Wednesday, September 12, was a banner day for
Broad-winged Hawk flight on Putney Mountain with over 1400 birds having been counted by the time I had to leave at 4:00pm.
Kettles of 20 t0 250 birds rose out of the Connecticut River Valley. The birds were often just distant the specks, but their numbers made it look as if Zeus sprinkling pepper from a pepper shaker, spicing up his afternoon meal, and certainly spicing the sky for the hawk watchers.
A few Broad-wings even came over at eye level. Blue sky and bright sun then provided some good photo opportunities ...
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| Broad-winged Hawk - juvenile |
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| Broad-winged Hawk - juvenile |
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| Broad-winged Hawk - adult |
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| Broad-winged Hawk - adult |
Mid-afternoon, eagles drifted lazily over the ridge (eagles plural!). An adult and two sub-adult
Bald Eagles dwarfed the circling Broadies nearby ...
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| Bald Eagle - adult |
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| Bald Eagle (2nd year) |
Turkey Vultures wander up and down the ridge, but it is much too early for them to be counted. This one drifted over the ridge, occasionally doing a lazy wing adjustment and providing a different view of this familiar big black bird ...
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| Turkey Vulture - juvenile |
Putney Mountain Hawk Watch also counts
Blue Jays, in part because they move early before the hawks have taken to the wing ...
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| Blue Jay |
A day of superb birding! Hope you have a good one today!
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