Date: 9/16/12 2:26 pm
From: Donald Sweig <skybirds.d...>
Subject: [MDBirding] Fwd: Nice Liftoff of Broad-winged Hawks at Great Falls Sunday Morning .


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Donald Sweig <skybirds.d...>
Date: Sun, Sep 16, 2012 at 5:20 PM
Subject: Nice Liftoff of Broad-winged Hawks at Great Falls Sunday Morning .
To: <va-bird...>


There was nice liftoff of migrating Broad-winged hawks at Great Falls this
morning. I started looking East over the river for a liftoff about 9:30
and did not see any.

Later, about 11:00, our Sunday birding group spotted the liftoff. We were
standing on the Virginia side of the Potomac shore, about half- way between
the park visitor center and the coffer dam on the river, looking east at
the trees across the river in Maryland. First we saw a single Broadwing 2
or 3 times, circling a few times and then flying off to the southwest just
a bit downriver from where we were standing.

About 5 minutes later, someone spotted 2 or 3 circling together; these
were soon joined by other Broadwings, until we had a kettle of about 50
birds swirling around in the sky, gaining altitude. This kettle soon
streamed out to the southwest as well. Then I spotted yet another kettle
of many more Broadwings: it was being constantly enlarged by birds seeming
to stream out of the trees into the kettle, until it held at least 200
birds swirling around together in the sky. What a sight. We all had good
looks at this kettle in our binoculars and in my small 50mm scope, until it
dissipated to the southwest. What a treat! A bit later I found yet a third
kettle of about 50 birds (up higher than the previous ones), and it too
drifted southwest and out of sight.

This morning�s liftoff was later than I had expected it to be; I believe
that was because it was so cloudy in the morning, which delayed the
formation of the thermals for the hawks to use in getting up. I�m hoping
to see another liftoff Monday morning, before the rains come. I may try
looking at Great Falls, Md., in hopes of getting better light on the
birds. This coming Wednesday (after the Tuesday storms) looks, now, to be a
good bet for a big liftoff and a big flight over our area. Get out and
have a look.
--
Donald Sweig
Falls Church, Va.

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