Happy Halloween from the Kiptopeke
Hawkwatch! We have been enjoying the relatively good flights of
Northern Harriers over the past week on days with low numbers of
other migrating raptors. On the hawkwatch platform, we have had good
views of several adult male Northern Harriers, which are sometimes
referred to as “Gray Ghosts.” Adult male Northern Harriers are
gray overall and have wings with whitish undersides and black
wingtips. A Gray Ghost is always a wonderful sight as it flies over
the hawkwatch platform.
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| A "Gray Ghost," an adult male Northern Harrier. Photo by Steve Thornhill. |
Juvenile Northern Harriers are also
beautiful birds to see fly over the hawkwatch platform. Juvenile
Northern Harriers are brown overall and appear to be a pumpkin color
from below.
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| A juvenile Northern Harrier. Photo by Anna Stunkel. |
After counting raptors on October 27th
, we volunteered at the KiptoShriek Halloween event that took
place at Kiptopeke State Park. Anna was a Turkey Vulture, and Katie
was a Common Raven. Long-time Kiptopeke Hawkwatch volunteer, Joe,
also volunteered at KiptoShriek. Clay, CVWO's Monarch Butterfly
Biologist, volunteered at the event dressed as “Doctor Plexippus.”
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| Katie as a Common Raven and Anna as a Turkey Vulture at KiptoShriek. Photo by Joe Beatty. |
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| Clay, CVWO's Monarch Biologist, as "Doctor Plexippus" at KiptoShriek. Photo by Clay Buffkin. |
Although we have had days in the past
week with fewer than fifty migrating raptors, interesting birds
continue to be seen from the hawkwatch platform. Sadly, we were not
able to get pictures of these birds, but they are still worth
mentioning. Four American Golden-Plovers flew past the platform on
October 24th. A group of approximately twelve American
White Pelicans was seen flying over the Chesapeake Bay on October
27th. On the same day, a leucistic White-throated Sparrow
with abnormal white feathers on its head was seen under the trees
next to the hawkwatch platform. One Cave Swallow was spotted flying
with Tree Swallows passing over the hawkwatch platform on October
28th.
Even though we can't always get a
picture of birds seen from the platform, the Northern Mockingbird
that sings from the trees next to the hawkwatch platform is often
available to pose for a few pictures.
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| Northern Mockingbird singing next to the hawkwatch platform. Photo by Steve Thornhill. |
-Katie
