Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch: Week 4

Winds this week started out in the northwest, then gradually shifted more easterly in the second half. 4/10 was downright hot with temperatures maxing out at 71F, which produced our largest flight of the week of 142 hawks on southerly winds. Our first Broad-winged Hawks of the season were seen on 4/9. American Kestrels are beginning to show a strong movement, and Ospreys are increasing as well. Other first-of-years included Pine Warbler, Common Loon, and Double-crested Cormorant.

Week 4 Totals (current week - total to date - 2020 total)

BLACK VULTURE 0-2-1

TURKEY VULTURE 47-586-557

OSPREY 33-36-401

SWALLOW-TAILED KITE 0-0-0

MISSISSIPPI KITE 0-0-0

BALD EAGLE 28-80-89

NORTHERN HARRIER 10-25-58

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK 65-102-776

COOPER’S HAWK 20-55-56

NORTHERN GOSHAWK 0-2-6

RED-SHOULDERED HAWK 31-103-65

BROAD-WINGED HAWK 16-16-2531

SWAINSON’S HAWK 0-0-0

RED-TAILED HAWK 40-138-136

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK 0-0-0

GOLDEN EAGLE 0-0-0

AMERICAN KESTREL 62-90-249

MERLIN 3-12-79

PEREGRINE FALCON 2-5-8

UNIDENTIFIED RAPTOR 14-34-45

TOTAL 371-1286-5057