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Hi Tweets,
Nancy Taylor and I spent Saturday and Sunday (9/26-27) at Slate Peak =
near Hart's Pass watching the southbound raptor migration. We had =
virtually perfect weather conditions--unlimited visibility and moderate =
northwesterly winds, daytime temps in the 60's with a light frost Sun. =
a.m in camp. The remnants of the first fall storm front that went =
through on Wed.-Fri. was clearing out on Sat. morning as we arrived, =
with a bare trace of snow melting quickly on the talus slopes. This site =
is at 7488' on the peak and about 7200' at the end of the road on the =
north/south ridge where we set up scopes, chairs, and picnic each day to =
watch the unfolding annual extravaganza (Life of Riley birding). Two =
weeks ago I was there and had 46 raptors over two and a half days. Nancy =
and I had 122 over two days (11 hrs.). We had 121 on one day last year. =
Over the last three years I have observed an apparent increase in raptor =
migratory numbers associated with a cold weather event to the north and =
probably more significantly, the fall equinox.
Our raptor count was: 39 Sharpies; 31 Cooper's; 7 Redtails (migrants =
only); 5 Northern Harriers; 4 Golden Eagles; 3 Kestrels; 2 Merlin; 1 =
Prairie Falcon; 1 Turkey Vulture; plus 13 unidentified accipiters and 17 =
unidentified raptors (too fast or to far in the distance). I got a =
personal sense of what it might be like to be confronted by one of these =
predators as I walked along the ridge above our counting site. I heard a =
sudden "whoosh!" as a Cooper's Hawk strafed a small passerine (juvie =
Golden Sparrow or Junco) diving desperately into the meager alpine fir =
and heather not ten feet in front of me. The Coop was obviously =
oblivious to me until the last moment and was just as shocked as I was. =
Nice squirt of adrenaline. Also had a glimpse of a distant flight of =
approximately 50 geese (CAGO?) over a ridge that is in the 8-9,000' =
range. We also had 2 Lapland Longspurs in eclipse plumage foraging in =
the rocks which made for a challenging identification effort. And down =
at Meadows Campground we had a male Franklin's Spruce Grouse foraging =
along the road. We were able to quietly walk right up to it within 4'. =
If it is possible, this bird appeared to be even dumber than a =
chicken--definitely large raptor bait.=20
BTW, I've had almost daily sightings of both Cooper's Hawk and Merlin =
over the last two weeks right here in little B'berg. Seems like winter =
visitors are moving on post. Good luck and good birding!
Joe Mackie
Bellingham
jmackie at cc.wwu.edu
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<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Hi Tweets,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Nancy Taylor and I spent Saturday =
and Sunday=20
(9/26-27) at Slate Peak near Hart's Pass watching the southbound raptor=20
migration. We had virtually perfect weather conditions--unlimited =
visibility and=20
moderate northwesterly winds, daytime temps in the 60's with a light =
frost Sun.=20
a.m in camp. The remnants of the first fall storm front that went =
through on=20
Wed.-Fri. was clearing out on Sat. morning as we arrived, with a bare =
trace of=20
snow melting quickly on the talus slopes. This site is at 7488' on the =
peak and=20
about 7200' at the end of the road on the north/south ridge where we set =
up=20
scopes, chairs, and picnic each day to watch the unfolding annual =
extravaganza=20
(Life of Riley birding). Two weeks ago I was there and had 46 raptors =
over two=20
and a half days. Nancy and I had 122 over two days (11 hrs.). We had 121 =
on one=20
day last year. Over the last three years I have observed an apparent =
increase in=20
raptor migratory numbers associated with a cold weather event to the =
north and=20
probably more significantly, the fall equinox.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Our raptor count was: 39 Sharpies; =
31 Cooper's;=20
7 Redtails (migrants only); 5 Northern Harriers; 4 Golden Eagles; 3 =
Kestrels; 2=20
Merlin; 1 Prairie Falcon; 1 Turkey Vulture; plus 13 unidentified =
accipiters and=20
17 unidentified raptors (too fast or to far in the distance). I got a =
personal=20
sense of what it might be like to be confronted by one of these =
predators as I=20
walked along the ridge above our counting site. I heard a sudden=20
"whoosh!" as a Cooper's Hawk strafed a small passerine (juvie =
Golden=20
Sparrow or Junco) diving desperately into the meager alpine fir and =
heather not=20
ten feet in front of me. The Coop was obviously oblivious to me until =
the last=20
moment and was just as shocked as I was. Nice squirt of adrenaline. Also =
had a=20
glimpse of a distant flight of approximately 50 geese (CAGO?) over a =
ridge that=20
is in the 8-9,000' range. We also had 2 Lapland Longspurs in eclipse =
plumage=20
foraging in the rocks which made for a challenging identification =
effort. And=20
down at Meadows Campground we had a male Franklin's Spruce Grouse =
foraging along=20
the road. We were able to quietly walk right up to it within 4'. If it =
is=20
possible, this bird appeared to be even dumber than a =
chicken--definitely large=20
raptor bait. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>BTW, I've had almost daily sightings =
of both=20
Cooper's Hawk and Merlin over the last two weeks right here in little =
B'berg.=20
Seems like winter visitors are moving on post. Good luck and good=20
birding!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Joe Mackie</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Bellingham</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"mailto:jmackie at cc.wwu.edu">jmackie at cc.wwu.edu</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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