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Hawkwatch 2013

PostPosted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 2:27 am
by svizzerams
The hawk migration has started through the west coast....visited the counting station close by and had a chance to see some of these gorgeous birds up close

Using a blind, mist nets and a tethered pigeon or starling a few of the migrating raptors are captured and banded...

High tech tools of a raptor biologist:
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Cooper's Hawk
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Future biologist with a Sharp-Shin Hawk preparing to release...
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Merlin...
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Disclaimer: no pigeons or starlings were harmed in the study of these raptors ;-)

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Re: Hawkwatch 2013

PostPosted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 4:25 am
by svizzerams
A cool site is: http://www.hawkcount.org. Some of the east coast sites (in NJ of all places!) are counting 45,000+ migrating raptors in a day (primarily broadwing hawks which we don't seem to have on the west coast).

Latest data from our site, which is one of two counting locations in our state:
http://www.hawkcount.org/day_summary.ph ... ryear=2013

Click on the map to find other counting sites around the US, Canada and Mexico. Alot of these birds funnel through Vera Cruz, Mexico on their way to South and Central America and 100,000's are seen in a day.

http://www.hawkwatch.com <-- great site

Some of the "unreleasable" raptors that were at the staging area of the Hawkfest...

Barn Owl (healthy, but imprinted on humans when it's nest was destroyed and it was brought to a rescue center)
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Great Horned Owl (Traumatic Brain Injury (hit by car) - but makes a great foster dad to owlets)
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American Kestrel (blind)
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Red-Tail Hawk (permanently damaged flight feathers)
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All these birds were rescued and rehabilitated but sustained injuries that make it improbable they would survive in the wild and are now used as education birds.

Re: Hawkwatch 2013

PostPosted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 4:46 pm
by Chimborazo
Awesome, thank you.

Re: Hawkwatch 2013

PostPosted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 11:12 pm
by nowonmai
Great critters. I saw one of these (Hen Harrier) the other day as I was out shooting. Followed her along with my barrels but gave her a pass. It being highly illegal to shoot hawks for some reason.

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Did you cop off with grizzly adams?

Re: Hawkwatch 2013

PostPosted: Thu Oct 10, 2013 9:45 pm
by svizzerams
I've been back a couple of times to the hawk migration observation site:

I had a chance to release a Red-tail Hawk. Last week I observed: 1 Merlin, 3 Sharp Shin Hawks, 3 Red-Tails, 1 Cooper's Hawk, a Northern Harrier (which is nicknamed "the Grey Ghost"), a Golden Eagle, and 2 Bald Eagles. The site was almost shutdown by the current stupidity reigning in D.C. but "Grizzly Adams" tore up the observers Forest Service Volunteer forms since they are actually paid by Hawkwatch Int'l. Spending times on the various mountaintops around where I live helps me keep things in perspective. These birds are gorgeous.

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Mature female Sharp Shin Hawk (L) and juvenile male Sharp Shin Hawk (R)

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Female Sharp Shin Hawk

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Merlin

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Merlin

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Researcher and Red-Tail

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Red-Tail Hawk

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Me releasing Red-Tail Hawk after banding by researchers

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Another day at the office for hawkwatcher/counters....

Why I like hanging out on this ridge:

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And I saw this guy - who wasn't at all concerned I was there, but will be scarce this week as hunting season opens......

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