, with a few Accipiters and Harriers. We were excited to finally get some practice on the hill before peak hits. No California Condors, maybe next time. - Joe Daily HawkCount Other Accipiters Buteos & Aquila Falcons Unidentified Daily HawkWrap Sightings: 301
September 4, 2005 - From
phone message - HawkWatch did get to Hawk Hill for a while.
21.3 Hawks per hour were counted including Turkey Vultures,
Red-tailed Hawks and a Peregrine Falcon. - Webmaster
September 1, 2005 Daily
HawkBlog
Fog-Watch Update: Daily HawkCount Red-tailed Hawk-1 Sightings: 1
August 27, 2005 - Ah glorious
sunshine. It would feel so nice if not for the icy wind coming
at us at 20 mph. Still, lovely day all in all. We had a brief
glimpse of a Prairie Falcon! Yay! (Although I was not physically
there to see it; but that's what I heard.) Also saw some spiffy
acrobatics by cute Kestrels (2 males and 4 females), a Red-shouldered
Hawk juvenile, 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 3 Cooper's Hawks, and
one Osprey. Of course we had the usual 58 Turkey Vultures and
one million Red-tailed Hawks (actually more like 89). We also
had sightings of some 100 tourists who came over to enjoy the
frabjous view and rare sunshine.
Love, Yiwei Total Species: 8
August 25, 2005 - The day dawned overcast, but with a high ceiling, so HawkWatch went to the hill right away. It was a sparse team we had, with barely enough members to station each quadrant; we were particularly in the lurch when someone went to the bathroom. Around noon, an amazing thing happened. A rare breed of bird, taking the shape of a bright glowing disk, appeared in the sky. I was told this was in fact "the sun," and while common in Southern California, its summer range was not generally considered to extend this far north. But there you go. Activity picked up greatly and we saw many superb Raptors, including two juvenile Harriers, a couple Peregrines, a handful of Cooper's Hawks, two Osprey, and the Goodyear Blimp. Things got angsty in the air toward the afternoon, with many Red-tail divebombs between juveniles and one Peregrine that pestered a passing Raven. We ended our balmy summer day with the highest numbers yet recorded this season. The team continues plans to dominate the competition. Total count: 248
August 24, 2005 - We braved
moderate winds and frigid temperatures in order to bring you
a full HawkWatch today. Unfortunately, the birds were not so
brave and we only saw 12.67 per hour. Still, better than most
of the previous days! Yay for the 5 cooper's, 30 red tails,
and 33 turkey vultures who came to see us. Perhaps this will
mark the point where Fogwatch stops and HawkWatch begins...
Intern Yiwei Cooper's Hawks - 5 30 Red-tailed Hawks - 30 Turkey Vultures - 33 76 hawks sited 3 species 12.67 hawks/hr
August 23, 2005 - Ahh, the
fog. That teasing temptress of Hawkwatchers' fates. She came
in low this morning, heavy and wet, so once Tuesday 2 gathered
we settled into the office to eat pastries and wait. We watched
"Heaven in the Headlands," a very nice film put together by
the headlands' own David Palutsyn. It shows many lovely scenes
of the Marin Headlands' nature and wildlife throughout the year,
and even has an interview with our own "Director-at-Large" Allen
Fish. Copies are available in the office for other hawkwatch
teams to view, if they wish. After the film we went on a hike
on the Bobcat trail, saw a couple of Red-tailed Hawks, an American
Kestrel male, and a Cooper's Hawk. We pondered that age-old
question, why did the snail cross the road? We couldn't decide
on an answer but avoided stepping on them anyway. We ended the
fog day with a slide quiz, and have discovered that male Harriers
might prove a challenging identification in the field for our
fine team. -Colleen
August 20, 2005 - The day
dawned cold and foggy but Saturday 1 was not to be dissuaded!
Lead by our fearless leader Bob "Danger" Power, we set out to
practice birdwatching and wait for the fog to clear. We "scoped
out" on the cliffs as we practiced using the scopes on seabirds.
Then we went to the lagoon and looked at stuff. Then we went
to the Pole and looked at stuff. Then we went to wait at the
Hawkhill parking lot in the hopes the fog would clear at the
predicted time of 12:17. No such luck and we were chased away
by hungry juvenile scrub jays. Then we went down to the lighthouse
and looked at stuff, including many specimens of that special
bird known as "harbor seal." Eventually at 2:15 we bowed defeat
to the fog and planned to meet our adversary once again on another
day. - Colleen
August 19, 2005 Yiwei: Hey Colleen, did you bring your lunch today? Colleen: No. I didn't think we would actually have visibility today. I'm hungry. Yiwei: Me too, but we actually hawk watched for 2 hours and 45 minutes with no fog interruptions! Colleen: It was still hella cold and windy though. Yiwei: Especially in the West quadrant. Colleen: But still, cool views of red tails and turkey vultures are always exciting, eh? Yiwei: Word. And that osprey was really quite unexpected, as well as the lovely red shouldered juvenile. Colleen: So that's what? 2 adult Peregrines, 14 Turkey Vultures, 25 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 Cooper's Hawk juv, one Osprey, and one Red-shouldered Hawk? That's like six species!!! Yiwei: Wow, what an astute observation and a keen mind for numbers. Colleen: Thanks. Oh yeah, two unidentified raptors as well. And Ravens of course. Yiwei and Colleen: Interns out. Peregrine Falcon - 2 Total count: 46
August 18, 2005 - Fogged Out - Webmaster
August 17, 2005 - HawkWatch today was actually Fogwatch. No sightings. Fogged out. Sadness. Yiwei Wang
August 16, 2004 - We were finally able to make it up to the hill today. We waited for the fog to clear on the hill until around 12:30, and were able to hawkwatch until 2:00. We saw 4 juv Red-tailed Hawks, 4 adult Red-tailed Hawks, 1 Cooper's Hawk, and 22 Turkey Vultures. 20.7 Hawks/Hour. Unfortunately the fog moved back in on us by two, so we called it a day. The first birds of the season were 2 adult Red-tailed Hawks spotted by Steve Bauer. -Joe Medley Red-tailed Hawk - 8 Cooper's Hawk - 1 Turkey Vultures - 22 Sightings: 31 August 15, 2005 - FOG. Hawkwatch team left around 12. We took a little walk around the lagoon, Keith spotted a Rail, lots of Turkey Vultures, and a single Red-tailed Hawk. - Joe Medley August 1, 2005 - First HawkWatch day of 2005 - Fogged out. Contact the GGRO:
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Contact the GGRO:
Mail:
Golden Gate Raptor Observatory
Building 201, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Phone:
(415) 331-0730
E-mail address:
ggro@parksconservancy.org
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