[mou] Waetskyline Hawk Count-Largest Eagle Flight/Iceland Gull

[Bjboreal@aol.com]

Westskyline Hawkwatch, Duluth, MN.

Flight continues at the WSHC.=20

Migration slowed down to a trickle from the 19th to the afternoon of the 22n=
d=20
when a late afternoon push kept us counting until 5:00pm. On that day were=20
had a moderate flight of 162 raptors of three species including 154 Bald Eag=
les,=20
1 Northern Harrier (first) and 7 Golden Eagles. Most of these came in the=20
last three hours of the day.=20

Dave and I had hi hopes on the 23rd. And we were not disappointed. The day=20
started off good with eagles getting up around the lookout. By 11:00 we had=20
counted 132 Bald Eagles, but the next hours to come were spectacular to say=20=
the=20
least and included: 11-12 hr 194 Bald Eagles, 12-1 hr 165 Bald Eagles, 1-2 h=
r=20
196 Bald Eagles, 2-3 hr 96 Bald Eagles, 39 the rest of the Day. There were=20
kettles of eagles including one of 60 and 49 being the largest.  By day end=20=
we had=20
counted 822 Bald Eagles (mostly adults) which is the highest number of=20
migrating Bald Eagles ever recorded in North America. The previous record wa=
s at Hawk=20
Ridge on November 22,1994 with 743.
The 23rd also saw an amazing and record number of Golden Eagle with 20, 19=20
adults and 1 sub-adults. We are starting to see the beginning of the Red-tai=
led=20
Hawk flight.

Today (24th) saw  foggy conditions, almost no wind, and high humidity at the=
=20
lookout. The 52 Bald Eagles seen were low and flapping, working very hard to=
=20
migrate. The Highlight today was a Ist winter Iceland Gull  which sat near t=
he=20
lookout (Thompson Hill), Junco, Robin, Flicker , 200 Bohemiam Waxwings and=20
Red-winged Blackbird.

Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in the hawkwatch and=20
 need any information.
 =20
  February 23-March 24 YTD Total
  Turkey Vulture-0
  Osprey-0=20
  Bald Eagle-1840
  Northern Harrier-1
  Sharp-shinned Hawk-3
  Cooper's Hawk-3
  Northern Goshawk-13
  Red-shouldered Hawk-0
  Broad-winged Hawk-0
  Red-tailed Hawk-41
  Swainson's Hawk-0  =20
  Rough-legged Hawk-14
  Golden Eagle-81
  Am. Kestrel-0
  Merlin-0
  Peregrine-1
 =20
  TOTAL-1997
 =20
   Submitted by:
            Frank Nicoletti and Dave Carman
            Duluth, Minnesota
  =20
   Hawk Watch Site: West Skyline Hawk Count
   Location: West Skyline Parkway, Duluth, Minnesota 55804
   GPS: Lat. N 46=E2=88=9E50'48.0" and Long. W 92=E2=88=9E01'53.5"
   Coverage: Late Feb - Late May
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