Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch: Week 3

We managed to get in 5 pretty good days of hawk watching this week, despite 2 days of rain and compromised visibility. 77 birds counted on 4/1 and 83 on 4/4 is really not too shabby for early April. The first Osprey, that showed up on 4/1, is always a hallmark to the turning of the season. A second American Goshawk (photographed to the left by Bill Thomspson) on 3/29 was a treat as well. Turkey Vultures made a good showing and American Kestrels are starting to pick up. Tree Swallows are building in numbers and we had a Common Goldeneye sighting from the summit. 

Week 3 Totals (current week - total to date – season average)  

BLACK VULTURE 0-0-1

TURKEY VULTURE  188-373-414

OSPREY 11-11-400 

SWALLOW-TAILED KITE 0-0-0 

MISSISSIPPI KITE 0-0-0

BALD EAGLE 3-30–81 

NORTHERN HARRIER 19-28–108

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK 21-28–661

COOPER’S HAWK 8-18–68

AMERICAN GOSHAWK 1-2-6

RED-SHOULDERED HAWK 7-36–88

BROAD-WINGED HAWK 0-0-1888 

SWAINSON’S HAWK 0-0-0 

RED-TAILED HAWK 12-41–202 

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK 0-0-1 

GOLDEN EAGLE 0-1-0

AMERICAN KESTREL 35-42–364

MERLIN 3-5–71 

PEREGRINE FALCON 0-2-6

UNIDENTIFIED RAPTOR 0-2-47

TOTAL 308-619–4407