Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 12:00:00 Total observation time: 3 hours
Official Counter: Sean Sheehan
Observers: Bridget Watts, Daena Ford, Randy Cavazza
Visitors: Last official day of the count brought out a handful of our volunteers and a couple interested in birding.
Tim Willis, Niki Banke and Henry the dog, Linda Bender, Carol Dunn, Mike Savoy and Judy Kelly
Weather: Beautiful day for out last day of the Summer Raptor Count (natal dispersal count). Temps in the high 60's F, blue sky and sunshine. Winds out of the NW changing more N as the time passed.
Raptor Observations: Beautiful day, but the winds were not in our favor, so only a few raptors passed our way. A group of about 30 Turkey Vultures could be seen early on, inland more out past the parkway woods. About half (17) decided to move on through at the same time, so those got counted in the first hour.
Adult Bald Eagle perched on the "island" again, for quite some time.
Non-raptor Observations: Plenty of cormorants still, cedar waxwing, goldfinches and Great Blue heron. Gulls and swallows were up and about in the blue sky continuously crossing our binocular views throughout the count.
Predictions: Today wrapped up our 7th annual Summer Raptor Count, which is conducted Aug 1-31 to tally the natal dispersal of raptors through Braddock Bay. Many thanks to all our volunteers who helped with the count, and visitors who stopped out to learn what was happening. It is possible to get a few more young raptors moving through in early September on southerly winds, but likely not much more to come our way for now.
======================================================================== Report submitted by Daena D. Ford (<dford...>) Braddock Bay information may be found at: http://www.bbrr.org/
