Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter: Brian Rusnica
Observers: Visitors: Jonathan Layman
Weather: Bright overcast skies; mild but never hot. Light winds from the NE-ENE throughout. Raptor Observations: The first hawkwatch of the season is in the books for Mount Watatic! The morning flight was decent for September 1st, with the first raptor of the season being an Osprey zooming by in the first minutes of the watch. A good handful of Osprey made the count, as well as a just a few Broad-winged Hawks that could be counted as migrants. The flight was more-or-less over by noon EDT. Today's lead would have to be Bald Eagles - with impressive early numbers working their way from the NE along the eastern ridgeline and streaming overhead. While you had to discount the presumed locals and loafers that were mixing it up, tail chasing and interacting with Common Ravens, there were still at least 10 Eagles that gave convincing southerly movement throughout the watch. I would approximate about 14 non-migrant Eagles made an appearance; they were nearly perpetually in the air.
Predictions: No formal watch is planned. Contiguous coverage at Mount Watatic begins on September 11th 2025. If you count any raptors at Mount Watatic, please email me your sightings at <14hawks8owls...> Thank you! ======================================================================== Report submitted by Brian Rusnica (<brian_rusnica...>) Mount Watatic information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
