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Re: Turkey Point Hawk Watch

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Matt Hafner

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Thu, 2 Nov 2006 15:25:30 -0500

Pat,
 
Any Empid this time of year is just as likely (or perhaps more likely) to be one of the western species.  I hope the bird sticks around for someone to get photos.
 
Good birding,
 
Matt Hafner
Bel Air, MD 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: 
To: 
Sent: Thu, 2 Nov 2006 3:08 PM
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Turkey Point Hawk Watch


Last night's rain and clouds moved out very quickly this morning, 
leaving a clear sky and brisk north winds. I was hoping for a good 
day and was not disappointed--my very first bird, which flew over the 
parking lot shortly after I strapped on my binoculars, was a GOLDEN EAGLE! 
I had a brief but excellent view of the white patches on the underside of the wing. 
The bird was soaring fast and I was not able to see it anymore on the walk in. 
This was my first GE at Turkey Point., and our 3rd for the season so far! 
 
The absent buteos have been coming through for the past few days, 
and today was no exception. 61 Red-shouldered Hawks and 44 Red-tailed hawks, 
along with 43 Sharp-shinned Hawks, made up the bulk of today's 160-bird total. 
Not one falcon, although it's possible some slipped by when Bob and I were trying to 
keep track of the hawk gaggles. 
 
The birds were somewhat uncooperative today, circling back to the north to take 
advantage of the strong updraft on the North East side of the cliff. We tried to be 
careful not to double count or miss birds, but it was hard to keep track as they 
circled overhead and swooped all over the place. 
 
Also present today at the lighthouse was an Empid that two birders from Harford 
County thought was probably a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. I took a look myself and 
I'm less sure. I watched it as it tried to catch flies on the lighthouse--that is, the bird 
was on the lighthouse railing but the flies were inside the glass, so it had a frustrating 
few minutes trying to capture them. It had a noticeably yellow breast and abdomen 
but the throat did not appear yellow to me. It didn't look white, either, though. There was no 
gray band separating the throat from the breast. It had faint wing bars and the eye ring 
was not white, nor was it really yellow. It pumped its tail like a Phoebe, which is what 
I thought it was at first, until I saw the yellow underneath and the greenish look to 
the back. Unfortunately, when Bob Strahorn went to look for it, it must have figured out 
the flies were unreachable and was nowhere in sight. 
 
Also at the point were many Yellow-crowned Kinglets; Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers 
(the yellow kind), one of which still had a nice reddish cap; loads of Bluebirds and Robins. 
Juncos are getting more apparent and Blue Jays less so. 2nd best bird today was 
a young Eastern Meadowlark that landed in the meadow. Bob Strahorn and I got great looks as 
it tried to be unobtrusive with that blazing yellow breast and eyebrow stripe. What's with all 
these yellow birds? 
 
Also saw a big, beautiful buck as we walked out. Y'all be careful out there this hunting season. 
 
--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 
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