NG sightings- all sightings were naked eye, and all were in flight, yet not in migration, all were resident hawks. Some Cooper’s were perched and some were in flight. From 8/28/18 up to November 25-18.
9/24/18. 1 mature NG. AM- bright sun. Altitude of bird about 150-200 feet. A lot of silver and white coming off the hawk. Ripping through with very little gliding. Near Saint Mary’s Church, Anacortes (SMC).
10/22/18. 1 female NG. Noon- SMC. Altitude of hawk about 150 feet.
11/11/18. At Skagit Regional Airport. The hawk was far off, at about 150 feet altitude. Observation time about 30 seconds. It was cool with a cool breeze. The hawk was fresh.
11/15/18. 1 NG out the kitchen window. The hawk was fresh but the weather was not fresh. Elevation of bird 150 feet. Elapsed time of observation about 10 seconds. The hawk did not flap and was in straight- line flight, and very rapid. Near SMC.
My over all observation is that there was certainly very little raptor activity, even passivity, in raptor activity.
Monday, November 26, 2018
Another hawk watcher
It looks as if we have another hawk watcher in the state of Washington. From a posting on Tweeters, the name is Michael Charest. The post— probable Gyr Falcon Boeing Field. Saturday, November 10- 2018.
Other than myself, Mr. Charest is the only hawk watcher I know of in Washington. Yes there are other hawk watchers. However as soon as they depart the official hawk watch site, they go into default. They revert. They now become birders, again.
From one of my profound statements—Birders are not hawk watchers, and most of them will never become hawk watchers. It is too much of an other endeavor, too much of a leap of faith. It is too sketchy— too much of an art- form.
Over and out.
Other than myself, Mr. Charest is the only hawk watcher I know of in Washington. Yes there are other hawk watchers. However as soon as they depart the official hawk watch site, they go into default. They revert. They now become birders, again.
From one of my profound statements—Birders are not hawk watchers, and most of them will never become hawk watchers. It is too much of an other endeavor, too much of a leap of faith. It is too sketchy— too much of an art- form.
Over and out.
white-tailed hawk
Dear birders and hawkwatchers- and there is a world of difference.
At whatbird.com a photographer in California suggested that his photo was of a white-tailed kite. Two subscribers agree with the submission. The bird in question appears to be a Goshawk or a Sharpie, which is a Goshawk look-alike. If it is a Kite, where are the shortened anterior primaries?
Be aware -
a consensus is not science. And this refers to the Globel Warming Hoax.
Be fire- my friend.
At whatbird.com a photographer in California suggested that his photo was of a white-tailed kite. Two subscribers agree with the submission. The bird in question appears to be a Goshawk or a Sharpie, which is a Goshawk look-alike. If it is a Kite, where are the shortened anterior primaries?
Be aware -
a consensus is not science. And this refers to the Globel Warming Hoax.
Be fire- my friend.
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Hawking- zero rap
Oct. 13 - 2018
We went hawking - basically looking for raptors in the sky. We made three pull-overs. One for just a minute or three, overlooking Puget Sound, and about 10 minutes on another location observing the Sound. And about 10 minutes observing a bay. We travelled about 50 miles, on North Whidby Island and Fidalgo Island. Again, a paucity of raptors, including not one perched raptor or one raptor in the deep blue sky. We observed some typical gulls and crows. One Great blue Heron in the sky and one perched Kingfisher.
So is this just one of those days in which raptors do not take to the sky? I am starting to think that something is happening to the raptor population on Fidalgo and North Whidbey Island. Tommorow I will spend at least two hours in the field hawking in the Butler Flats of Skagit. I have only visited the area once and only for a drive around. I am expecting to observe goshawks. Be water- my friend.
We went hawking - basically looking for raptors in the sky. We made three pull-overs. One for just a minute or three, overlooking Puget Sound, and about 10 minutes on another location observing the Sound. And about 10 minutes observing a bay. We travelled about 50 miles, on North Whidby Island and Fidalgo Island. Again, a paucity of raptors, including not one perched raptor or one raptor in the deep blue sky. We observed some typical gulls and crows. One Great blue Heron in the sky and one perched Kingfisher.
So is this just one of those days in which raptors do not take to the sky? I am starting to think that something is happening to the raptor population on Fidalgo and North Whidbey Island. Tommorow I will spend at least two hours in the field hawking in the Butler Flats of Skagit. I have only visited the area once and only for a drive around. I am expecting to observe goshawks. Be water- my friend.
Saturday, September 22, 2018
Goshawk sightings 2018
NG sightings up until Sept.22-2018
Heed this- 1 Turkey Vulture perched on Best Road -Skagit County. January 14.
1 NG in flight over Memorial Hwy near Avon Allen Road.
3/3/18 Anacortes- 1 male NG, circling far away- naked eye. Bright sun, cold-light breeze.
3/8/18 Anacortes- Sky Line Marina.1 mature female NG,fighting 20 m.p.h. winds, at about 150 feet altitude.
3/11/18 Anacortes- 1 NG soaring- observation time about 2 minutes.
3/12/18 1 mature female NG- Smiley’s Bottom, Anacortes. The hawk was in flight directly overhead at about 100 feet altitude.
3/15/18 1 NG , in tight circles. Altitude of bird about 1-2 thousand feet. Observation time 3 minutes. Smiley’s Bottom, Anacortes. Naked eye - bright sun.
3/16/18 1 male NG, ripping and far away. Naked eye- 3 second look. Smiley’s Bottom, Anacortes.
7/28/18 1 male NG soaring and 1 perched Bank Swallow-Satterly Road and Similk Bay, Anacortes.
A female Cooper’s Hawk is in the area of Saint Mary Church, Anacortes. Observed 3 times in flight in July.
8/12/18 1 female NG, naked eye, at 1-2 thousand feet altitude and going into clouds, Saint Mary Church, Anacortes. 2:30 P.M.
8/17/18 1 female NG, in
Flight and going to perch. Saint Mary Church, Anacortes. Now the NG season has started and will last until June 2019.
8/26/18 1 female NG, naked eye. The hawk was fighting a strong wind and no doubt went down into Grand Cemetery, next to Saint Mary Church.
8/27/18 1 NG, circling and drifting over my house, at 200 feet altitude,observation time 2 minutes, naked eye. I live very near Saint Mary Church. On the first of Sept. is when the NG will come into full force.
Heed this- 1 Turkey Vulture perched on Best Road -Skagit County. January 14.
1 NG in flight over Memorial Hwy near Avon Allen Road.
3/3/18 Anacortes- 1 male NG, circling far away- naked eye. Bright sun, cold-light breeze.
3/8/18 Anacortes- Sky Line Marina.1 mature female NG,fighting 20 m.p.h. winds, at about 150 feet altitude.
3/11/18 Anacortes- 1 NG soaring- observation time about 2 minutes.
3/12/18 1 mature female NG- Smiley’s Bottom, Anacortes. The hawk was in flight directly overhead at about 100 feet altitude.
3/15/18 1 NG , in tight circles. Altitude of bird about 1-2 thousand feet. Observation time 3 minutes. Smiley’s Bottom, Anacortes. Naked eye - bright sun.
3/16/18 1 male NG, ripping and far away. Naked eye- 3 second look. Smiley’s Bottom, Anacortes.
7/28/18 1 male NG soaring and 1 perched Bank Swallow-Satterly Road and Similk Bay, Anacortes.
A female Cooper’s Hawk is in the area of Saint Mary Church, Anacortes. Observed 3 times in flight in July.
8/12/18 1 female NG, naked eye, at 1-2 thousand feet altitude and going into clouds, Saint Mary Church, Anacortes. 2:30 P.M.
8/17/18 1 female NG, in
Flight and going to perch. Saint Mary Church, Anacortes. Now the NG season has started and will last until June 2019.
8/26/18 1 female NG, naked eye. The hawk was fighting a strong wind and no doubt went down into Grand Cemetery, next to Saint Mary Church.
8/27/18 1 NG, circling and drifting over my house, at 200 feet altitude,observation time 2 minutes, naked eye. I live very near Saint Mary Church. On the first of Sept. is when the NG will come into full force.
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Goshawk sighting 2017
April 3- 2017 Daily walk NG. 1 female NG., soaring and flapping, Anacortes. Observation time about 4 minutes.
4/7 Female Cooper’s- 3 second look- at a dark , fairly large accipiter was diving between buildings, cold winds of 25 miles per hour or more.
August 20- Mature female NG, flapping and gliding to perch on top of tall evergreen. Then hawk went soaring , flapping and circling. Observation time - 3 or 4 minutes. Naked eye - Saint Mary’s Church, Anacortes.
August 21- One female NG, flapping and gliding, Saint Mary’s Church (SMC).
Oct. 31- near SMC, 1 male NG, in flight and perched on very top of tall evergreen tree.
Oct. 8- 1 NG soaring at 200 feet altitude, Mount Erie School, Anacortes. Probably female, observation time, 2 minutes.
Nov. 17 - down the hill at Mike’s house- a previous posting.
Dec. 10- a female NG soaring and drifting over my house- about 200 feet altitude. Bright sun - no wind. Now on to 2018- on another posting.
4/7 Female Cooper’s- 3 second look- at a dark , fairly large accipiter was diving between buildings, cold winds of 25 miles per hour or more.
August 20- Mature female NG, flapping and gliding to perch on top of tall evergreen. Then hawk went soaring , flapping and circling. Observation time - 3 or 4 minutes. Naked eye - Saint Mary’s Church, Anacortes.
August 21- One female NG, flapping and gliding, Saint Mary’s Church (SMC).
Oct. 31- near SMC, 1 male NG, in flight and perched on very top of tall evergreen tree.
Oct. 8- 1 NG soaring at 200 feet altitude, Mount Erie School, Anacortes. Probably female, observation time, 2 minutes.
Nov. 17 - down the hill at Mike’s house- a previous posting.
Dec. 10- a female NG soaring and drifting over my house- about 200 feet altitude. Bright sun - no wind. Now on to 2018- on another posting.
Sunday, June 24, 2018
paucity of raptors
This post is not scientific because it is only about me and my observations, or lack of observations. For many weeks I have been observing the sky, daily and throughout the day, yet I realize that I am only one person and can only be in one place at any particular time.
Here are the raptors that are in short supply- eagles, ospreys, Red-tailed hawks, turkey vultures, and Northern Goshawks. I am not a birder. I am a hawk watcher, and I’m in the field (the sky every day) even though I am traveling on the highway at 60 mph. or winding down a steep country road at 15 mph., or even from inside my house as I am often looking into the sky.
Recently, over the last 2 months or more, my home base is Anacortes, I have travelled to Stanwood and the Arlington area twice, that also means Fir Island Road and Conway, and twice toward Samish Flats.
Paucity means zero Peregrine falcons in flight. The most Turkey Vultures observed were 3 and then 30 minutes later another three. On one drive there were some (three) perched Red-tailed hawks. The only raptors I record or photograph are Golden Eagles and goshawks, sometimes I will record Sharp-shinned hawks, because, for me, they are a very uncommon species.
Here are my recent sightings, from my field notes: Zero Merlin this year; zero Sharp-shinned hawks; zero Peregrine falcons. I just today observed the 2 Osprey nests, downtown Anacortes. Zero activity at the one nest on the metal tower, and mature Osprey with one chick or more, at the second tower.
The sighting lasted about about one minute. The location is very near The Market, which is near Safeway. Then it was over to the March Point Refinery- with one perched Red-tailed hawk. As an aside- 23 White Pelicans soaring over Whitmarsh Junction which is the South-east corner of the refinery property.
I often, more than once a day pay attention to the Tweeters birding listserve. It seems that raptors are not being observed, as related to organized field trips or to the tally counts of an individual or two.
Be water- my friend.
Here are the raptors that are in short supply- eagles, ospreys, Red-tailed hawks, turkey vultures, and Northern Goshawks. I am not a birder. I am a hawk watcher, and I’m in the field (the sky every day) even though I am traveling on the highway at 60 mph. or winding down a steep country road at 15 mph., or even from inside my house as I am often looking into the sky.
Recently, over the last 2 months or more, my home base is Anacortes, I have travelled to Stanwood and the Arlington area twice, that also means Fir Island Road and Conway, and twice toward Samish Flats.
Paucity means zero Peregrine falcons in flight. The most Turkey Vultures observed were 3 and then 30 minutes later another three. On one drive there were some (three) perched Red-tailed hawks. The only raptors I record or photograph are Golden Eagles and goshawks, sometimes I will record Sharp-shinned hawks, because, for me, they are a very uncommon species.
Here are my recent sightings, from my field notes: Zero Merlin this year; zero Sharp-shinned hawks; zero Peregrine falcons. I just today observed the 2 Osprey nests, downtown Anacortes. Zero activity at the one nest on the metal tower, and mature Osprey with one chick or more, at the second tower.
The sighting lasted about about one minute. The location is very near The Market, which is near Safeway. Then it was over to the March Point Refinery- with one perched Red-tailed hawk. As an aside- 23 White Pelicans soaring over Whitmarsh Junction which is the South-east corner of the refinery property.
I often, more than once a day pay attention to the Tweeters birding listserve. It seems that raptors are not being observed, as related to organized field trips or to the tally counts of an individual or two.
Be water- my friend.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)