Even Charlie Gant was in awe today as Red-Shouldered Hawks
started appearing over the trees and kept coming and coming.
Between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. we counted *68* of them!
Several times we had loose "kettles" of 10 or more, and
once we had a superb view in our binoculars of five Shoulders
against the waning moon. Their flight was sometimes high but more
often low enough for great naked-eye views, and in binoculars you
could see every feather (and in a few cases, where feathers were
missing). We must have the best views of Red-Shouldered Hawks
in the area.

They were a tad hard to keep track of as the winds shifted from
southwest to south to southeast and previously counted birds moved
north for a while, but I think we were diligent in not double-counting.

Red-tails are starting to show up in good numbers, too (14), and sharp-shins
keep on truckin' through (46). We had a total of 143 migrants, three resident
Bald Eagles, and a few resident Turkey Vultures, plus one TV gaggle that
seemed to move through. Total hours were 8:30-1:00. Thanks to Charlie,
his brother-in-law Bob, Susan and her husband (whose name I am sorry I
forgot), and John Dennehy for helping make today so much fun.

--Pat

Pat Valdata, Elkton, MD | 
"The natural function of the wing is to soar upwards
and carry that which is heavy up to the place where dwells the race of gods.
More than any other thing that pertains to the body
it partakes of the nature of the divine." --Plato