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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 |
