GGRO daily hawkwatch update

Sunday, December 04, 2011

2011-12-04T16:23:48.837-0800

The final day of Hawk Watch for the 2011 season was a spectacular day up on the hill. Mostly clear skies and a gentle breeze brought a fair share of late migrants, including more than a dozen Northern Harriers. A far off Swainson's Hawk was a pleasant surprise. A number of non-raptors visited the hill as well- White-throated Swifts and Violet-green Tree Swallows showed off, keeping the Hawk Watchers on their toes with their incredible Merlin impersonations. Unfortunately, that wraps up the season without a single sighting of a Rough-legged Hawk. Hopefully we will have better luck next year! Until 2012.... this is Hawk Watch out.

Total Sightings: 148
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 24.67
Total Species: 8

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 53
Northern Harrier: 14
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 1
Cooper's Hawk: 2
Swainson's Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 64
American Kestrel: 5
Peregrine Falcon: 4

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 1
Buteo: 2
Falcon: 1

Saturday, December 03, 2011

2011-12-03T16:38:39.182-0800

What a perfect way to end the season! Though the gusty winds were still present today, they weren't persistent enough to blow us off the hill. They were, however, strong enough to give us an amazing variety of birds. We ended up seeing -12- species! By noon the activity had died down, when all of a sudden, a juvenile Bald Eagle AND a partial albino adult Red-tail popped up in the south quadrant. About an hour later, a juvenile Golden Eagle was spotted in the north. The rest of the day we enjoyed seeing almost 200 Red-tails -- 2 of which were brought up to the hill by banders to be released so we could see them up close! The day ended with an Osprey flying directly overhead as we posed for a final group photo of us "hawk-upying" Hawk Hill.

Saturday II - you guys are awesome! Thanks for a fun season!

Total Sightings: 277
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 46.17
Total Species: 12

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 44
Osprey: 2
Bald Eagle: 1
Northern Harrier: 9
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 7
Cooper's Hawk: 3
Red-shouldered Hawk: 3
Swainson's Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 196
Golden Eagle: 1
American Kestrel: 3
Peregrine Falcon: 1

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 1
Buteo: 4
Raptor: 1

Friday, December 02, 2011

2011-12-02T16:14:11.771-0800

A much less windy day on Hawkwatch, with several exciting sightings including an adult male Northern Harrier Allen spotted off in the distance in the north saddle, a few dark morph Red-tailed Hawks that flew over volunteers, and even a few accipiters dotting the skies.

Total Sightings: 200
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 33.33
Total Species: 7

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 62
Northern Harrier: 7
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 9
Cooper's Hawk: 7
Red-tailed Hawk: 107
American Kestrel: 2
Peregrine Falcon: 1

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 1
Buteo: 2
Raptor: 2

Thursday, December 01, 2011

2011-12-01T13:34:38.256-0800

A very windy day on Hawkwatch, with wind speeds reaching over 55 miles per hour! Volunteers were eventually blown off the hill, but while they were able to hold their optics straight they were able to see many exciting birds, including a few dark morph Red-tailed Hawks and some beautiful adult accipiters! Although a bit slow, everyone's spirits were held high as we finished off the Thursday II season.

Total Sightings: 71
Hours Counted: 2.5
HPH: 28.4
Total Species: 4

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 28
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 7
Cooper's Hawk: 2
Red-tailed Hawk: 33

Unidentified...
Buteo: 1

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

2011-11-30T15:53:47.811-0800

A wonderful watch, with wicked winds wantonly winding around the hill! While enjoying the wonderful feast orchestrated by David and Lynn Jesus, we spotted a huge number of birds for this time of year- more than the last 3 days totals combined! The Red-tails were especially productive today- and we saw lots of dark morphs, including an adult Harlan's Hawk! We also enjoyed watching the 9 Peregrine Falcons, which had no trouble in the wind even as we struggled to remain upright. Other highlights included two Red-shouldered Hawks and three Northern Harriers. What a wonderful day to end my hawkwatch season; thank you to everyone who made this year special for me!

Total Sightings: 282
Hours Counted: 5.67
HPH: 49.76
Total Species: 8

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 75
Northern Harrier: 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 9
Cooper's Hawk: 3
Red-shouldered Hawk: 2
Red-tailed Hawk: 167
American Kestrel: 7
Peregrine Falcon: 9

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 3
Buteo: 2
Raptor: 2

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

2011-11-29T15:10:08.851-0800

What a beautiful day to end the season for Tuesday II's team! The view from Hawk Hill was surreal - a sea of fog stretched out below us in all directions for most of the day. We could just see the tips of the Golden Gate Bridge towers and Sutro Tower resting atop the foggy ocean until around 12:30 when the fog cleared a bit and we finally saw our first birds! Though the raptor flow was very slow today, we had a wonderful potluck that kept us occupied while we watched the empty skies. Thanks for an awesome season Tuesday II!!

Total Sightings: 34
Hours Counted: 5
HPH: 6.8
Total Species: 6

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 7
Northern Harrier: 4
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 3
Cooper's Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 14
American Kestrel: 2

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 1
Buteo: 1
Raptor: 1

Monday, November 28, 2011

2011-11-28T14:40:21.030-0800

A nice end to Monday II's adventures, even if we didn't see very many hawks. Ironically, the day started off foggy everywhere except on the top of Hawk Hill, which caused us some amusement. Hawkwatch volunteers enjoyed an assortment of pies and delighted in the great views of juvenile Northern Harriers. We also got a great look at a Merlin released from Hawk Blind. Other treats included large flocks of American Robins, a group of Western Bluebirds, and swirling columns of White-throated Swifts and Violet-green Swallows.

Total Sightings: 57
Hours Counted: 4.5
HPH: 12.67
Total Species: 7

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 16
Northern Harrier: 6
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 4
Cooper's Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 26
American Kestrel: 2
Merlin: 2

Sunday, November 27, 2011

2011-11-27T15:24:40.573-0800

A surprisingly warm day on the hill, but unfortunately not very many hawks. We did see some lovely adult Cooper's hawks and got good looks at two gorgeous juvenile Northern Harriers. We also enjoyed watching a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk play around with Hawk Blind. May the winds and hawks pick up next week!

Total Sightings: 102
Hours Counted: 5
HPH: 20.4
Total Species: 7

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 45
Northern Harrier: 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 3
Cooper's Hawk: 7
Red-tailed Hawk: 37
American Kestrel: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 1

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 2
Buteo: 3
Raptor: 1

Saturday, November 26, 2011

2011-11-26T14:22:05.915-0800

A blustery day on Hawk Hill with wind speed exceeding 16mph for most of the day. Fortunately some hawks blew our way with more birds than there have been lately. Highlights included an adult Red-shouldered Hawk that flew directly over volunteers as it was harassed by two Common Ravens. Thrills and chills were experienced when an adult Peregrine also flew overhead as well. Another quality sighting was a dark morph juvenile Red-tailed Hawk that flew around from the south quadrant past volunteers and into the north. An excellent way to end the season for the Saturday I Team!

Total Sightings: 136
Hours Counted: 4
HPH: 34
Total Species: 8

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 73
Northern Harrier: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 1
Cooper's Hawk: 5
Red-shouldered Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 40
American Kestrel: 5
Peregrine Falcon: 5

Unidentified...
Buteo: 3
Falcon: 1
Raptor: 1

Friday, November 25, 2011

2011-11-28T10:23:04.600-0800

Sorry for the delayed posting.

Total Sightings: 25
Hours Counted: 4
HPH: 6.25
Total Species: 5

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 7
White-tailed Kite: 1
Cooper's Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 13
American Kestrel: 2

Unidentified...
Raptor: 1

Thursday, November 24, 2011

2011-11-24T09:53:11.532-0800

Happy Thanksgiving!

Total Sightings: 63
Hours Counted: 3.75
HPH: 16.8
Total Species: 8

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 29
Northern Harrier: 2
Cooper's Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 22
Ferruginous Hawk: 1
American Kestrel: 3
Merlin: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 3

Unidentified...
Raptor: 1

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

2011-11-23T14:18:01.569-0800

A slow, overcast day on Hawkwatch, but volunteers did spot a juvenile dark morph Red-tailed Hawk that was battling with a couple adult Red-tails in the south quadrant. Though the day ended early, the last half hour brought sightings of two adult Peregrine Falcons flying over the pines. The season certainly seems to be slowing down a bit, but hopefully tomorrow will bring in some exciting Thanksgiving birds other than Turkey Vultures!

Total Sightings: 67
Hours Counted: 3.5
HPH: 19.14
Total Species: 5

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 35
Northern Harrier: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 26
American Kestrel: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 4

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

2011-11-22T15:14:17.962-0800

The day started out pretty overcast with winds from the southeast. Although the flow of hawks was pretty slow today, we enjoyed our last day on the hill with cheese and crackers and Tim's excellent chardonnay. Highlights today were the Northern Harrier dive-bombing the raven mob and the Swainson's Hawk we spotted sneaking over the bay in South Quadrant. No accipiters today, surprisingly!

Total Sightings: 102
Hours Counted: 5
HPH: 20.4
Total Species: 6

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 50
Northern Harrier: 2
Swainson's Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 43
American Kestrel: 3
Peregrine Falcon: 1

Unidentified...
Raptor: 2

Monday, November 21, 2011

2011-11-21T15:21:39.536-0800

Partly cloudy skies, a slight breeze throughout most of the day, and bright sunshine made today a beautiful day atop Hawk Hill. The raptors didn't seem to appreciate the break from yesterday's rain, though. Numbers were low, but the day began and ended with sightings of Swainson's Hawks, which are always exciting sights to see. A handful of American Kestrels, a few Northern Harriers, and an Osprey also kept us on our toes. Let's hope the beautiful weather continues and brings with it another push of hawks later this week. Stay tuned...

Total Sightings: 87
Hours Counted: 5
HPH: 17.4
Total Species: 7

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 56
Osprey: 1
Northern Harrier: 3
Cooper's Hawk: 1
Swainson's Hawk: 2
Red-tailed Hawk: 18
American Kestrel: 4

Unidentified...
Buteo: 2

Sunday, November 20, 2011

2011-11-20T12:24:36.369-0800

Hawkwatchers were kept off the hill today due to rain. The ruffled female American Kestrel on the telephone pole outside of Building 1064 seemed as put off as the rest of us. Hopefully tomorrow will be a beautiful day. Stay tuned....

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Saturday, November 19, 2011

2011-11-19T16:10:41.391-0800

Today started off warm and sunny with clear skies and wind from the northwest. The weather slowly progressed into cold and overcast with a threat of rain and strong winds from the south. Though today was slow, we still saw several Red-tails and a handful of Peregrine Falcons. The highlight of the day was seeing a couple of adult Peregrines race around Hawk Hill - one zoomed right next to the west platform and gave us a great view without binoculars. During the slower times, the Ravens kept us entertained, gathering in unkindnesses* of 12 or more and barrel rolling through the sky.

*Unkindness: n., a group of ravens.

Total Sightings: 172
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 28.67
Total Species: 7

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 68
Northern Harrier: 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 4
Cooper's Hawk: 8
Red-tailed Hawk: 76
American Kestrel: 4
Peregrine Falcon: 5

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 2
Raptor: 3

Friday, November 18, 2011

2011-11-18T15:45:24.772-0800

A rather rainy day on Hawk Hill, but Hawkwatchers were able to spend some quality time observing individual close birds including a pair of adult Peregrines who flew overhead and into the pines from the north platform, and a juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk that flew close by overhead of the north and east quadrants giving volunteers a good look to practice identification skills for accipiters.

Total Sightings: 69
Hours Counted: 4.75
HPH: 14.53
Total Species: 5

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 12
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 40
American Kestrel: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 6

Unidentified...
Raptor: 9

Thursday, November 17, 2011

2011-11-17T15:59:47.254-0800

A beautiful day on Hawk Hill. The weather was great until the last part of the day, but the morning was very nice with a few morning Red-shouldered Hawks, a very distant osprey, and a Peregrine battle over HAWK blind in the north quadrant where an adult female with a very rosy breast took a long stoop with her feet down on the blind but was then chased away by a very territorial adult male!

Total Sightings: 227
Hours Counted: 5.5
HPH: 41.27
Total Species: 9

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 71
Osprey: 1
Northern Harrier: 4
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 6
Cooper's Hawk: 6
Red-shouldered Hawk: 3
Red-tailed Hawk: 115
American Kestrel: 7
Peregrine Falcon: 6

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 5
Buteo: 1
Raptor: 2

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

2011-11-16T16:15:04.359-0800

A beautiful day on the hawkwatch, though it started out a little slow. When the winds finally came in the early afternoon, we had a huge peak of Red-tailed Hawk activity. We saw 100 juvenile Red-tailed Hawks today! One of the Red-tails that we saw was a light morph adult Harlan's type, and provided a nice challenge for the hawkwatchers. We also saw a dark morph juvenile Swainson's Hawk above Kirby Cove, which gave us a great view. We also had some very nice Peregrine Falcon sightings today, along with a lot of Northern Harriers.

Total Sightings: 373
Hours Counted: 5.75
HPH: 64.87
Total Species: 10

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 114
White-tailed Kite: 2
Northern Harrier: 17
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 11
Cooper's Hawk: 30
Swainson's Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 176
American Kestrel: 2
Merlin: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 6

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 4
Buteo: 5
Falcon: 1
Raptor: 3

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

2011-11-15T16:12:22.833-0800

A calm fall day with perfectly clear skies. Not too much raptor activity in the first half of the day, but in the last half of the day we saw an Osprey, a juvenile Ferruginous Hawk, and an adult male Northern Harrier! We also spotted a mysterious dark-backed buteo flying low over the water in the last half hour ... A kettle of 9 or so Turkey Vultures formed a couple of times to the north and Red-tails kept us entertained throughout the day.

Total Sightings: 247
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 41.17
Total Species: 8

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 82
Osprey: 1
Northern Harrier: 11
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 12
Cooper's Hawk: 19
Red-tailed Hawk: 106
Ferruginous Hawk: 1
American Kestrel: 8

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 5
Buteo: 2

Monday, November 14, 2011

2011-11-14T16:20:16.163-0800

Wow, what a beautiful day on the hill! The day started out pretty rapidly with a juvenile Bald Eagle sighting as the first bird of the day. The Bald flew right over Hawk Hill and commenced soaring; an angry adult Peregrine soon joined it. Not long after, a juvenile Swainson's Hawk flew right by the hill. We had 10 species before we had completed the first hour, which might be a new record! Today was a great day for Peregrine and Merlin sightings, and we also saw quite a few White-tailed Kites and Northern Harriers. Although the hawks slowed down towards the end of the day, we were treated to another rare sight- a Golden Eagle circling by the FM towers. Definitely one of the most memorable days this season!

Total Sightings: 278
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 46.33
Total Species: 12

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 74
White-tailed Kite: 7
Bald Eagle: 1
Northern Harrier: 14
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 13
Cooper's Hawk: 13
Swainson's Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 112
Golden Eagle: 1
American Kestrel: 8
Merlin: 6
Peregrine Falcon: 13

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 6
Buteo: 4
Falcon: 1
Raptor: 4

Sunday, November 13, 2011

2011-11-13T16:16:34.448-0800

The day started out pretty cloudy, surprisingly mostly from the east! Likewise, the wind and the birds were more numerous in the morning as well. We a got a lot of good looks at adult accipiters and juvenile Red-shouldered Hawks today, as well as a few dark morph Red-tails. One of the dark morphs, an adult, had a really interesting "tiger-barred" tail. At one point, we had three ethereal White-tailed Kites soaring together over the pines. Overall, a great day, even if it ended pretty slowly.

Total Sightings: 240
Hours Counted: 5.83
HPH: 41.14
Total Species: 11

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 66
Osprey: 1
White-tailed Kite: 6
Northern Harrier: 8
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 15
Cooper's Hawk: 16
Red-shouldered Hawk: 4
Red-tailed Hawk: 101
American Kestrel: 3
Merlin: 2
Peregrine Falcon: 2

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 6
Buteo: 4
Falcon: 1
Raptor: 5

Saturday, November 12, 2011

2011-11-12T16:17:53.324-0800

A good late season day on Hawk Hill. Volunteers were able to see steady activity of Red-tailed Hawks and vultures in addition to a nice number of special birds including some great looks at the many Peregrine Falcons and even a couple Merlins that flew overhead and in front of the north platform! Both an adult and juvenile dark morph Red-tailed Hawks flew overhead as well, adding some excitement to the day. Other highlights included a couple close adult accipiters.

Total Sightings: 298
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 49.67
Total Species: 9

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 153
Northern Harrier: 7
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 3
Cooper's Hawk: 4
Red-shouldered Hawk: 2
Red-tailed Hawk: 100
American Kestrel: 7
Merlin: 2
Peregrine Falcon: 10

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 2
Buteo: 4
Raptor: 4

Friday, November 11, 2011

2011-11-11T13:37:12.232-0800

Drizzling rain turned on and off throughout the day. The only birds we spotted seemed to be our local Red-tails and Turkey Vultures. Though the view is awesome from Hawk Hill when a storm is rolling in, we decided to not chance our scopes serving as lightning rods and retreated around 12:30. Stay tuned for more raptor sightings after the storm passes! ....

Total Sightings: 18
Hours Counted: 2
HPH: 9
Total Species: 2

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 8
Red-tailed Hawk: 10

Thursday, November 10, 2011

2011-11-10T16:16:02.533-0800

Turkey Vultures ruled the sky on this slow November day. The weather was perfect and the wind wasn't too still or too harsh, but raptor activity remained low throughout the day. We did, however, see 10 Northern Harriers and got a nice view of a White-tailed Kite. A handful of Merlins and Kestrels made an appearance as well.

To the Thursday I team: Robyn & I had an amazing time with everyone! Thank you for all the tasty food and general awesomeness! Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Hawkwatch day and earn the Rough-leg pizza!

Total Sightings: 254
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 42.33
Total Species: 10

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 128
White-tailed Kite: 1
Northern Harrier: 10
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 5
Cooper's Hawk: 13
Red-shouldered Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 79
American Kestrel: 7
Merlin: 2
Peregrine Falcon: 2

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 4
Buteo: 2

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

2011-11-09T16:05:03.409-0800

Although it was a relatively slow day on the hill, there were some really exciting sightings including an adult Peregrine Falcon that perched on one of the pine trees on top of Hawk Hill and sat there quite cooperatively for Hawkwatch volunteers and visitors alike. There was also a fabulous sighting of a juvenile Bald Eagle that flew out of the south quadrant and came within twenty meters of Hawk Hill!

Total Sightings: 215
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 35.83
Total Species: 10

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 93
Bald Eagle: 1
Northern Harrier: 5
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 9
Cooper's Hawk: 11
Red-shouldered Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 82
American Kestrel: 4
Merlin: 2
Peregrine Falcon: 4

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 1
Falcon: 1
Raptor: 1

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

2011-11-08T16:08:35.099-0800

A nice day on the hill- it wasn't too cold and windy, but there weren't that many hawks. The highlights for today were the Osprey cruising over the lagoon and the three White-tailed Kites we saw around noon. We saw a lot of juvenile Red-tailed Hawks today, including some dark morphs, and a male American Kestrel gave us a show hovering over Hawk Blind. A good day overall.

Total Sightings: 210
Hours Counted: 5.83
HPH: 36
Total Species: 9

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 92
Osprey: 1
White-tailed Kite: 3
Northern Harrier: 7
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 2
Cooper's Hawk: 11
Red-shouldered Hawk: 4
Red-tailed Hawk: 83
American Kestrel: 7

Monday, November 07, 2011

2011-11-07T16:27:16.835-0800

What a beautiful day for a hawk watch- if only there were hawks! We saw a slow dribble of hawks throughout most of the day, but only 19 individuals were counted in the last hour and a half. Winds were out of the south in the morning, but switched to west, then northwest in the afternoon. Highlights of the day included two Merlins, two Red-shouldered Hawks, and two American Kestrels. Hopefully numbers will pick up before the weather takes a turn for the worse.

Total Sightings: 193
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 32.17
Total Species: 9

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 71
Northern Harrier: 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 9
Cooper's Hawk: 10
Red-shouldered Hawk: 2
Red-tailed Hawk: 88
American Kestrel: 2
Merlin: 2
Peregrine Falcon: 2

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 1
Buteo: 2
Raptor: 1

Sunday, November 06, 2011

2011-11-06T16:16:03.625-0800

Though it was cold and cloudy atop the hill today, the hawk watchers stayed dry for the most part. However, the raptors seemed to have forgotten to set their clocks back; numbers were low for what seemed like good conditions, with winds from the north for most of the day. We spotted a handful of White-tailed Kites, some American Kestrels, the regular Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures, and a pair of Peregrine Falcons that soared over the hill almost the entire day, wowing us with their acrobatic stunts. They even dove on an unsuspecting Red-tail, which immediately high-tailed it out of the area. With this weird weather, who knows what tomorrow will bring?

Total Sightings: 238
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 39.67
Total Species: 9

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 80
White-tailed Kite: 3
Northern Harrier: 7
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 2
Cooper's Hawk: 8
Red-shouldered Hawk: 2
Red-tailed Hawk: 110
American Kestrel: 8
Peregrine Falcon: 13

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 1
Buteo: 1
Raptor: 3

Saturday, November 05, 2011

2011-11-05T16:12:31.421-0700

Both the rain and the birds trickled on and off today. Despite the blustery weather, we enjoyed seeing 2 White-tailed Kites - one right over Hawk Hill! - and nice views of Peregrine Falcons. Both the adult Peregrines and adult Red-tails were observed defending their territories throughout the day. A dark ominous cloud moved toward us from Mt. Tam as we retreated from Hawk Hill, but stunning skies and great company made for a nice day.

Total Sightings: 134
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 22.33
Total Species: 8

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 46
White-tailed Kite: 2
Northern Harrier: 4
Cooper's Hawk: 3
Red-tailed Hawk: 62
American Kestrel: 2
Merlin: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 7

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 2
Raptor: 5

Friday, November 04, 2011

2011-11-04T16:21:47.146-0700

A fantastic day on Hawk Hill! Though a bit brisk with a north-westerly wind, the skies were clear allowing Hawkwatchers to see FIVE eagles, a few White-tailed Kites, and some Northern Harriers. It was also remarkable that 15 Peregrine Falcons were seen, including the bridge pair that were seen calling and defending the territory in Kirby Cove from intruding migrants! There was also a sighting of a 14th species, a Short-eared Owl that flew over volunteers ending the day with another great raptor.

Total Sightings: 349
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 58.17
Total Species: 13

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 108
White-tailed Kite: 3
Bald Eagle: 2
Northern Harrier: 8
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 11
Cooper's Hawk: 18
Red-shouldered Hawk: 8
Swainson's Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 155
Golden Eagle: 3
American Kestrel: 2
Merlin: 2
Peregrine Falcon: 15

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 6
Buteo: 5
Falcon: 2

Thursday, November 03, 2011

2011-11-03T13:57:55.287-0700

Rain and fog got the best of the Hawkwatchers today, but there were a few great sightings early on in the day. A juvenile Northern Harrier blasted through the fog right over the platform, and a few Peregrine Falcons were sighted in the east including the two adults perched side by side on the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge. Though Hawkwatchers were unable to see it through the fog, Eddie Bartley of the banders reported a sighting of a Goshawk early in the day and the volunteers who returned to the office were able to see the telemetry bird, a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk, before its release this afternoon!

Total Sightings: 78
Hours Counted: 3
HPH: 26
Total Species: 8

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 21
Northern Harrier: 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 3
Cooper's Hawk: 4
Red-tailed Hawk: 39
American Kestrel: 1
Merlin: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 4

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 1
Buteo: 1
Falcon: 1

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

2011-11-02T16:17:02.077-0700

Though the day started out windy like yesterday, winds died down by early afternoon, seemingly as much to the delight of the raptors as the hawk watchers. We saw a total of eleven species, including two White-tailed Kites, a number of juvenile Northern Harriers, and a Merlin that perched in a tree for over an hour in full view of our west quadrant. We once again had some great sightings of adult accipiters, and a juvenile Ferruginous Hawk made an appearance, taking a quick trip through Kirby Cove before heading back to the north.

Total Sightings: 426
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 71
Total Species: 11

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 153
White-tailed Kite: 2
Northern Harrier: 7
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 28
Cooper's Hawk: 36
Red-shouldered Hawk: 3
Red-tailed Hawk: 157
Ferruginous Hawk: 1
American Kestrel: 3
Merlin: 3
Peregrine Falcon: 6

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 12
Buteo: 8
Falcon: 2
Raptor: 5

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

2011-11-01T16:21:19.266-0700

It was a very windy day atop Hawk Hill. Winds were out of the north for most of the day, with gusts as strong as 23mph recorded. That wind sure did blow in some incredible bird species; sightings included an adult Bald Eagle, a juvenile Golden Eagle, and two juvenile Ferruginous Hawks. We also saw tons of Red-tailed Hawks, some of which showed very interesting color morphs. Still no sign of our first Rough-legged Hawk of the season- perhaps tomorrow will be the day!

Total Sightings: 367
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 61.17
Total Species: 13

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 84
Bald Eagle: 1
Northern Harrier: 8
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 17
Cooper's Hawk: 16
Red-shouldered Hawk: 2
Swainson's Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 209
Ferruginous Hawk: 2
Golden Eagle: 1
American Kestrel: 5
Merlin: 4
Peregrine Falcon: 8

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 4
Buteo: 3
Raptor: 2

Monday, October 31, 2011

2011-10-31T16:23:40.627-0700

Happy Hawkwatch Halloween! The hawks were up to their usual trickery today, as they seemed to have put on their camouflaged Halloween costumes! We had very low raptor activity at the beginning of the day, with only one ghostly White-tailed Kite seen in the first half hour! However, we did get a few treats- an adult Harlan's Hawk crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. Also, a beautiful tundrius juvenile Peregrine Falcon flew right in front of the north platform. We also got some great looks at Varied Thrush in their festive Halloween colors.

Total Sightings: 213
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 35.5
Total Species: 9

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 65
White-tailed Kite: 1
Northern Harrier: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 20
Cooper's Hawk: 14
Red-tailed Hawk: 99
American Kestrel: 3
Merlin: 3
Peregrine Falcon: 2

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 5

Sunday, October 30, 2011

2011-10-30T18:17:31.113-0700

Beautiful but hot day with low winds throughout. Had periods of activity, but mostly a slow flow day. The exciting birds of the day were the Golden Eagle spotted in the morning and a Ferruginous Hawk in the afternoon. However, we enjoyed seeing 11 kites today, some of which flew really close and gave us great views!

Total Sightings: 347
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 57.83
Total Species: 12

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 107
White-tailed Kite: 11
Northern Harrier: 6
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 30
Cooper's Hawk: 18
Red-shouldered Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 125
Ferruginous Hawk: 1
Golden Eagle: 1
American Kestrel: 5
Merlin: 4
Peregrine Falcon: 7

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 13
Buteo: 2
Raptor: 16

Saturday, October 29, 2011

2011-10-29T16:27:02.180-0700

Another great day for Hawkwatchers! Some really exciting birds made appearances today including the second Golden Eagle of the season who was harassed by some ravens right by the pines in the west quadrant before cruising around the Golden Gate Bridge! Another really spectacular sighting was a dark morph Swainson's Hawk that cruised through the Headlands in the afternoon, first sighted over by Mount Tamalpais, the Swainson's Hawk headed towards Hawk Hill, but did not get quite as close as the eagle. Other thrilling sightings included a Peregrine Falcon by Hill 88, a couple early morning White-tailed Kites, and a couple close Red-shouldered Hawks.

Total Sightings: 368
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 61.33
Total Species: 12

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 107
White-tailed Kite: 3
Northern Harrier: 15
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 15
Cooper's Hawk: 13
Red-shouldered Hawk: 7
Swainson's Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 170
Golden Eagle: 1
American Kestrel: 8
Merlin: 7
Peregrine Falcon: 4

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 6
Buteo: 4
Falcon: 1
Raptor: 6

Friday, October 28, 2011

2011-10-28T16:21:06.553-0700

Another beautiful day on Hawk Hill! Temperatures remained in the 70s with a breeze that switched directions throughout the day. Another day when the Red-tail count greatly exceeded the accipiter count. Our day started off with 2 adult Peregrine Falcons flying right over Hawk Hill and we ended up seeing 3 more throughout the day. We also got a nice view of an Osprey that flew over Golden Gate Bridge and off into San Francisco.

Total Sightings: 426
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 71
Total Species: 12

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 122
Osprey: 1
Northern Harrier: 12
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 25
Cooper's Hawk: 43
Red-shouldered Hawk: 7
Broad-winged Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 190
Ferruginous Hawk: 1
American Kestrel: 3
Merlin: 6
Peregrine Falcon: 5

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 7
Buteo: 3

Thursday, October 27, 2011

2011-10-27T16:19:29.832-0700

A wonderful day on Hawk Hill! We saw more than one kettle of 10 or so Red-tailed Hawks - it seems like the second Red-tail peak has arrived. We also got some great views of several juvenile Northern Harriers and a brief glimpse of a juv. Bald Eagle towards Mt. Tam! Peregrine Falcons and White-tailed Kites also made an appearance today. With clear skies and perfect temperatures, today's hawkwatchers had an ideal day!

Total Sightings: 534
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 89
Total Species: 12

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 118
White-tailed Kite: 3
Bald Eagle: 1
Northern Harrier: 17
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 50
Cooper's Hawk: 92
Red-shouldered Hawk: 8
Broad-winged Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 215
American Kestrel: 3
Merlin: 2
Peregrine Falcon: 7

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 10
Buteo: 1
Raptor: 6

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

2011-10-26T16:44:19.970-0700

A genuinely remarkable day on Hawkwatch! With literally dozens of falcons, 4 White-tailed Kites, 17 Northern Harriers (one of which was captured by HAWK blind and released for an ID study, the first NOHA for the banders this season) an adult Ferruginous Hawk that appeared low over the pines beyond the south and west platforms, a Broad-winged Hawk, and many more magnificent birds were seen from Hawk Hill. Megan led an educational program for a group of excited kindergarteners on the lower platform when an adult Peregrine Falcon took a tremendous stoop on a juvenile right above them- tearing through the pine trees, talons blazing, and both birds shrieking with gusto. The capstone to the day was a juvenile Bald Eagle that made an appearance right at 3:25 in the north saddle making the Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vulture in the same kettle look like accipiters. The eagle then proceeded to cross the bay into San Francisco over Crissy Field ending the day on a high note with a total of 13 species!

Total Sightings: 379
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 63.17
Total Species: 13

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 85
White-tailed Kite: 4
Bald Eagle: 1
Northern Harrier: 17
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 42
Cooper's Hawk: 36
Red-shouldered Hawk: 4
Broad-winged Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 148
Ferruginous Hawk: 1
American Kestrel: 12
Merlin: 8
Peregrine Falcon: 12

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 4
Falcon: 3
Raptor: 1

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

2011-10-25T16:14:17.077-0700

What a beautiful day today! The morning was a little slow, but we were awed by an adult Peregrine aggressively diving and "kekking" at juvenile Peregrine over Hawk Blind. We went on to see 6 more Peregrines throughout the day, including a tundrius juvenile! We also had a great run of Merlins today, including one who gave us quite a show snacking on dragonflies. We also enjoyed watching four White-tailed Kites sail through the skies, along with some gorgeous dark-morph Red-tailed Hawks.

Total Sightings: 280
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 46.67
Total Species: 10

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 88
White-tailed Kite: 4
Northern Harrier: 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 29
Cooper's Hawk: 26
Red-shouldered Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 100
American Kestrel: 7
Merlin: 7
Peregrine Falcon: 8

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 4
Falcon: 3

Monday, October 24, 2011

2011-10-24T13:12:13.994-0700

Monday I crew was fogged off the hill again today. Birding around the lagoon, the lovely hawk watchers spotted a Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Western Bluebirds, an American Kestrel, Western Grebes, a Ruddy Duck, and at least one hundred American Coots. Hopefully the weather will be clear atop the hill tomorrow. Stay tuned....

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Sunday, October 23, 2011

2011-10-23T16:40:42.288-0700

Another beautiful day up on the hill. Winds from the east for most of the day made identifying overhead raptors a breeze (no pun intended), since many of them stalled as they passed over Hawk Hill. Highlights of the day were the four Merlins, which always manage to steal the show. We also got great looks at some adult Cooper's Hawks and adult Sharp-shinned Hawks.

Total Sightings: 450
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 75
Total Species: 8

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 137
Northern Harrier: 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 54
Cooper's Hawk: 74
Red-tailed Hawk: 151
American Kestrel: 1
Merlin: 4
Peregrine Falcon: 2

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 16
Buteo: 1
Falcon: 2
Raptor: 5

Saturday, October 22, 2011

2011-10-22T16:22:39.028-0700

Another wonderful day for today's team! Clear skies with a light breeze from the NE made for a nice hawkwatching day. We saw 5 dark-morph juvenile Red-tailed Hawks - one of which was banded today and released during our 1:00 banding demonstration on Hawk Hill! We also saw 11 Merlins, 15 adult Sharp-shinned Hawks, and 13 adult Cooper's Hawks. We have been seeing a lot of diversity from Hawk Hill lately! If you're looking at the skies, look closely at any raptors you see - it may be something other than your local light-morph Red-tail or Turkey Vulture!

Total Sightings: 436
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 72.67
Total Species: 9

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 90
Northern Harrier: 8
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 60
Cooper's Hawk: 56
Red-shouldered Hawk: 7
Broad-winged Hawk: 3
Red-tailed Hawk: 175
Merlin: 11
Peregrine Falcon: 4

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 14
Buteo: 2
Falcon: 1
Raptor: 5

Friday, October 21, 2011

2011-10-21T16:25:30.357-0700

Twenty Northern Harriers, nine Broad-winged Hawks, a couple White-tailed Kites and even a distant Swainson's Hawk were visible from Hawk Hill today! Along with a few Peregrines and Merlins the day went really well, with steady activity throughout the day evenly dotted with spectacular sightings of exciting species. Hopefully the weather will hold with steady sunshine rather than this roller coaster of fog we have been experiencing for the past week.

Total Sightings: 395
Hours Counted: 5.5
HPH: 71.8
Total Species: 12

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 80
White-tailed Kite: 2
Northern Harrier: 20
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 46
Cooper's Hawk: 46
Red-shouldered Hawk: 2
Broad-winged Hawk: 9
Swainson's Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 153
American Kestrel: 12
Merlin: 4
Peregrine Falcon: 3

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 6
Buteo: 1
Falcon: 1
Raptor: 9

Thursday, October 20, 2011

2011-10-20T14:19:56.387-0700

Another fogged out day on Hawkwatch, but volunteers spent the morning birding at the annex seeing a variety of raptors including a Northern Harrier, a few male American Kestrels, Cooper's Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, and of course Turkey Vultures. Better luck tomorrow!

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

2011-10-19T16:20:38.334-0700

What a spectacular day to be up on Hawk Hill! Highlights of the day included a spectacular up-close look at a dark morph juvenile Broad-winged Hawk, but even this sighting was eclipsed by a far off view of an adult Bald Eagle. We are starting to see more adult accipiters, and Merlins are still blazing through the area in high numbers, gobbling up dragonflies on their way south.

Total Sightings: 400
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 66.67
Total Species: 11

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 93
Bald Eagle: 1
Northern Harrier: 7
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 40
Cooper's Hawk: 58
Red-shouldered Hawk: 3
Broad-winged Hawk: 4
Red-tailed Hawk: 133
American Kestrel: 8
Merlin: 11
Peregrine Falcon: 8

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 20
Buteo: 6
Falcon: 1
Raptor: 7

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

2011-10-18T13:12:05.388-0700

Visibility: 0; Hawks: 0; Number of disappointed Hawk watchers: too many. In order to raise the spirits of the disheartened crew, we went on a birding field trip around the lagoon. We spotted mostly non-raptor species, including an Eared Grebe, a lone Greater White-fronted Goose, a Wilson's Snipe, a cluster of American Coots, and three River Otters. Perhaps next time the weather will cooperate for more raptor-tastic conditions.

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Monday, October 17, 2011

2011-10-17T16:17:41.373-0700

What a wonderful falcon day! We were astounded by how many Merlins we saw eating dragonflies- 20 total for the day, with each subspecies being represented. Other highlights was the glorious adult Ferruginous Hawk late in the day and four Osprey. We also saw a few beautiful dark-morph Red-tailed Hawks. A 13 species day- I believe that is a new record for this season!

Total Sightings: 419
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 69.83
Total Species: 13

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 117
Osprey: 4
White-tailed Kite: 2
Northern Harrier: 4
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 101
Cooper's Hawk: 54
Red-shouldered Hawk: 2
Broad-winged Hawk: 3
Red-tailed Hawk: 76
Ferruginous Hawk: 1
American Kestrel: 16
Merlin: 20
Peregrine Falcon: 5

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 11
Buteo: 2
Falcon: 1

Sunday, October 16, 2011

2011-10-16T16:21:05.711-0700

Although it was overcast all day, the weather was really mild and the winds were low. Although we didn't see a large number of hawks, we really enjoyed a close up sighting of a Broad-winged Hawk and a Merlin catching dragonflies. We also caught a glimpse of an adult male and female Northern Harrier, which was a nice identification challenge. We enjoyed watching a male Kestrel dive bombing an adult Red-tail later in the day when things were a little slow.

Total Sightings: 195
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 32.5
Total Species: 11

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 94
White-tailed Kite: 2
Northern Harrier: 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 14
Cooper's Hawk: 4
Red-shouldered Hawk: 4
Broad-winged Hawk: 2
Red-tailed Hawk: 53
American Kestrel: 5
Merlin: 2
Peregrine Falcon: 4

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 3
Falcon: 1
Raptor: 5

Saturday, October 15, 2011

2011-10-15T16:32:21.459-0700

A foggy start to yet another exciting day on Hawkwatch. The real highlight of the day was a couple of juvenile Peregrine Falcons that were making passes by POAK and HAWK blinds, including aerial attacks on one another right in front of the north platform, a really fantastic display on a relatively slow day! Other thrilling sightings included a couple Merlins that flew high overhead and a high proportion of adult accipiters.

Total Sightings: 119
Hours Counted: 4
HPH: 29.75
Total Species: 7

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 32
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 19
Cooper's Hawk: 12
Red-tailed Hawk: 36
American Kestrel: 5
Merlin: 3
Peregrine Falcon: 4

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 4
Buteo: 2
Raptor: 2

Friday, October 14, 2011

2011-10-17T09:45:57.236-0700

Sorry for the delayed posting! The hawk numbers weren't too high Friday, but the team was excited to see the Swainson's Hawk, Broad-wing, and Osprey all in the last hour (after a pretty slow day).

Total Sightings: 285
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 47.5
Total Species: 10

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 127
Osprey: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 27
Cooper's Hawk: 39
Red-shouldered Hawk: 3
Broad-winged Hawk: 1
Swainson's Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 71
American Kestrel: 4
Merlin: 1

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 6
Falcon: 1
Raptor: 3

Thursday, October 13, 2011

2011-10-13T16:17:16.414-0700

Beautiful but hot day on the top of the hill. The morning was very busy and windy, but when the winds died down around noon and so did the corresponding numbers of hawks. However, we saw a good amount of species today. Some of our favorites were the beautiful male Northern Harrier flying high overhead, a gorgeous Osprey rising from the rifle range, and a couple of Merlins enjoying a tasty snack of dragonflies above the pines. Altogether a great day, even if we got a little sunburned!

Total Sightings: 336
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 56
Total Species: 11

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 110
Osprey: 1
Northern Harrier: 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 54
Cooper's Hawk: 44
Red-shouldered Hawk: 5
Broad-winged Hawk: 5
Red-tailed Hawk: 81
American Kestrel: 7
Merlin: 9
Peregrine Falcon: 5

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 9
Buteo: 2
Raptor: 2

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

2011-10-12T16:09:20.407-0700

A hot day on Hawk Hill, with several dark morph Red-tailed Hawk sightings, a few Broad-winged Hawks, and a few White-tailed Kites that flew right over the pines on the hill! Other highlights included several Northern Harriers, Merlins, a Peregrine that flew fairly close to the north platform, and an adult Red-shouldered Hawk that flew high above Hawkwatchers. Overall a very good afternoon!

Total Sightings: 449
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 74.83
Total Species: 11

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 147
White-tailed Kite: 4
Northern Harrier: 6
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 115
Cooper's Hawk: 57
Red-shouldered Hawk: 13
Broad-winged Hawk: 4
Red-tailed Hawk: 75
American Kestrel: 10
Merlin: 5
Peregrine Falcon: 1

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 11
Raptor: 1

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

2011-10-11T16:15:43.085-0700

Though the morning outlook seemed bleak, Hawkwatchers took a birding hike on the Bobcat Trail and spotted several passerines including a handsome Fox Sparrow. The afternoon cleared the skies enough to allow volunteers up on Hawk Hill, but variable fog conditions left Hawkwatch volunteers in suspense with accipiters and kestrels emerging from the swirling whiteness. The real highlight of the afternoon was the brilliant plumage of a juvenile dark morph Broad-winged Hawk!

Total Sightings: 107
Hours Counted: 3.5
HPH: 30.57
Total Species: 9

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 16
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 38
Cooper's Hawk: 16
Red-shouldered Hawk: 2
Broad-winged Hawk: 2
Red-tailed Hawk: 14
American Kestrel: 4
Merlin: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 2

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 9
Buteo: 2
Raptor: 1

Monday, October 10, 2011

2011-10-11T08:06:13.565-0700

It drizzled all day Monday, no hawkwatching was done! Hopefully it will clear for Tuesday's team.

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Sunday, October 09, 2011

2011-10-09T16:21:24.151-0700

Although the day started and ended in fog, the time in between was saturated with raptor activity! Our Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawk friends were out en masse, thrilling us with their acrobatic displays that were unrivaled by the Fleet Week festivities. Highlights of the day included Northern Harriers, a number of Red-shouldered Hawks, and a Merlin that did a fly-by at the very end of the day.

Total Sightings: 449
Hours Counted: 5.83
HPH: 76.8
Total Species: 9

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 131
Northern Harrier: 6
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 121
Cooper's Hawk: 37
Red-shouldered Hawk: 10
Broad-winged Hawk: 10
Red-tailed Hawk: 62
Merlin: 1

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 60
Buteo: 3
Raptor: 8

Saturday, October 08, 2011

2011-10-08T16:33:30.033-0700

What a day to be looking at the sky! Accipiters gathered in kettles of 10 or more over Hawk Hill all day. Raptors were zooming overhead while the Blue Angels did the same. Some excitement for the day (other than seeing 335 Sharpies and 143 Coops) included seeing a dark-morph Broad-winged Hawk and a Ferruginous Hawk. A wonderful day for hawk watching with beautiful weather! Tomorrow should be a similar day, so come visit Hawk Hill if you can!

Total Sightings: 834
Hours Counted: 5.83
HPH: 142.97
Total Species: 10

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 105
Northern Harrier: 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 335
Cooper's Hawk: 143
Red-shouldered Hawk: 9
Broad-winged Hawk: 20
Red-tailed Hawk: 132
Ferruginous Hawk: 1
American Kestrel: 7
Peregrine Falcon: 2

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 71
Buteo: 2
Raptor: 5

Friday, October 07, 2011

2011-10-07T17:01:36.447-0700

Despite the distraction of non-raptorial aerial acrobatics with the Blue Angels overhead, there were sightings of hundreds of accipiters, a few falcons, several Broad-winged Hawks, and many Red-shouldered Hawks! Overall it was a thrilling day with over 125 hawks per hour, and after months of not even breaking 500 birds in a day, today's total of 751 was really exhilarating. It seems that peak has arrived a little late this year, but hopefully the weather will keep the birds flowing through the Headlands en masse!

Total Sightings: 751
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 125.2
Total Species: 12

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 107
Osprey: 5
White-tailed Kite: 2
Northern Harrier: 4
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 261
Cooper's Hawk: 158
Red-shouldered Hawk: 22
Broad-winged Hawk: 19
Red-tailed Hawk: 103
American Kestrel: 8
Merlin: 3
Peregrine Falcon: 2

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 43
Buteo: 5
Raptor: 9

Thursday, October 06, 2011

2011-10-06T15:37:51.868-0700

Hawkwatchers fortunately made it up on Hawk Hill for most of the day today despite ominous weather forecasts of rain. Though volunteers did get damp with a few scattered showers, they were rewarded with sights of a Broad-winged Hawk and adult Sharp-shinned Hawk that flew right over the north platform and Hawk Hill. Other exciting sightings included the Peregrine Falcons on the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge and an Osprey that flew by Slacker Hill.

Total Sightings: 158
Hours Counted: 4.4
HPH: 35.77
Total Species: 9

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 70
Osprey: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 32
Cooper's Hawk: 4
Red-shouldered Hawk: 5
Broad-winged Hawk: 4
Red-tailed Hawk: 37
American Kestrel: 3
Peregrine Falcon: 1

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 1

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

2011-10-05T14:54:05.333-0700

The team was very excited to go to Hawk Hill today, since the weather had forecasted rain all day. Although a few squalls missed us earlier in the day, big thunderclouds pushed us off the hill shortly after 2. Highlights today were definitely the falcons! We got close up looks at male Kestrels and a beautiful adult Peregrine that flew over the pines. We also got a good look at a Broad-winged Hawk and an adult Cooper's Hawk. All in all, a very satisfying day, even though the numbers weren't high.

Total Sightings: 175
Hours Counted: 4.75
HPH: 36.84
Total Species: 8

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 56
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 44
Cooper's Hawk: 10
Broad-winged Hawk: 2
Red-tailed Hawk: 38
American Kestrel: 7
Merlin: 2
Peregrine Falcon: 7

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 5
Buteo: 1
Eagle: 2
Raptor: 1

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

2011-10-04T13:15:39.641-0700

A beautiful fall day in the headlands. Unfortunately, however, no time was spent on Hawk Hill due to a persistent cloud that sat on top of the hill all day. While waiting for the cloud to blow away, we hiked down to Kirby Cove and saw a large pod of Harbor Porpoises. An Osprey was also spotted just above us. On our way back up the trail, Red-tails were being bombed left and right. First by a male American Kestrel and then another by a pair of Peregrine Falcons.

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Monday, October 03, 2011

2011-10-03T12:47:41.288-0700

We were surprised that it was clear enough for us to go up to the hill this morning, but the rain eventually caught up to us and forced us off the count around 11:30. However, we saw a good amount of Turkey Vultures, Red-tailed Hawks, and Sharp-shinned Hawks. We even got a glimpse of a Peregrine on the North Tower. The birds seem to be keeping low until the storm passes!

Total Sightings: 52
Hours Counted: 2.03
HPH: 25.57
Total Species: 4

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 31
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 7
Red-tailed Hawk: 10
Peregrine Falcon: 1

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 2
Raptor: 1

Sunday, October 02, 2011

2011-10-03T09:43:25.380-0700

Apologies for the late posting!

Total Sightings: 351
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 58.5
Total Species: 12

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 104
Osprey: 1
White-tailed Kite: 1
Northern Harrier: 4
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 49
Cooper's Hawk: 35
Red-shouldered Hawk: 5
Broad-winged Hawk: 3
Red-tailed Hawk: 119
American Kestrel: 3
Merlin: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 3

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 10
Buteo: 8
Falcon: 1
Raptor: 4

Saturday, October 01, 2011

2011-10-03T09:32:13.360-0700

Apologies for the late posting!

Total Sightings: 295
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 49.17
Total Species: 9

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 158
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 4
Cooper's Hawk: 5
Red-shouldered Hawk: 2
Broad-winged Hawk: 4
Red-tailed Hawk: 106
Ferruginous Hawk: 1
American Kestrel: 7
Peregrine Falcon: 2

Unidentified...
Buteo: 2
Raptor: 4

Friday, September 30, 2011

2011-09-30T16:17:43.423-0700

The skies today were calm and peaceful. It was overcast with high clouds, yet the temperature was perfect. Though this weather was ideal for hawk watching, the hawks seemed to disagree with it and trickled through the headlands lazily. A highlight of the day was a dark morph juvenile Red-tail that circled closely around Hawk Hill twice, just to let us know a second time that he was indeed a dark morph.

Total Sightings: 186
Hours Counted: 5.7
HPH: 32.82
Total Species: 6

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 89
Osprey: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 16
Cooper's Hawk: 16
Red-tailed Hawk: 56
American Kestrel: 4

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 3
Falcon: 1

Thursday, September 29, 2011

2011-09-29T13:12:30.901-0700

Today we watched the fog migrate through the Marin Headlands. We hiked around the lagoon and up Miwok trail and saw a great deal of fog. In addition to the fog migration, we saw a couple of Red-tailed Hawks - one (a rufous morph) was perched and eating lunch, and the other was diving to grab some lunch. We also heard a loud call coming from the marshy area off of Miwok trail, which we think may have been a Rail.

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

2011-09-28T16:12:33.898-0700

Another hot day on Hawkwatch, with temperatures in the 90s and many raptors on the hill! Both Peregrine and Prairie Falcons made appearances to the glee of volunteers and visitors alike, as well as several close passes by Broad-winged Hawks and even a few Osprey.

Total Sightings: 459
Hours Counted: 5.8
HPH: 78.69
Total Species: 11

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 130
Osprey: 3
Northern Harrier: 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 83
Cooper's Hawk: 53
Red-shouldered Hawk: 16
Broad-winged Hawk: 19
Red-tailed Hawk: 128
American Kestrel: 3
Peregrine Falcon: 1
Prairie Falcon: 1

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 14
Buteo: 1
Raptor: 5

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

2011-09-27T16:21:02.737-0700

The first Golden Eagle of the season made an appearance over Slaker Hill today, much to the excitement of volunteers! A beautiful day with a few dark morph Red-tails and Broad-wings, as well as two Merlin sightings and a White-tailed Kite! Although slowed by light breezes and prescribed burns, we saw a nice diversity of species today and reasonable numbers.

Total Sightings: 425
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 70.83
Total Species: 11

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 132
White-tailed Kite: 1
Northern Harrier: 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 107
Cooper's Hawk: 43
Red-shouldered Hawk: 13
Broad-winged Hawk: 12
Red-tailed Hawk: 86
Golden Eagle: 1
American Kestrel: 6
Merlin: 2

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 16
Buteo: 3

Monday, September 26, 2011

2011-09-27T10:50:53.989-0700

A lovely warm and sunny day on Hawk Hill! 38 Broad-wings seen. Apologies for the late posting.

Total Sightings: 494
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 82.33
Total Species: 11

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 128
Osprey: 2
White-tailed Kite: 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 102
Cooper's Hawk: 43
Red-shouldered Hawk: 9
Broad-winged Hawk: 38
Red-tailed Hawk: 136
Ferruginous Hawk: 3
American Kestrel: 8
Merlin: 3

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 14
Buteo: 5
Falcon: 1

Sunday, September 25, 2011

2011-09-27T10:28:27.136-0700

The team was fogged out again Sunday!

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Saturday, September 24, 2011

2011-09-24T13:35:23.968-0700

A wet and cold blanket of fog returned and surrounded the headlands today. The skies were quiet with minimal activity. A few Red-tails appeared in and out of the fog along Bobcat Trail, but little else was seen. Our day ended with an adult accipiter crossing the path in front of us. Send sunny thoughts this way.

------------------
Note: The blog will next be updated on Tuesday

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Friday, September 23, 2011

2011-09-23T16:19:37.388-0700

A fabulous day on Hawkwatch! A Swainson's Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, a couple Merlins, and a Prairie Falcon were all spotted from Hawk Hill today! Though the number of birds was a bit lower than usual peak migration, quality proved to be far superior to quantity.

Total Sightings: 289
Hours Counted: 5.5
HPH: 52.2
Total Species: 9

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 76
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 42
Cooper's Hawk: 19
Swainson's Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 131
Ferruginous Hawk: 1
American Kestrel: 3
Merlin: 2
Prairie Falcon: 1

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 8
Buteo: 2
Raptor: 3

Thursday, September 22, 2011

2011-09-23T10:12:55.618-0700

The fog pulled back early enough for the team to be on the hill for four full hours. There were lots of accipiters and Red-tails, and 9 Broad-winged Hawks were seen. Over 200 Vaux's swifts were also counted throughout the day. Despite not getting on the hill until later, the team still saw 11 raptor species. A great day!

Total Sightings: 308
Hours Counted: 4
HPH: 77
Total Species: 11

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 97
Osprey: 2
Northern Harrier: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 57
Cooper's Hawk: 25
Red-shouldered Hawk: 2
Broad-winged Hawk: 9
Red-tailed Hawk: 96
American Kestrel: 1
Merlin: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 1

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 15
Raptor: 1

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

2011-09-21T16:16:23.447-0700

Another beautiful hawkwatch day- hot in the morning and cool and windy in the afternoon! We saw a total of 361 birds today, with our most common species being Red-tailed Hawks, Turkey Vultures, Sharp-shinned, and Cooper's Hawks. However, we saw quite a few Kestrels, Broad-winged Hawks, and Merlins, as well as three Osprey. We had thrilling close up views of a Merlin and two Broad-wings, and quite a few challenging kettles of buteos, vultures, and accipiters.

Total Sightings: 361
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 60.17
Total Species: 9

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 84
Osprey: 3
Northern Harrier: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 66
Cooper's Hawk: 24
Broad-winged Hawk: 8
Red-tailed Hawk: 128
American Kestrel: 10
Merlin: 6

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 19
Buteo: 8
Falcon: 1
Raptor: 3

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

2011-09-20T16:26:48.152-0700

What a perfect day for hawk watching! I knew it was going to be a good day when I woke up and saw sunshine at 7AM for the first time ever out here! The afternoon was pretty hot, but we powered through it with excitement for the perfect weather and plentiful raptors flying overhead. Some of the excitement today included seeing a handful of Broad-winged Hawks (including a dark morph), a Ferruginous Hawk, a Red-shouldered Hawk, and an Osprey.

Total Sightings: 270
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 45
Total Species: 10

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 41
Osprey: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 51
Cooper's Hawk: 29
Red-shouldered Hawk: 1
Broad-winged Hawk: 4
Red-tailed Hawk: 119
Ferruginous Hawk: 1
American Kestrel: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 1

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 16
Buteo: 2
Raptor: 3

Monday, September 19, 2011

2011-09-19T16:12:36.925-0700

Wow! Another gorgeous, and very hot, hawkwatch day! The team was excited to get 12 species today, with 360 total sightings. Our most common species were Red-tailed Hawks, Turkey Vultures, and Sharp-shinned Hawks, but we also saw quite a few Cooper's and Red-shouldered Hawks. The highlight of the day was definitely a juvenile Ferruginous Hawk that gave us a clear view of his "three points of light." However, we were also delighted by a few Broad-winged Hawks, a Merlin, and an Osprey. Great day Monday II!

Total Sightings: 360
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 60
Total Species: 12

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 73
Osprey: 1
Northern Harrier: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 85
Cooper's Hawk: 30
Red-shouldered Hawk: 8
Broad-winged Hawk: 3
Red-tailed Hawk: 132
Ferruginous Hawk: 2
American Kestrel: 5
Merlin: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 3

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 12
Buteo: 1
Raptor: 3

Sunday, September 18, 2011

2011-09-18T16:13:57.924-0700

Such a beautiful day for the hawkwatch! Weather was hot and sunny all day with very light breezes, so we were off to a slow start at first. However, the day ended up being a great success, with Turkey Vultures, Red-tailed Hawks, and Sharp-shinned hawks being our most common species. Highlights included 4 Osprey, 3 Peregrine Falcons, and a beautiful close-up Merlin late in the day. May there be many more days like this to come!

Total Sightings: 421
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 70.17
Total Species: 10

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 159
Osprey: 4
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 53
Cooper's Hawk: 30
Red-shouldered Hawk: 7
Broad-winged Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 108
American Kestrel: 5
Merlin: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 3

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 34
Buteo: 2
Raptor: 14

Saturday, September 17, 2011

2011-09-17T16:15:42.874-0700

A very exciting day on Hawkwatch! The first Broad-winged Hawks of the season stormed the hill as well as four dark-morph Red-tailed Hawks, a couple White-tailed Kites, Merlins, and Osprey! The migration feels like it is finally underway with Saturday I's first full day on the hill in a long time.

Total Sightings: 468
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 78
Total Species: 12

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 114
Osprey: 2
White-tailed Kite: 2
Northern Harrier: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 89
Cooper's Hawk: 71
Red-shouldered Hawk: 14
Broad-winged Hawk: 10
Red-tailed Hawk: 136
American Kestrel: 6
Merlin: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 2

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 15
Buteo: 3
Raptor: 2

Friday, September 16, 2011

2011-09-16T13:24:03.675-0700

Turkey Vultures, Cooper's, Sharpies - oh my!
Red-tails, Kestrels, and Peregrines in the sky.
From the valley below we saw a handful of birds,
The dense fog above left us without words.
Cold and grumbling we all cursed the white stuff,
The sun better shine soon - we've had enough!

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Thursday, September 15, 2011

2011-09-15T13:22:07.883-0700

This morning we were all optimistic that the fog would lift when we got word that it was clear at the Annex. However, the fog never cleared, and hovered all day right above Hawk Hill. Though we never made it up to Hawk Hill, we enjoyed birding near Rodeo Lagoon and at the Annex. We saw a handful of Red-tailed Hawks, a couple Peregrine Falcons, a couple American Kestrels, and a White-tailed Kite.

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

2011-09-14T14:54:59.763-0700

Fog overwhelmed Hawkwatchers in the headlands today, keeping them off of the hill. Birding up at the annex allowed glimpses of a few passing raptors. Better weather will hopefully arrive with the peak season approaching!

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

2011-09-13T13:20:37.408-0700

This is the third time Tim's team was unable to make it up to the hill due to fog! Instead, we refreshed on our accipiter id skills in the skins room and went for a birdwalk around the lagoon. While eating lunch at the annex, we did get a nice look at a juvenile Osprey, but the fog refused to clear in time for a hawkwatch.

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Monday, September 12, 2011

2011-09-12T16:22:38.398-0700

Holy cow, there really is a migration! Today brought a huge spike in the number of raptors moving through the headlands- a total of 308 sightings were made over the course of the day. We saw quite a bit of accipiter activity, and Red-tailed Hawks were boiling out of the valley. Highlights of the day included a brief sighting of a Merlin, four Osprey cruising through, and a Northern Harrier hanging out over Slacker Hill. Stay tuned, folks- it's getting exciting out here!

Total Sightings: 308
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 51.33
Total Species: 9

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 84
Osprey: 4
Northern Harrier: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 12
Cooper's Hawk: 36
Red-tailed Hawk: 154
American Kestrel: 6
Merlin: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 2

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 8

Sunday, September 11, 2011

2011-09-11T16:21:31.779-0700

Today turned out to be a beautiful day up on the hill for the volunteers, but apparently the raptors did not agree. Turkey Vultures and Red-tailed Hawks were the main species seen, and only a handful of accipiters and falcons made an appearance. Hopefully our winged friends will decide that migration should pick up soon!

Total Sightings: 154
Hours Counted: 5.5
HPH: 28
Total Species: 5

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 92
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 51
American Kestrel: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 2

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 1
Buteo: 2
Falcon: 2
Raptor: 2

Saturday, September 10, 2011

2011-09-10T13:03:14.204-0700

We were assigned to Fog Watch again today. We saw lots of fog! So overall a great day for fog watchers.

During our fog observations, we hiked along Bobcat Trail and ended up seeing several Red-tailed Hawks, a few American Kestrels, a Northern Harrier, a White-tailed Kite, and a Great Horned Owl (perched in the brush in the middle of Gerbode Valley). We're thinking about possibly starting a Hawk Watch program and ditching the Fog Watch.

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Friday, September 09, 2011

2011-09-09T13:37:47.963-0700

Fog dominated the headlands once again, so Hawkwatchers spent the morning birding around the lagoon, spotting Red-necked Phalaropes, a Great Egret, a Great Blue Heron, several mallards, and a couple raccoons. Hopefully there will be better weather tomorrow!

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Thursday, September 08, 2011

2011-09-08T13:46:19.890-0700

Today had a late start, but we got up on the hill for a few hours before the fog blew us off the hill. We did happen to catch a glimpse of several Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures, including one juvenile RTHA which was stilling only a few feet away from the north and west platforms!

Total Sightings: 23
Hours Counted: 2
HPH: 11.5
Total Species: 2

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 11
Red-tailed Hawk: 11

Unidentified...
Raptor: 1

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

2011-09-07T16:10:38.144-0700

Another beautiful day on Hawk Hill. While Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures were the most prevalent species, we did spot an Osprey and a couple of Red-shouldered Hawks. We had more Accipiter sightings today as well.

Total Sightings: 199
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 33.17
Total Species: 7

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 73
Osprey: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 3
Cooper's Hawk: 6
Red-shouldered Hawk: 2
Red-tailed Hawk: 107
American Kestrel: 3

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 2
Raptor: 2

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

2011-09-06T16:19:06.948-0700

This morning we were all sure that the fog was going to hang around all day. Around 10:30, we began to go birding around the lagoon when we saw blue sky and sunshine peaking through the fog near Hawk Hill and decided it was time to start counting hawks! When we arrived at the top of the hill, we were surrounded by sunshine and perfect weather. A Peregrine flew right overhead, while a group of 8 Red-tails soared over Angel Island, and an Osprey was spotted off in the distance. Overall, a great day!

Total Sightings: 196
Hours Counted: 4
HPH: 49
Total Species: 9

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 86
Osprey: 1
Northern Harrier: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 2
Cooper's Hawk: 7
Red-tailed Hawk: 85
American Kestrel: 5
Merlin: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 4

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 3
Raptor: 1

Monday, September 05, 2011

2011-09-05T16:27:58.339-0700

Fortunately, the fog lifted enough for us to begin our count shortly before 11, and by the end of the day had cleared completely! We had a total of 168 raptors sighted today, with our most common birds being the usual Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures. We sighted 5 Ospreys today, one of which flew right over the hill top, giving us a great view! Another highlight was a Sharp-shinned Hawk and Cooper's Hawk circling together, giving us a great comparison for later in the season. Hopefully this signals the end of fog outs!

Total Sightings: 168
Hours Counted: 4.75
HPH: 35.37
Total Species: 6

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 52
Osprey: 5
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 2
Cooper's Hawk: 10
Red-tailed Hawk: 90
American Kestrel: 2

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 2
Buteo: 1
Falcon: 1
Raptor: 3

Sunday, September 04, 2011

2011-09-04T13:14:20.843-0700

We had too much fog for a hawkwatch today, despite our enthusiastic early trip to the annex, which showed us 1) that you really can't see the raptors through the fog and 2) we should double check what's happening on the hill before we drive up to sit in the cold. When we came back down the hill, we did go on a nice bird walk around the lagoon and saw a few kestrels and turkey vultures. Keep your fingers crossed for sunshine!

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Saturday, September 03, 2011

2011-09-06T09:51:57.510-0700

Fog conquers all! The hopeful Saturday 1 team waited around until 1pm, but the fog never cleared.

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Friday, September 02, 2011

2011-09-02T15:42:53.789-0700

The day started out nice and clear, though slow on the raptor sightings... The fog came into the valley low at first, but unfortunately at 2pm the wind changed and covered the hill. Hope tomorrow stays clear for the docent programs!

Total Sightings: 183
Hours Counted: 5
HPH: 36.6
Total Species: 8

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 59
Osprey: 1
Northern Harrier: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 5
Cooper's Hawk: 7
Red-shouldered Hawk: 4
Red-tailed Hawk: 97
American Kestrel: 4

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 3
Buteo: 1
Raptor: 1

Thursday, September 01, 2011

2011-09-01T14:18:52.408-0700

Our hopes were high this morning when the weather forcast predicted clear skies all afternoon. The fog cleared on the top of the hill by 10:15, and we started our hawk count thinking we would have a full day. Unfortunately, by 12:45 the fog reappeared with reinforcements, and we had to end our count early, despite our valiant efforts. However, the day still proved fruitful with 30 Turkey Vultures, 13 Red-tailed Hawks, 5 Red-shouldered Hawks, and one each of an Opsrey, a Northern Harrier, and a Cooper's Hawk. We also saw a flock of Black Swifts, as well as some very adorable Blue-gray Gnatcatchers. Hopefully we'll have more time with the birds next cycle!

Total Sightings: 58
Hours Counted: 2.5
HPH: 23.2
Total Species: 6

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 30
Osprey: 1
Northern Harrier: 1
Cooper's Hawk: 1
Red-shouldered Hawk: 5
Red-tailed Hawk: 18

Unidentified...
Raptor: 2

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

2011-08-31T16:38:37.811-0700

A busy full day on Hawkwatch! Several Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures flooded the skies, as well as some early morning accipiters and an afternoon Northern Harrier. There was also a Mountain Lion reported on Slacker Hill in the morning, but Hawkwatchers did not spot the cat from Hawk Hill!

Total Sightings: 121
Hours Counted: 6
HPH: 20.17
Total Species: 7

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 51
Northern Harrier: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 2
Cooper's Hawk: 4
Red-shouldered Hawk: 3
Red-tailed Hawk: 54
American Kestrel: 2

Unidentified...
Raptor: 4

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

2011-08-30T12:59:57.908-0700

Another foggy day allowed us to have a birding trip around the lagoon during which we saw the Red-necked Phalaropes, the first Townsend's Warblers, a female American Kestrel, and both juvenile and adult Red-tailed Hawks. We also got very close up views of a bobcat on the beach and a very healthy seven point buck courting a doe black-tailed deer! Overall an exciting day out despite the gloomy weather.

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Monday, August 29, 2011

2011-08-29T16:17:44.100-0700

Today started off foggy and unpromising, but by early afternoon, blue skies reigned supreme. During a morning walk along Coyote Trail, hawk watchers spied a Great Horned Owl and a White-tailed Kite. Up on Hawk Hill, our lovely volunteers recorded an Osprey, a number of American Kestrels, and a couple of Red-shouldered Hawks. Keep your fingers crossed for clear skies for the rest of the week!

Total Sightings: 78
Hours Counted: 2
HPH: 39
Total Species: 5

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 22
Osprey: 1
Red-shouldered Hawk: 2
Red-tailed Hawk: 42
American Kestrel: 8

Unidentified...
Buteo: 2
Raptor: 1

Sunday, August 28, 2011

2011-08-28T13:07:07.201-0700

Our hawk watching efforts were foiled by the fog yet again. Highlights of the lagoon stroll were a female American Kestrel, a Red-tailed Hawk, and some Red-necked Phalaropes.

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Saturday, August 27, 2011

2011-08-27T13:34:51.015-0700

Welcome to the Land of Fog! Unfortunately we were unable to get up to Hawk Hill today. We spent some time attempting to bird around Rodeo Lagoon, but the birds all seemed to be hiding away from the cold fog -- minus our resident female American Kestrel, who perches atop a telephone pole near the lagoon and always provides us with a little solace on these fogged out days. We ate lunch at the Annex with hopes of skies clearing in the afternoon. Despite the never-ending wall of white, we spotted an adult Red-tailed Hawk fly through the valley below the Annex only to disappear moments later.

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Friday, August 26, 2011

2011-08-26T13:30:53.612-0700

And yet another entry for the Fog Blog! Unfortunately today was yet another victim of the weather, but the morning was well-spent with riveting avian discussion and a refresher on identification with a slide quiz. Lunch at the annex as a last attempt to get on the hill was pleasant despite the uncooperative weather!

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Thursday, August 25, 2011

2011-08-25T13:43:21.908-0700

Once again the fog has blanketed the Marin Headlands and skunked the Hawkwatchers. However, we took full advantage of the weather by spending some quality time on a slide quiz and birding up at the annex where a Red-tailed Hawk, a couple Turkey Vultures, and a few curious Common Ravens flew by to lift our spirits. Here's hoping for another break in the fog!

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

2011-08-24T13:06:13.330-0700

Regrettably, yesterday's beautiful weather decided not to stick around, and suffocating tendrils of fog gripped the hill all morning, forcing us to abandon the count for the day. The hawkwatch team spent the morning wandering the lagoon, and enjoyed good looks at Common Mergansers, Western Bluebirds, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, and a female Kestrel on a wire. We also got some good looks at our Kirby Cove Red-tailed Hawk pair. I'm beginning to think we should change Hawk Hill's name into "Fog Hill," and the GGRO into the "Golden Gate Fog Observatory." Better luck next time!

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

2011-08-23T16:22:10.397-0700

What an absolutely beautiful day on Hawk Hill! Red-tailed Hawks ruled the skies today, but a few other species showed up for the count, including two Osprey, a Red-shouldered Hawk, American Kestrels, Cooper's Hawks, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, and a Northern Harrier. It was the highest count of the season so far, so migration must be gearing up.

Total Sightings: 163
Hours Counted: 4.75
HPH: 34.32
Total Species: 8

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 55
Osprey: 2
Northern Harrier: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 1
Cooper's Hawk: 7
Red-shouldered Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 86
American Kestrel: 2

Unidentified...
Accipiter: 2
Raptor: 6

Monday, August 22, 2011

2011-08-22T13:45:42.595-0700

Although our hopes for a beautiful clear hill were high today, the fog proved uncooperative once again. However, the team enjoyed watching the juvenile and adult red-tails from the annex, and a Cooper's Hawk flying into view over south slacker a few times. Our most exciting raptor encounter came around 1:00, when one of the adult Peregrines, calling like crazy, stooped upon a Cooper's Hawk who quickly dropped into the safety of the trees. It's really too bad the fog insisted on hanging around the hill today!

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Sunday, August 21, 2011

2011-08-21T16:37:17.863-0700

Though the day started out foggy and gloomy, the fog lifted enough for us to take data at the hill today (finally)! We had a pretty good raptor show today, with Turkey Vultures and Red-tails being our main stars. The highlights included a Peregrine/Redtail aerial battle, a good overhead look at a few juvenile Cooper's Hawks, an exciting potential Merlin sighting, and a late Osprey. Spotted Towhees and Band-tailed Pigeons provided additional entertainment. I'm crossing my fingers that today marks the end of the fog onslaught, and that all the teams get up to the hill this week!

Total Sightings: 75
Hours Counted: 4
HPH: 18.75
Total Species: 7

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 36
Osprey: 1
Cooper's Hawk: 3
Red-tailed Hawk: 28
American Kestrel: 1
Merlin: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 3

Unidentified...
Buteo: 1
Raptor: 1

Saturday, August 20, 2011

2011-08-20T13:34:29.284-0700

Hawkwatchers finally made it up on Hawk Hill for the second day this season! Unfortunately the morning sunshine did not last through the day. However, while the sun was out several exciting birds were counted including a juvenile Cooper's Hawk that stormed the platform, a juvenile Red-Shouldered Hawk, and (my personal favorite) a juvenile Peregrine Falcon! We were also entertained by the pair of Common Ravens and a flirtatious Wrentit while we waited for the fog to lift.

Total Sightings: 60
Hours Counted: 3.25
HPH: 18.46
Total Species: 7

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 28
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 2
Cooper's Hawk: 4
Red-shouldered Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 22
American Kestrel: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 1

Unidentified...
Buteo: 1

Friday, August 19, 2011

2011-08-19T13:36:58.069-0700

The fog has graced us with its presence once again today. The coastal flora must be happy. We were unable to record any data today, but volunteers enjoyed birding around Rodeo Lagoon and up Miwok trail. Despite the fog keeping us from Hawk Hill, it was a beautiful morning and we saw a handful of Red-tailed Hawks stilling just below the blanket of fog and taking advantage of wind currents to soar around the hills. We also saw a female American Kestrel, a group of Red-necked Phalaropes, and some bright Western Bluebirds. A great day nonetheless, but we're ready for a day of sunshine!

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Thursday, August 18, 2011

2011-08-18T13:39:05.017-0700

Once again, the fog has rudely interrupted our plans for a full hawkwatch, and we were unable to make it up to the hill today. However, the team went on a nice birdwalk by the lagoon, and we did see the vagrant Pacific Golden-Plover that birders sighted on Rodeo Beach. Other highlights were a Red-necked Phalarope, Common Mergansers, Willets, and a far off Osprey! We also saw a few hungry juvenile Red-tailed Hawks when we were waiting for the fog to lift at the annex. Hopefully the skies will clear up tomorrow.

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

2011-08-17T14:00:17.741-0700

Unfortunately, the fog prevented us from going up onto the hill for the second day in a row. Some local birding revealed Red-necked Phalaropes, a Green-backed Heron, some Common Yellowthroats, a Marsh Wren, a Wrentit, a few American Kestrels, Double-crested Cormorants, Killdeer, Common Mergansers, Heermann's Gulls, Song Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows, a Pied-billed Grebe, and California Towhees. Hopefully we'll have better luck with the raptors tomorrow! Stay tuned....

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

2011-08-16T15:23:06.086-0700

Unfortunately day two did not have yesterday's sunny skies, but rather a continuous layer of fog. However, volunteers spent the morning birding around the bobcat trail and Rodeo Lagoon. The highlight of the day was a boisterous group of Red-necked Phalaropes and a few female American Kestrels. Hopefully we will have better luck next week!

Total Sightings: 0
Hours Counted: 0
HPH: 0
Total Species: 0

Monday, August 15, 2011

2011-08-16T07:54:57.994-0700

What a great start to the season! Spirits were as high as the hope that the fog would disappear, particularly when a beautiful White-tailed Kite materialized from the fog and made its way toward Rodeo Lagoon. Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures meandered through the sky, and a few female American Kestrels were diving among the coyote bushes. Peregrine Falcons zoomed around the Golden Gate Bridge, fiercely patrolling the skies.

Total Sightings: 82
Hours Counted: 5.75
HPH: 14.26
Total Species: 6

Species Counts:
Turkey Vulture: 34
White-tailed Kite: 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 39
American Kestrel: 2
Peregrine Falcon: 2

Unidentified...
Buteo: 1
Falcon: 1
Raptor: 1