Kim, did you see signs of a large grasshopper hatch? I have seen a couple
AMKE gatherings of a couple dozen near Vantage and on the Columbian Plateau
in late summer when there was a large grasshopper hatch.

Steve Loitz
Ellensburg WA

On Mon, Aug 11, 2025 at 9:32 PM Kim Thorburn via Tweeters <
tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:


> Hi Tweets,

>

> I'm wondering if anyone has insight about what seemed a very unusual event

> on July 22, 2025.

>

> I was working a field project on July 28, 2025 with another volunteer for

> WDFW at the Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area in Lincoln County. In the process

> we drove an approximately 28-mile transect, mostly through public lands

> (Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area and BLM Telford Management Area) that

> comprises decent scablands shrub-steppe habitat. We began noticing American

> kestrel everywhere. We stopped counting at about 100 birds and probably saw

> twice that many. I have spent lots of time in this area and don't ever

> recall such a phenomenon.

>

> Many of the birds seemed to be hatch-year but there were clearly also

> adults. They were very active-perching, spatting, foraging. Some birds in

> this area over-winter. My anecdotal observation is that many over-wintering

> AMKE are adult males. I believe those that migrate only fly short

> distances. However, it seems early migratory activity, which, according to

> the literature occurs predominantly in September and tends to be solitary.

>

> Does anyone know if this is a known phenomenon and if so, what is means?

>

> Thanks,

>

> Kim

>

>

>

> Kim Marie Thorburn, MD, MPH

>

> Spokane, WA

>

> (509) 465-3025 home

>

> (509) 599-6721 cell

>