A Rough-legged Hawk and Other Interesting Things

On October 17th, a Rough-legged Hawk flew over the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch platform. Rough-legged Hawks are not frequently seen at Kiptopeke. These hawks breed in the Arctic and winter in southern Canada and the United States. Virginia is near the southern extent of the winter range of the Rough-legged Hawk in the eastern United States, so few Rough-legged Hawks pass over the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch. Anna was able to get a picture of the Rough-legged Hawk as it passed the hawkwatch platform.

Rough-legged Hawk flying over the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch.  Photo by Anna Stunkel.

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch hosted a group of local educators working with The Nature Conservancy on October 15th.  We discussed hawk migration and identification on the hawkwatch platform and went for a hike. The educators also got to see a Monarch Butterfly tagging demonstration. A familiar face was in the group visiting the hawkwatch. Zak Poulton, who is now with The Nature Conservancy, was the Hawkwatcher at the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch in 2010.

Former Kiptopeke Hawkwatcher Zak Poulton uses CVWO's raptor models to show local educators the characteristics used in identifying raptor species.  Photo by Brian Taber.

  

Anna and Katie give a hawk migration presentation to local educators working with The Nature Conservancy.  Photo by Brian Taber.

CVWO's Monarch Biologist Clay Buffkin demonstrates Monarch Butterfly tagging for local educators.  Photo by Brian Taber.

Many migrating Monarch Butterflies have been flying high above the treetops at Kiptopeke. We usually count the Monarchs we see passing over the platform, but we had to stop counting when there were so many Monarchs that counting them took too much time away from looking for hawks. It seemed that every time we would look at hawk through our binoculars, we would see at least one Monarch floating through our field of view. On October 18^th, dozens of Monarch Butterflies were refueling with nectar in the butterfly garden next to the hawkwatch platform before continuing their journey to Mexico.

Migrating Monarch Butterflies in the butterfly garden next to the hawkwatch platform.  Photo by Katie Garst.

 

An unexpected visitor to the butterfly garden on October 15^th was a Long-tailed Skipper. These butterflies are usually found farther south than Virginia, but they will sometimes stray north.

A Long-tailed Skipper in the butterfly garden next to the hawkwatch platform.  Photo by Katie Garst.

During the time we spend on the hawkwatch platform, we get to see some interesting things.  Occasionally, we manage to get pictures of those things.  On October 16^th, Anna was able to get a picture through a telescope of a Merlin with a Northern Parula it had caught.

Merlin with a Northern Parula in its talons.  Photo by Anna Stunkel.

 

On October, 14^th, Steve Thornhill got an amazing photo of two adult Bald Eagles flying very near to each other over the hawkwatch platform. He got another great photo four days later of two immature Bald Eagles displaying aggressive behavior.

Adult Bald Eagles.  Photo by Steve Thornhill.

Immature Bald Eagles.  Photo by Steve Thornhill.

-Katie