Wrap Up and Season Highlights

There were plenty of interesting sightings during the last couple of weeks of the hawkwatch season at Kiptopeke. On multiple mornings, thousands of American Robins were seen migrating past the platform. Large numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, and Brown-headed Cowbirds were also seen. These spectacular movements are always fun to witness, usually beginning at around sunrise and lasting for several hours. Other recent passerine highlights have included a Snow Bunting on November 23, a few Rusty Blackbirds here and there, and a recent increase in American Goldfinches (with a high count of 156 birds on November 29). Still, there were almost no Purple Finches this season, and no Red-breasted Nuthatches. Perhaps next year will be better for these species at Kiptopeke.

American Robin (Steve Thornhill)

Many Turkey Vultures and some Black Vultures were also seen migrating in large numbers during the latter half of November. We do not keep official counts of vulture numbers here at Kiptopeke, since the birds have a strong tendency to move up and down the peninsula before finally crossing the bay. However, my highest informal tally of the season was a total of 764 Turkey Vultures on November 29 (only southbound birds were counted). On November 23, I enjoyed watching four Turkey Vultures land on the t-pole together. There was some shuffling around that occurred as the vultures each worked to claim their favorite sunning spot. It is thought that Turkey Vultures sun themselves with wings outstretched in order to warm up in the morning and to kill parasites. 

Turkey Vultures playing "musical t-pole" (Anna Stunkel)

 We continued to observe Bald Eagles towards the end of the season, with an amazing grand total record of 710 birds. There was a strong flight of 22 Bald Eagles on November 29. These birds are an incredible conservation success story, and populations have recovered very well since the ban of DDT. One adult was seen carrying nesting material during the last few days of the season. 

Bald Eagle with nesting material (Anna Stunkel)

We continued to observe some decent flights of Red-tailed Hawks towards the end of the season. However, red-tail numbers have been going down in recent years at many hawkwatch sites in eastern North America. The 2019 grand total of 498 red-tails is much lower than counts from decades ago, when season totals of over 2,000 birds sometimes occurred. Research suggests that this is due to birds staying up north for the winter rather than migrating southwards. While many hawkwatch sites have reported declining red-tail numbers, winter bird surveys have reported increased numbers of red-tails. This is just one example of climate change affecting migration patterns, which could result in negative impacts on northern prey populations during the winter months. We had a number of completely overcast days during the last two weeks of the season, which surely affected late season buteo numbers. Buteos are soaring hawks with a preference for conditions with at least some blue sky, so that they can rise up on thermals and save energy during migration. Some red-tails and Red-shouldered Hawks may have been skirting around Kiptopeke and favoring sunnier areas this year.

Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk (Anna Stunkel)

A few accipiters were still trickling through towards the end of the season. About half as many Cooper's Hawks as Sharp-shinned Hawks passed by the platform this fall, which is a quite high ratio compared to decades ago. While Sharp-shinned Hawk numbers were still low this year, at least the total of 4,451 birds was much higher than each of the past two seasons (2,273 in 2017 and 2,708 in 2018). Similarly to red-tails, data suggest that many of these birds are staying up north during the winter.

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk (Anna Stunkel)

Eastern Phoebes were a common, spritely visitor to the hawkwatch this fall. Occasionally a phoebe would land on one of the platform roofs, and some bluebird visitors also dropped in to visit the platform. Chipping Sparrows were abundant migrants, sometimes with over 100 of them hanging around on and surrounding the platform. However, White-crowned Sparrows were noticeably absent, and only one Fox Sparrow was noted this fall on November 29.

Eastern Phoebe visiting the platform (Anna Stunkel)

As is typical, falcon numbers were low during the latter half of November. However, we had some very nice views of falcons. On Thanksgiving Day, a Merlin stopped by and repeatedly landed on the nearby t-pole. On the same day, we also had a beautiful view of a juvenile Peregrine Falcon. Overall, falcon numbers were decent for peregrines and kestrels and excellent in the case of Merlins. With a total of 2,189 birds, we had the fourth highest Merlin total in Kiptopeke history. Osprey numbers were also very high this year, with 3,961 birds (again, the fourth highest total recorded at Kiptopeke).

 

Merlin visiting the t-pole (Anna Stunkel)

Immature Peregrine Falcon (Anna Stunkel)

There were some nice flights of Tundra Swans this year, and a grand finale occurred on the last day of the season (November 30) when we observed a high count of 136 birds including one large flock that passed over in full cry. Also on the final day, a flock of 35 American Wigeons flew by.

Tundra Swans (Anna Stunkel)

 

Tundra Swans calling (Anna Stunkel)

It is always nice to reflect on some season highlights as the fall draws to a close. Here are a few of this year's good memories:

• 347 Ospreys on September 13 and 3,961 Ospreys in total (the fourth highest season total at Kiptopeke)
•  39 Bald Eagles on November 1 (a new day count record at Kiptopeke) and 710 Bald Eagles in total (breaking last year's record of 617 birds)
• 22 Northern Harriers on September 8 and September 29
• 519 Sharp-shinned Hawks on October 13
• 205 Cooper's Hawks on October 10
• 12 Red-shouldered Hawks on November 9
• 71 Broad-winged Hawks on September 19
• 44 Red-tailed Hawks on November 9
• Golden Eagles on each of the following days: October 23 (2), October 24 (1), November 4 (1), November 7 (1)
• 303 American Kestrels on September 17
• 289 Merlins on September 17, 203 Merlins on September 18, and 2,189 Merlins in total (the fourth highest season total at Kiptopeke)
• 125 Peregrine Falcons on September 29
• 1 Mississippi Kite on September 3, 8, and 13
• 1 Swainson's Hawk on November 2
• A high total count for the season of 1,073 raptors on September 29
• 43 White Ibises on September 1 and 38 White Ibises on October 5
• 1,011 Northern Flickers on September 25
• 1 American Bittern on September 26 and October 5
• 5 Northern Pintails on September 30
• 100 Great Blue Herons on October 4
• 10 Marbled Godwits on October 8
• 29 Great Egrets and 7 Snowy Egrets in one flock together on October 10
• 1 Painted Bunting and 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron on October 14
• ~830 scoter sp. on October 21
• 95 Eastern Meadowlarks on October 25
• 79 Tundra Swans on November 3 and 136 Tundra Swans on November 30
• 7 American White Pelicans and 1 Black-chinned Hummingbird on November 6
• 1 Black-chinned Hummingbird on November 10
• 76 Snow Geese on November 17 and 75 Snow Geese on November 25
• 1 Snow Bunting on November 23
• 764 southbound Turkey Vultures on November 29
• 35 American Wigeons on November 30

Thank you to all who helped to make this another wonderful season at the Kiptopeke hawkwatch. Thank you to the volunteers for your dedication, sharp eyes, and friendship. And thank you to the many visitors of all ages who have joined us to share the incredible spectacle of migration. We appreciate your support of the hawkwatch and other Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory research.

Although the official season ended on November 30, we encourage you to visit the hawkwatch platform this month. Perhaps you will see some straggling Red-tailed Hawks, Bald or Golden Eagles, or even a Northern Goshawk! Keep an eye out for flights of American Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, Snow Geese, and more as well. 

I will sign off with a classic poem:

 

-->Hope is the thing with feathers

 

-->

Hope is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

~Emily Dickinson

Juvenile Bald Eagle (Anna Stunkel)

Happy birding to all,

~Anna