BROAD-WINGED HAWK (IMMATURE) - PHOTO BY TOM SCHULTZ
The date we selected for this year’s WSO Hawk Watch was Saturday, October 7th, and it turned out that our timing was fortuitous. We had been watching the forecast during the days leading up to this year’s event, and with strong northwest winds predicted, we were optimistic that we’d have a good hawk flight!
The group gathered at 8:00 AM at Harrington Beach State Park, in the lower parking lot, and we soon started to see hawks and other birds flying over our initial observation site. The temperature was chilly (about 45 degrees), but the skies were clear and the expected northwest winds were blowing at 10-20 mph – and pushing daytime migrants close to our location near Lake Michigan.
HARRINGTON BEACH - PHOTO BY TOM SCHULTZ
Most of the raptors we were seeing initially were BROAD-WINGED and SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, but the BROAD-WINGED numbers soon outpaced the others. They started flying past in groups every minute or less, ranging in size from singles to maybe 30-40 birds. Initially they were flying low, but later we were seeing higher kettles of HAWKS flying together, often in mixed groups, with RED-TAILED HAWKS, COOPER’S HAWKS and TURKEY VULTURES also migrating southward.
The most numerous ones we were seeing were BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, and we struggled to keep a running count as the birds passed overhead in all directions. By 8:36 AM our count was up to 60, then we had 235 by 9:00, and 362 by 9:30. Our total for the morning was 376 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS!
BROAD-WINGED HAWKS KETTELING - PHOTO BY TOM SCHULTZ
After initially seeing fairly frequent SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS passing by, the numbers of those soon began slowing down, and we ended up with 19 for the morning. Our total of TURKEY VULTURES for the morning was 60, and we counted 34 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 6 COOPER’S HAWKS, three OSPREY, and two BALD EAGLES and two NORTERN HARRIERS. We wondered how many more raptors we might’ve seen if we’d been in a more open area, and not surrounded by trees.
We also noted a variety of other birds at Harrington – including both GOLDEN-CROWNED and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, HERMIT and SWAINSON’S THRUSHES, and nice looks at a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. WARBLERS we observed included TENNESSEE, MAGNOLIA, PALM and YELLOW-RUMPED – although we found only a few of all but the latter species.
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO - PHOTO BY TOM SCHULTZ
The group found several EASTERN PHOEBES during course of the morning, and also spotted a late EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE. Addition birds included YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, BROWN CREEPER, GRAY CATBIRD, BROWN THRASHER and EASTERN TOWHEE.
EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE - PHOTO BY TOM SCHULTZ
Also migrating overhead were several flocks of CANADA GEESE and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, and a number of groups of PINE SISKIN and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.
About 9:40 we took a walk along some of the park trails, and down to the beach area to scan Lake Michigan. The waves were rolling in pretty good, and not much was seen, except for RING-BILLED and HERRING GULLS, and a lone BONAPARTE’S. The only ducks observed there were RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, but a little later a group of MALLARDS flew by. We didn’t spend much time scanning the lake, though.
The group returned to the parking area about 10:35 and then drove to the upper portion of the park and stopped at Puckett’s Pond, where we walked around for a while. We watched the skies for a time, and spotted a few more migrating raptors, including TURKEY VULTURE, NORTHERN HARRIER, SHARP-SHINNED and COOPER’S HAWKS, BALD EAGLE and RED-TAILED HAWK.
KINGLETS of both species were noted around the pond, as well as BELTED KINGFISHER, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, NORTHERN FLICKER, SWAINSON’S THRUSH, EASTERN TOWHEE, one each of PURPLE and HOUSE FINCH and a number of AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES. Several SPARROWS were also found there, including FOX, WHITE-CROWNED, WHITE-THROATED, SONG, and also a DARK-EYED JUNCO.
HERMIT THRUSH - PHOTO BY TOM SCHULTZ
About 11:45 we decided to wrap up the field trip, feeling pretty excited about the EXCELLENT HAWK MIGRATION we’d experienced! Altogether, we ended up with 53 species for the morning.
Tom Schultz, WSO Field Trips Committee
Trip report: 
https://ebird.org/tripreport/
