Hawk Migration

Well, an early afternoon “raptor break” spent outside the office yielded at least a few birds: beginning about 1:15, we spotted a sharpie, Mississippi kite, 2 unknown raptors (man, they are flying high today!) and an immature bald eagle, all heading west.  Surely would have liked to be able to spend a few hours on the Fort Morgan peninsula, today, and have great spacious views from land’s end, but I think I’ll try that in the morning…more later!  (30 minutes observing; 5 birds/3 species, at least).

Stepped outside the office for a few minutes, and was able to see 7 broad-winged hawks (really high!) and two imm. red-tails…all headed west and a good clip.  North wind, today–beautiful. (20 min. obs.; 9 birds; 2 species)

Yesterday, only had a chance to sit outside the office during lunch.  Strong winds out of the west seemed to keep the birds “down”, as nothing but a couple of local birds were visible…until (!) several specks appeared about a 1/2 mile north of City Hall…ran to the truck for a spotting scope, while Ken Cooper said “swallow tails?”…cool!  Thought they’d be broad-winged hawks, but we apparently saw 5 very late swallow-tailed kites, heading west at a very fast clip, despite the strong headwind.  A few minutes later, saw a lone red-tailed hawk heading west, very high.  (40 minutes of observation; 6 birds; 2 species).

Welcome to our new RaptorWatch blog for the 2009 Fall migration!  We’re very excited to monitor this flyway this Fall, and we hope you’re as interested in this “new” corridor, as well.  While we have no full-time site monitors, we’d like to keep you informed of what we’re seeing in and around Orange Beach during the Fall migration.

September 18, 2009: first visit to Fort Morgan, Alabama for the 2009 migration season.  Two hours of observing was rewarded with two Mississippi kites and one braod-winged hawk.

September 24, 2009: Orange Beach City Hall: taking a few trips outside to “look around” allowed us to see 3 bald eagles (adults), 2 red-tailed hawks (adults), one merlin, one Cooper’s hawk and 2 broad-winged hawks migrating to the west (total of about 1 hour of observation for 9 total birds/5 species).

September 26, 2009: while walking on the Backcountry Trail, at about the 10:30 hour observed several hawks in migratory mode: 3 red-tails, 2 Coopers and 1 sharp-shinned hawk (15 minutes observation; 6 individuals;3 species)

Sept. 27, 2009: Fort Morgan: arrived at 10:15 a.m.  Saw no birds until about 10:45, when I saw the first migrating bird of the day–an immature Peregrine falcon…got a fantastic look at this beautiful bird!  However, no more birds for the next hour!  There were a few resident red-tails and osprey around, but nothing “moving”.  I decided to pick up and move to a place I’d seen about 2 miles east of the Fort, and I barely brought the truck to a halt when the accipiters were streaming by, all going east!  First, 3 sharpies and a Coop, then another small group of 3 sharpies and a merlin!  Over the next 15 minutes, saw 2 more sharp-shinneds.  Had to get back to Orange Beach by noon, so I left the site and started driving east.  Along the way, small specks (most likely sharpies and Coops) were seen at points all along the peninsula, although I don’t know which direction they were headed, etc.  All in all, the 2009 Fall raptor migration along the Alabama Gulf coast is clearly in full swing! (~2 hours observation; 11 individuals (at least); 4 species).

American Bald Eagle

Broad-Winged Hawk

Coopers Hawk

Merlin

Osprey

Peregrin Falcon

Red-Tailed Hawk

Sharp-Shinned Hawk