Busy Days on the Chesapeake Bay

Kiptopeke Total Fall Count through October 7:

17,115

Peter Harris Photo

  "I think here is your emblem

To hang in the future sky;
Not the cross, not the hive,

But this; bright power, dark peace;
Fierce consciousness joined with final
Disinterestedness;

Life with calm death; the falcon's
Realist eyes and act
Married to the massive

Mysticism of stone,
Which failure cannot cast down
Nor success make proud."

-Robinson Jeffers

We have been fortunate to have an extremely busy week with large numbers of raptors passing through, including 33 Northern Harriers on Thursday. Lots of visitors to the Tower for our presentations during the Eastern Shore Birding Festival as well.

Steve Thornhill Photo

"Harriers have slender bodies and wings. They fly buoyantly and often unsteadily, with a few easy wing strokes and a glide. The harrier's white rump patch shows well at long distances and is a good mark at hawk-watches. The V set of the wings on soaring and gliding birds is a good early mark as well. Except for the rump patch, male and female harriers have separate plumages. 

Adult males are blue-gray above and extensively white below, with contrasting black wing tips. Adult females are brown above and tawny below, with dark streaking. They weigh more than males by half, on average, and are several inches longer. Young birds are brown above, like females, but have rusty-colored breasts."

(All the Birds of Prey, Paul Lehman)

Juvenile Peregrine Falcon

Steve Thornhill Photo 

 Juvenile Peregrines can be distinguished by the browner plumage

 and streaked rather than barred underparts. Adults are dark gray to black above and heavily barred below. 

Other sightings from Kiptopeke and the Eastern Shore this week:

Red-eyed Vireos

Timothy Barry Photo

Great Blue Heron 

Edgar Kyle Photo

Eastern Hog Nose Snake 

Edgar Kyle Photo

Ray Pena with Lanner Falcon

Ray, from Flight of the Raptor, was visiting us during the Kiptopeke Birding Festival.

With the rain heading our way this weekend, the first of next week should be a great time to come see us at the Hawk Tower... we should see lots of birds next week! 

See you soon!

- Caroline