Central Flyway Spring 2014

Transcription

1 Central Flyway Spring 2014 Flyway Editors: Bob Fisher, Jeff Smith, Vicky Sroczynski [Editor s note: When provided, season reports are listed at the end of this summary using the links for the individual hawk watches. The reports are sometimes slightly edited from the submitted versions. Where reports were not provided but when the hawk watch has a website, the link will take you to that site] Summary Fifteen sites reported data for the spring 2014 hawk migration season in the Central Flyway (CF), three more than in Bethany and West Skyline in Minnesota and Mackinac Straits in Michigan all joined or rejoined the CF spring count club in The order of the 15 site summaries in the text below is nominally west to east. The Central Flyway encompasses over 1 million square miles in the approximate center of the North American continent, from portions of Quebec on the easternmost side, to portions of Manitoba, the Dakotas, Kansas and Nebraska on the west. The southern tips of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio are the nominal southern boundaries. Small portions of Pennsylvania and New York along Lakes Erie and Ontario form the southeastern boundary. See the map and legend for the geographic area and the location of the 15 spring count sites within the CF area. The Great Lakes are a dominant geographic feature influencing raptor migration in the CF, creating barriers and choke points that influence or control the movement of northward migrating raptors moving through or around them. One result of that dominance: 12 of the 15 CF sites are located on or near the shore of one of the Great Lakes three each on Lakes Ontario, Erie and Superior; two on Lake Huron, and one at the Straits of Mackinac, where Lake Huron and Lake Michigan meet. The three sites away from the Great Lakes in the eastern Great Plains (Bethany, MN, and Pembina Valley and St. Adolphe in Manitoba) provide data on the broad front raptor migration west of the Great Lakes concentration points. More eastern Great Plains sites would aid in characterizing this broad front migration pattern. Data compiled over many years indicate the CF holds very large numbers of migrating raptors, along with high species diversity s spring migration data compiled at these 15 sites supports that hypothesis, in spite of the extremely harsh and cold weather reported at all the CF sites this past spring. The sustained growth in Turkey Vulture and Bald Eagle numbers across the Central Flyway is in contrast to the apparent longer term declines being observed in Northern Harriers and American Kestrels. Highlights Eastern Great Plains (3 sites) Manitoba s Pembina Valley count celebrated its 10th year in A total of 545 hours of effort was recorded from February 18 to May 22, with a total of 11,327 raptors tallied. Red tailed Hawks (7720), Bald Eagles (1454) and Sharpshinned Hawks (702) were the three most numerous raptors. Peregrine Falcon numbers dropped to 73 from last year s count of 210. The most unusual species seen during this year s count was a Black Vulture, a first for the Pembina Valley. The St. Adolphe hawk watch is located on the Red River south of Winnipeg. Raptors use the Red River as a migration corridor. Heavy snow cover results in concentrated flight along the river. In 2014, conditions were ideal for this concentrated movement. Migration, normally underway in the last week of March, was delayed into mid April. The predominant raptor, Red tailed Hawk, totaled 2758, a possible record. Bald Eagles numbered 417, not a record but a very good total for the site. Accipiter numbers were down significantly. The snow and cold plus lack of volunteers caused the 2014 count be truncated, beginning on March 17 and ending on April 18, compiling 74 hours of effort. One consequence of the late start: Golden Eagles in Manitoba migrate starting in mid February, earlier than most other raptors. Manitoba s harsh environment is not conducive to hawk watching in February, so most of the Golden Eagles

2 migrating past St. Adolphe are likely missed. St. Adolphe s best sighting was not a raptor, but a Brant picked out from the hundreds of thousands of Canada Geese that migrate along the river. Bethany (Mankato, MN) hawk watch data in spring 2014 was collected during 220 hours of monitoring from March 10 through May 21. This was the first spring count at the Minnesota River Valley. This new observation site is a park and campground on the Minnesota River as previous spring observations from the Bethany Lutheran College campus fall site were largely unproductive. The possible reason: raptors follow the Blue Earth River north to its confluence with the Minnesota River. The very cold winter persisted well into the spring. A total of 1972 raptors of 16 species were recorded. The top four species numerically: Broad winged Hawk (1133), Bald Eagle (336), Red tailed Hawk (176) and Turkey Vulture (151). The season s highlight was an adult Mississippi Kite on May 21, 2014 also a first county record. Western Great Lakes (3 sites) The West Skyline Hawk Watch in Duluth conducted a limited count in the spring of A total of 6445 raptors were counted during the 12 days and 62.5 hours of coverage during March, April and May. A late spring after one of the most severe winters on record appeared to slow the migration. Of the 1225 total Bald Eagles and 19 Golden Eagles, 790 and 12 were counted in the only three days (March 13, 29 and 30) of coverage in March. Eight days were covered in April, including a strong migration day on the 20th when 2939 raptors were tallied, including seasonal high counts for Turkey Vultures (677), Ospreys (21), Northern Harriers (16), Sharp shinned Hawks (536), Cooper s Hawks (10), Red tailed Hawks (1312), Rough legged Hawks (160) and American Kestrels (26). Only May 4 was covered in that month, and 1468 Broadwinged Hawks were the highlight for that day. Brockway Mountain Hawk Watch on Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula operated only 71 of the possible 93 days from March 15 through June 15, due to snow, rain and an ailing snowmobile. Raptors are recorded separately for both eastbound and westbound flights, which occur simultaneously. Many westbound birds have already gone east and then turn back upon reaching the end of the peninsula. A total of 18,634 raptors were counted during Brockway s 464 on site hours. Low counts of Sharp shinned Hawk, Northern Harrier, and Northern Goshawk were notable. New record daily high counts of Turkey Vulture (207), Swainson's Hawk (3), Red tailed Hawk (232) and Golden Eagle (8) were also noteworthy. Whitefish Point Hawk Watch in Michigan counted 9829 diurnal raptors in 535 hours on site between March 15 and May 31. This was the third lowest total on record, 52.2% below the ten year average ( ) and 41.0% below the ten year median. The count averaged 17 hawks per hour; 126 hawks per day. The number of species varied between 1 and 15 per day, with an average of eight. Only Cooper's Hawk, Golden Eagle and Merlin reached average numbers. A Mississippi Kite on May 18 was only the second record for this species. Eastern Great Lakes (9 sites) Mackinac Straits operated from March 15 through June 4, compiling 481 hours over 69 days; 43,191 raptors were counted. This first ever count with paid staff resulted in more hours counting and higher numbers of raptors than previous counts using volunteers. Cold temperatures allowed snow cover to remain and the straits were ice covered until mid April, retarding the formation of thermals and affecting many of the early migrants crossing the straits. Seventeen species in all were counted, including a single Ferruginous Hawk and 3 Swainson s. Both Bald (649) and Golden Eagles (164) migrated in good numbers. Because of the broad width of the land mass at the straits, the reported numbers of accipiters is probably low as they tend to follow the shoreline to the straits and are not seen by the counter. The numbers of falcons are also probably low because they tend to fly directly across the straits. Port Crescent Hawk Watch in Michigan recorded 19,493 raptors in just over 100 hours of coverage, over 22 days beginning on March 21 and continuing through June 2. A steady stream of double digit daily counts of Bald Eagles in April and May resulted in a new season high total of 254. A record one day high count of 4563 Broad winged Hawks was seen on May 9. Red tailed Hawk, Cooper s Hawk and Northern Goshawk were the only species with below average numbers.

3 Port Huron, Michigan, Hawk Watch counted 932 raptors during 85.5 hours of observation over 19 days beginning on March 22, ending on May 16. There was no coverage from April 14 May 9, which is normally peak migration. Birds flying south in a reverse migration made up 95% of the total. These are birds funneled into the thumb of Michigan, then reversing course to go around the southern tip of Lake Huron. Turkey Vultures (411), Sharp shinned Hawks (192) and Red tailed Hawks (171) made up 83% of the total. The Presque Isle, Pennsylvania, Hawk Watch saw reduced coverage this season but the 15,640 raptors recorded during 176 hours over 59 days (beginning on March 1, ending on May 26) averaged out to 89 birds/ hour. Turkey Vultures accounted for more than 75% of that number. A record one day high count of 2847 Turkey Vultures was reached on April 1. Bald Eagle numbers continue to increase. Winds off the lake virtually shut down migration the last couple weeks of May. Ripley, New York, had a record high of 29,404 raptors over 70 days (252+ hrs) from March 10 through May 15, largely due to an all time high of 19,435 Turkey Vultures. The count of 258 Bald Eagles, 100 more than in 2013, perhaps resulted from frozen Lake Erie with its concentrations of waterfowl and dead fish. Broad winged Hawks numbered 7494, near the site s long term average. The site recorded below average counts of Northern Harrier, Sharp shinned Hawk, Redshouldered Hawk, Red tailed Hawk and American Kestrel. Hamburg, New York, counted 14 species between March 1 and May 15, thanks to 371+ on site hours over 73 days. Like other CF spring counts, Hamburg reported a new high of 16,043 Turkey Vultures in Thanks largely to the vultures, the site set a record high seasonal total of 21,121 raptors. The Broad winged hawk total of 3604 was above the site s long term average. American Kestrel, Northern Harrier and Sharp shinned Hawk numbers appear to be in steady decline. A single Black Vulture was spotted. Beamer Conservation Area, Grimsby, Ontario, counted from March 1 May 15, recording hours, losing only four days due to bad weather. The total of 11,671 raptors was well below the site s long term (24 years) average of 14,000+ raptors/season, while Turkey Vulture numbers were at an all time high of This pattern is of concern: in 2014 the non vulture species count was 4341, declining from the 2013 low of 5511 non vultures. Previous to the past two seasons, the non vulture low was 8694 in had record low counts of Northern Harrier, Sharp shinned Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Red shouldered and Red tailed Hawks and American Kestrel. A highlight was a lone Swainson s Hawk, a species not seen since Braddock Bay, New York tallied 63,945 raptors between March 1 and May 31, in 365 hours over 81 days. Slow at first due to snow, but graced with Snowy Owl sightings, the watch observed raptor migration in earnest beginning in late March. As with other CF watches, Turkey Vulture numbers were up, as were Golden Eagles (64). There was a slight uptick in Northern Harrier numbers but declining counts of Sharp shinned Hawk, Red tailed Hawk and Rough legged Hawk. On April 2 a Gyrfalcon and 10 Golden Eagles were seen. On April 27, almost 4300 Broad wings sailed over. The watch counted 18,000+ raptors on May 1, including another 10 Golden Eagles, and just under 16,600 Broad winged Hawks. Using both north and south lookouts depending on conditions, Derby Hill, New York, began counting on March 1 and continued to May 31, recording just short of 600 hours over 81 days, counting 56,531 raptors of 17 species. A single day record of 4318 Turkey Vultures was set on April 2, and the season total of 22,438 Turkey Vultures smashed the previous record of 15,894 set in The increase in migrating Turkey Vultures is impressive consider that in 1979, just 640 Turkey Vultures were counted at Derby Hill spring season high counts for Cooper s Hawk, Merlin and Golden Eagle were set in March. Northern Harrier, Sharp shinned Hawk, Northern Goshawk and Red tailed Hawks peaked in April. Season high counts of Osprey, Bald Eagle and Peregrine Falcon occurred in May. Three April Black Vultures and one Swallow tailed Kite (on May 14) sailed overhead. Broad wings numbered 21,799, above average for Derby Hill.

4 Bethany Hawk Watch Spring Report Data on migratory raptors in the spring season was collected from March 10 through May 21, The primary site for observation was at the campground at Land of Memories City Park. This site served as the secondary site for the fall 2013 season and became the primary site for spring for two reasons. First, previous anecdotal evidence suggested that the Bethany Lutheran College campus is not a significant observation site for spring raptor migration. Second, the hypothesis was that raptors migrating north would follow the Blue Earth River to its confluence with the Minnesota River, precisely where this observation site is located. As in fall, all data were submitted to the Hawk Migration Association of North America s Hawkcount website. To view the Bethany Hawk Watch data, visit: This is the first spring count attempted in the Minnesota River Valley, and the Bethany Hawkwatch was not sure what to expect regarding numbers or timing of various raptor species. This count largely occurred due to the curiosity of our primary volunteer hawk counter from fall 2013, Jim Amundson. It is not certain whether Land of Memories is the best location for observing spring raptor migration, but birds certainly appear to follow the Blue Earth River as they approach the Minnesota River in Mankato. During early migration, Bald Eagles could be seen rising on thermals near Mount Kato nearly 4 kilometers to the south. They would disappear from sight as they rose and then reappear at great height directly overhead minutes later. Other raptors were seen at lower altitudes roughly following the river north to the count site whereupon they made a decision of where to go. Some headed northwest (upstream along the Minnesota River), some rose on thermals and disappeared over the bluffs of North Mankato to the north, and others seem to veer east toward Mankato, perhaps to follow the Minnesota River to the north and east. Future studies could be done just to determine if decision making is influenced by wind direction. Land of Memories City Park, like Bethany s fall count site, also has some complications for maintaining an accurate count. First, resident Bald Eagles were seen moving up and down the Blue Earth and Minnesota Rivers, and while counters made their best judgment regarding whether they were resident or migrant, this species may have been undercounted. A pair of Cooper s Hawks took up residence in the park in March. They were regular enough with display flights, fly bys, and hunting sorties (several robins fell prey) that counters nicknamed them Fred and Ethel. Add to both of these resident species the occasional resident Red tailed Hawk and resident Peregrine Falcon (they nest nearby under a bridge), as well as numerous Turkey Vultures that roost in North Mankato and there were plenty of raptors to look at. Again, counters just made their best judgment when determining if a raptor was a migrant or one of these residents. The winter prior to this spring season was unusually harsh with several days with subzero temperatures. Those colder temperatures persisted into the spring with a temperature of 0 C recorded for noon as late as April 17, A total of 1972 raptors of 16 species were observed during 220 hours of observation this spring. That averages out to about 9 birds per hour of observation. Probably the most significant species seen was a single Mississippi Kite that passed over Land of Memories during a 30 minute visit by the author on May 21, Not only was this a first record for the Bethany Hawk Watch, it also represented the first record for Blue Earth County. Species totals and arrival dates can be seen in Table 1. 1 Mississippi Kite, May 21, 2014 There were a few other surprises in our first year of spring counts. First, Redshouldered Hawk was an early mover with no records after March. Northern Goshawk also was found in late March

5 with two birds seen on one day (March 30). While Broad winged Hawk normally is counted in a narrow window in fall, that window was even narrower this spring; 80% of all Broad wings passed through on May 2 3. Though seven Golden Eagles were seen in the previous fall, not a single individual was reported this spring; anecdotal evidence from the area suggest this species may migrate northward in February and may have been missed during this spring s count. If a spring count is repeated in 2015, it may be better to start in early or mid February to determine if there is early migration occurring at that point. Bald Eagles were migrating from the onset of this year s count and may be moving prior to early March. In addition to starting early, there may be value in counting to the end of May to determine if Mississippi Kite is actually a regular overshoot in the spring. This species breeding range approaches southern Iowa at its northernmost point. Thanks go out to Jim Amundson, Marty Rost, and John Nelson. The author was able to visit Land of Memories City Park a couple of times, but most of the data were collected by these volunteers. Again, Jim Amundson in particular should be recognized for taking the initiative to start this spring count. Thanks Jim! Other observers that visited the spring hawk watch site include: Tom Dahlen, Roy Zender, Andrew Krenz, Trent Robbins, and Benji Inniger. Table 1: Raptor Species Totals & Arrival Dates Daily Arrival Count High Count Date Mississippi Kite May Turkey Vulture Mar Osprey Apr Bald Eagle Mar Northern Harrier Mar Sharp-shinned Hawk Mar Cooper's Hawk Mar Northern Goshawk Mar Red-shouldered Hawk Mar Broad-winged Hawk Apr Swainson's Hawk May Red-tailed Hawk Mar Rough-legged Hawk Mar Ferruginous Hawk Golden Eagle American Kestrel Mar Merlin Apr Peregrine Falcon Apr Prairie Falcon Gyrfalcon Unidentified Vulture Unidentified Accipiter Unidentified Buteo Unidentified Eagle Unidentified Falcon Unidentified Raptors

6 West Skyline Hawk Count, Duluth The West Skyline Hawk Count in Duluth, Minnesota, at the western tip of Lake Superior, was started in 1997 and was again conducted in the spring of 2014 on a limited basis. The count was conducted daily from Since 2008, the count was done with volunteers mainly on weekends when migration conditions appear to be favorable. This year s count was done by long time hawk counters Frank Nicoletti or Dave Carman. A total of 6445 raptors were counted during the 12 days and 62.5 hours covered. Months when a count was conducted were March, April and May. March is typically when the bulk of the eagles move through. This year 790 of the 1,225 total Bald Eagles and 12 of 19 Golden Eagles were counted in March. A late spring after one of the most severe winters on record appeared to slow the migration. Three days in March were covered. On March 13, 49 Bald Eagles and 2 Golden Eagles were counted. After several snow storms and days of unseasonable cold, late in the month on March 29, 305 Bald Eagles and 6 Golden Eagles were counted. The next day on March 30, 437 Bald Eagles and 4 Golden Eagles were counted. As is typical, Redtailed Hawks began to show up late in the month with 8 on the 29 th and 13 on the 30 th. A total of 8 days were covered in April. Highlights included a strong migration day on April 20 when 2939 raptors were tallied. These included high counts for the season of Turkey Vultures (677), Ospreys (21), Northern Harriers (16), Sharpshinned Hawks (536), Cooper s Hawks (10), Red tailed Hawks (1,312), Rough legged Hawks (160) and American Kestrels (26). One day was covered in May on the 4 th. 1,468 Broad winged Hawks were the highlight for that day. Dave Carman Esko, Minnesota Brockway Mountain Hawk Watch Photo by Debra Mues Summary for Spring 2014 Hawk Count Conducted by Calvin G. Brennan 138 Tamarack Circle, Grayling, MI Submitted June 24, Sponsored by Copper Country Audubon Society P.O. Box 124, Houghton, MI & Copper Harbor Birding

7 keweenawimbd.org Introduction In 2010, Copper Country Audubon and Laughing Whitefish Audubon launched the Keweenaw Raptor Survey (KRS), a three year survey at Brockway Mountain (Copper Harbor, Michigan) to study spring raptor migration in the Keweenaw Peninsula (Haas & Gayk 2010). Results from the 2010 through 2012 surveys have been published in previous reports (Henschell 2010, Green 2011 & 2012). I think it is important to note too that there have been informal as well as more systematic counts (Peacock, 1992) undertaken on Brockway over the years. Subsequently, strong local interest lobbied to continue the count on Brockway Mountain and with the continued support of Copper Country Audubon along with Copper Harbor Birding, a spring hawk count was continued from West Bluff as the Brockway Mountain Hawk Watch in 2013 and This report is the summary results of the fifth season of systematic counting on Brockway Mountain. The Count Systematic counts were conducted daily from March 15 to June 15, 2014 (the count season ) from West Bluff (the count site ), a vantage point on Brockway Mountain located at N , W (approximately 4 miles west of the town of Copper Harbor) and stationed 1328 feet above mean sea level and approximately 728 above the average surface elevation of Lake Superior. The defined survey count period each day (the survey period ) is as follows: March 15 thru March 31, EST (Eastern Standard Time); April 1 thru May 31, EST; June 1 thru June 15, EST. This year was one of the latest springs in recent history for the Keweenaw on the heels of the coldest, hardest winter in decades. As with the spring of 2013, there were many weather related closures of the count with a whopping twentytwo days in all eliminated from the study this year. Surveys were conducted on 71 of a possible 93 count days in the season, accounting for a total of count hours. Sightings were posted rather sporadically to the web blog (brockwayhawkwatch.org) and the new facebook page with daily updates made to the HMANA site (hawkcount.org). In addition to the principal counter, substitute counters this year included Joseph Youngman, Zach Gayk and Debra Mues with supplementary help from Charlene Brennan, Skye Haas, Mike Myers and Jon Peacock. These latter two gentlemen are a couple of the early counters at the site, undertaking surveys on Brockway beginning back in the 1970s. As in preceding springs, a count shelter was erected on site for temporary relief from cold, windy & rainy weather conditions. Species Accounts A standardized hourly count for all species of diurnal raptors (i.e., birds belonging to orders Accipitriformes and Falconiformes with appropriate changes in taxonomic order applied) was conducted in accordance with protocols defined by HMANA (Hawk Migration Association of North America) 2006 and Haas & Gayk Where any potential ambiguity existed between protocols, Haas & Gayk 2010 was used. As aids to field identification, Sibley 2000, Wheeler 2003, Liguori 2005 and Clark 2001 (for aging Bald Eagles) were used. Eastbound and westbound raptor flights were recorded on separate data forms (with weather data and observer details on a third sheet). Over the course of the spring 2014 survey, 18,634 eastbound raptors of 16 species and 5,713 westbound raptors of 14 species were observed migrating past the count site. Unlike a year ago when most species were recorded in record numbers, the totals for this year were a bit of mixed bag of results. As might be expected, species that typically peak in April were seen in lower numbers as there were an inordinate number of bad weather days in that time frame. In fact, Sharp shinned Hawks, Northern Harriers and Northern Goshawks had record low years. Bald Eagle was the only species to break the previous seasonal high mark as well as a single day tally that ranks second highest all time. Several other species established new single day high counts. Appendix A at the end of the report summarizes the results for all raptor species.

8 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) TV In all, 1769 eastbound TVs were recorded this spring; a similar number to a year ago. I won t go into the enigmatic nature of counting vultures at this site (and at many hawk watches it seems) because I think I addressed that sufficiently last year. The first TV this spring was recorded March 31, close to the five year average of March 29. The biggest flight was 207 April 21, falling at the early end of a broad window of peak migration time for the species and represents the largest ever one day total at the site. May was the busiest month for vultures as it was in 2013 differing from the KRS when April recorded the highest totals for this species in those seasons; a function I m sure of the later springs the last two years. While the eastbound tally made up about 9% of the overall number, the 776 westbound vultures made up about 14% of that flight. An interesting observation for this species is that almost all recorded vultures are apparent adults. I haven t researched this but perhaps the younger birds stay south for a time where the pickings are easy and abundant. Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) OS Osprey totals for the five years of the official count have been all over the map with this year s total of 74 somewhat mid range but well below last spring s record 175. The first Osprey seen was April 20, about a week behind the average date of April 14. The season high mark was 9 seen May 6, perhaps a typical peak time, but again with such variation in yearly totals, this determination is a bit difficult. The species year to year moves throughout the month of May in fairly consistent numbers with about 84% of the overall total this year seen in that month. Fifteen westbound Ospreys were seen, a not too different tally as last year, perhaps surprising given the overall drop in number. Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) GE While seen in lower numbers than last year when a record high 81were recorded, the 68 tallied this year is still well above any total for the KRS. As I have stated before with regards to this species, the early date is artificial with migrants presumably coming through before the beginning of the count. However, the first sighting this spring of March 16 is a couple of days ahead of the five year average of March 18. The peak flight was the 8 seen April 5, a single day record for the count. This peaks falls in the middle of a broad pulse of migration from mid March to almost mid April with just over 40% seen in April, the largest percentage for any one month. The last individual was seen May 28, the latest recorded date for the five years of the official count. There was an equally impressive 43 Golden Eagles tallied moving westbound. The breakdown with regards to age class for eastbound eagles was 21 juveniles, 18 sub adults, 24 adults and 5 of unknown age. Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) NH Harriers were one of several species to have a record low year, due presumably to an abundance of foul weather during April when migration for the species would typically be at its peak. The total of 65 eclipses the previous low mark of 80 recorded in Early arrival dates for this species are also greatly affected by the openness of the spring with first dates recorded from as early as mid March to as late as mid April; this year s date of April 7 landing somewhat in the middle of that time frame. The peak passage was the 8 tallied April 20, perhaps slightly later than on a typical year. The bulk of the migration was more or less evenly split between April and May unlike previous seasons when the largest passage was clearly during April, further confirming the weather affect on the migration of this species. The age/sex breakdown for eastbound migrants was as follows: 19 juveniles, 19 females, 13 males, 10 brown individuals (birds clearly not adult male but too distant to separate juvenile from adult female) and 4 of undetermined age or sex. Surprising perhaps was that the last apparent migrant was an adult male seen June 10. Sharp shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) SS Sharp shins were the species apparently most affected by the lack of appropriate migration conditions this spring, with the count of 864 exhibiting the largest deficit when compared to any previous season. This total is less than a third of the record 2,987 seen last year and only a little more than half the previous low count. The earliest was recorded March 30, similar to the arrival dates for 2011 and 2013 but about a week and a half later than the early springs of 2010 and Even given the lack of good migration days, the peak flight of 122 April 21 is on the early end of the peak migration window from late April into early May. The largest number by month was seen in May with almost three quarters of the entire flight recorded in that time frame. Appropriately, the westbound Sharp shins total was less than a third last year s

9 total with just 95 tallied. The breakdown of those individuals assigned to an age class was strongly skewed towards adult with 79% recorded as such. Looking at previous seasons, 2013 and 2012 also show a similar breakdown of ages in Sharpshins while 2011 shows a larger proportion of individuals aged as juvenile although not nearly as disproportionately. Sharpies were not assigned ages in Cooper s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) CH Fourteen Cooper s Hawks were seen this spring, pretty much an average count at this site for this uncommon species. The early arrival date of April 20 is the latest initial date for the five years of the official count and about a week later than the average of April 12. Sightings were sprinkled throughout the spring from this April 20 time frame into early June with a high of two birds observed on several days. By month, 3 were recorded in April, 9 in May and 2 in June. The age breakdown was 9 juveniles and 5 adults. Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) NG The 20 Goshawks recorded in 2014 is just half of the record 40 from a year ago. This total is the lowest for the five years of the count but only marginally below those years of the KRS. The recorded arrival dates for this species have varied only by a few days since 2010, ranging from March 15 to March 19. This year s date of March 16 is in keeping with that trend. Most were seen in the month of March with a peak flight of four noted March 30. Three westbound Goshawks were seen this spring. The age designation was 4 juveniles, 12 adults and 4 of unknown age. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) BE Bald Eagles continue to show an upward trend from year to year with the 1658 recorded this season establishing a new high water mark for the species. Truly the symbol of this hawk watch, they were seen migrating throughout the entire count period and were recorded on 67 of the 71 days when a count was conducted! The largest single tally was the 152 eagles seen April 7, the second highest one day total in the history of the count. Interestingly, even given the inclement weather seen then, April recorded the largest overall percentage with 42% of all eagles observed in that month. This seems to hold with movements in other years with late or even average springs but unlike open springs like 2010 and 2012 when migration peaked during March. While the eastbound flight accounted for about 9% of the overall numbers, the westbound tally of 547 eagles was almost 10% of that movement. The age class breakdown this year was as follows: 320 juveniles (19.3%), 603 sub adults (36.4%), 614 adults (37%) and 121 (7.3%) of unknown age. Red shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) RS Red shoulders were seen in about average numbers with the 13 recorded landing in the mid range of the totals for the five years of the count. The first was seen April 7, about a week and half later than the average date of March 28. As might be expected with such low numbers, there was no strong trend as far as a peak migration although most were seen in the first half of the season. This is in keeping with other seasons and in fact in two of those seasons, there was not a single Red shoulder recorded after the end of April. Furthermore, for the five years of the official count, there is yet to be a Red shoulder encountered in the month of June. For the season, 8 juveniles were noted to go along with the 5 adults spotted. Broad winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) BW A total of 12,322 eastbound Broad wings were observed this season, which represents about 66% of the entire flight for The peak flight was 2098 on May 11, the second highest one day tally to date and incidentally mirrors the date of the record count in The first Broad wing was seen April 21, just as few days off the average arrival date of April 18. As with other seasons, the largest portion of the overall flight came through in May; the 10,652 seen in that month making up about 86% of the final count. There was a much smaller flight recorded in June this year as compared to 2013 perhaps due to early June being a bit cooler and wetter this spring. The age breakdown was as follows: 6321 (51%) adults, 1294 (11%) juveniles and 4707 (38%) of undetermined age. Among the juveniles tallied was a dark morph individual, one of the more unexpected but better highlights of the season for myself. As expected the largest portion of the westbound flight involved Broad wings, the 3,896 making up about 68% of the westward tally.

10 Swainson s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) SW Six eastbound Swainson s Hawks were seen this year, a number in keeping with other years that have had numbers varying from four to seven individuals. Most impressive was that half of these six were seen on May 5, the first day that the species was encountered and not too surprisingly; this is a single day site record. This arrival date is a bit tardier than the April 29 average and equals the latest date from All were seen in a window from May 5 to May 19. In terms of age and morphology, two were dark morph birds (one each adult and unknown age), two were light morph individuals (both adults) and two were of undetermined age and morphology. Red tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) RT Red tails were another species whose flight was affected by weather events in April but unlike species like Sharp shins and Harriers, their numbers recovered well in May and were even seen moving into June. In fact, the 1461 recorded stands as the second highest season count to date behind last year s record number. The early arrival date was March 30, similar to first dates in 2011 and 2013 but a week or more after arrivals in the early and open years of 2010 and I m sensing a trend here among species that are short distance migrants that winter in more temperate areas of the continent (see more under NH, SS and BE). Even given the paucity of good flight conditions in April, record flights were seen on the 20 th and 21 st of that month with 216 and 232 Re tails recorded respectively for those dates. These represent the largest single day flights for the species at Brockway. About half of the total for the species was seen in May, the largest proportion for any one month. Age characters were recorded as such: 1175 (80%) adults (6 darkmorphs), 194 (13%) juveniles (3 dark morphs) and 92 of unknown age. Red tails made up just over 5% of the westbound total. Rough legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) RL When looking at previous seasons, we see considerable variation in the totals for Rough legs year to year. The 117 recorded this spring is only about a third of the record number seen last year but is a similar tally to the first two years of the KRS. The earliest recorded was April 9, some two weeks later than the average of March 22 and is the latest arrival date for the five years of the official count. The largest single flight was 35 April 21, at the early end of the average peak window during the last week of April into early May. Most were seen in April with the 80 recorded representing 68% of the entire flight. Broken down to color morphs, 97(83%) were light morphs and 20 (17 %) were dark morphs. Of those aged, 15 (13%) were juveniles, 100 (86%) were adults and 2 were of unknown age. American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) AK Only about a third of the Kestrels were seen this year as in the record spring of The 87 observed is however a similar number to totals for the years of the KRS. First arrivals for Kestrels are also affected by the lateness/earliness of the spring with dates ranging from March 17 to April 16; this year s April 11 arrival date at the late end of that window. The largest flight was the 14 Kestrels seen May 6, a typical time frame for the peak of migration with 62% of all Kestrels seen in the month of May. The breakdown as to sex was 30 females (34%), 44 males (51%) and 13 of unknown sex. Just 2 westbound Kestrels were noted. Merlin (Falco columbarius) ML The forty Merlins tallied this year is more or less an average total when compared to previous seasons of the official count. The April 7 arrival date is the latest on record and well after the average date of March 26. This species does not show a particularly strong peak of migration with sightings scattered throughout the spring but a high count of 5 was seen on two dates; April 9 and April 19. Just over half of the overall total was also seen during April. Twenty two brown (female or immature) individuals were noted along with 12 adult males and 6 of unknown designation. Nine westbound Merlins were recorded this spring although in some instances, these may have been local breeders. Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) PG Peregrines came through again in solid numbers this spring with the 53 counted just a bit off last year s record of 70. They were the only non eagle species that had an arrival date significant earlier than the average, the March 30 date some two weeks in front of the April 15 average. However, most were seen in May, overwhelmingly in fact, with 45 of the 53 total seen in that time frame. The single biggest flight day was 10 May 19, the second largest single day tally ever

11 for the count. The age breakdown was 38 adults, 9 juveniles and 6 of unknown age. Nine westbound Peregrines were seen in Weather Weather measurements, including wind speed, wind direction, temperature, barometric pressure, percentage of sky covered by cloud form, visibility, and precipitation type (e.g., haze, rain, snow) were taken at the top of each count hour throughout the count season. These measurements provide atmospheric context for the migration observed each count day. Much of the first half of the season of 2014 continued the colder than normal trend, an extension of a winter that was the coldest recorded in quite some time. March was probably average in terms of precipitation but temperatures barely made it to the freezing point, the average daytime high for the month being 4C (25F). April overall was remarkably similar to 2013 and presented the largest number of missed days, although a portion of those days were lost due to a malfunctioning snowmobile. Yes, once again, I was using this mode of transportation into the early part of May to get to the top of the Mountain! Getting back to April, there were a number of snow events during the month that stymied the count, similar to last spring. The first half of April was also very cold, averaging 3C (38F) with a number of those days not even making it out of the 20s. The latter half of the month did see an improvement with temps nearing normal ranges. May saw the largest swing in temperatures, the first two weeks averaging around 10C (50F), the second half averaging 21C (70F). As well, there were a number of count days missed in the early part of the month due to cool, damp stretches of weather. June was certainly cooler and damper than a year ago, with the average temperature around 18C (64F). As in 2013, the overall effect of the late spring was varied. As discussed in the species accounts, short distance migrants that winter in more temperate regions of the continent tend to start their migration it seems in March and early April during open, mild springs and correspondingly, that movement shifts to a later time frame in colder, snowier years. Species like Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp shinned Hawk and Red tailed Hawk illustrate this very well when you look at all five years of the count. What is perhaps surprising is that this year, eagles and Red tails continued to move in numbers throughout the spring while the flight for Sharp shins and Harriers did not recover, resulting in record low numbers overall for those two species. Totals for Rough legged Hawk and American Kestrel, species that also typically peak in April and early May, were also notably affected by the later spring. However, these two species show a lot of variation year to year in terms of overall numbers tallied so their low totals this year are less of a surprise. Acknowledgements As of 2012, ownership of West Bluff and environs has been transferred to Eagle Harbor Township who, along with Michigan DNR (MI DNR Trust Fund Grant), the Michigan Nature Conservancy, the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District, the Keweenaw Land Trust and Copper Country Audubon have pledged the continued protection of Brockway Mountain as part of the Keweenaw Coastal Wildlife Corridor. We thank them for the continued use of the site for the purposes of the hawk watch as well as the preservation of this spectacular scenic byway for the enjoyment by the general public. Support for the Brockway Mountain Hawk Watch was again provided by the memberships of Copper Country Audubon as well as Copper Harbor Birding. A generous grant was provided by the Steven C. Leuthold Family Foundation to support the birding work along the Keweenaw Coastal Wildlife Corridor.Organizing committee members this year included Bill Deephouse, Karen Karl, Debra Mues, Dana Richter, Hannah Rooks and Joe Youngman. Bill Deephouse and Dana Richter handled funds and administered the count. Thank you goes to Ken & Vicky Stigers of the Pines Resort for once again generously supplying lodging for the counter. Use of snowmobiles was provided this year by the Copper Harbor Trails Club and Bill & Bonnie Degowski. Thank you. Most appreciative thanks go to all those individuals directly involved in the day to day mechanics of the count without which there would be no hawk watch. These include the substitute counters: Joseph Youngman, Zach Gayk, and Debra

12 Mues with help from Charlene Brennan, Skye Haas, Mike Myers and Jon Peacock. A most gracious thank you to all of you. Also, many thanks go to Karen Karl for her ever cheerful help and support throughout the spring and Debra Mues for organizing substitute counters as well as her infectious enthusiasm. Many thanks as well go to Bill & Bonnie Degowski for their continued generosity and technical support. References Used Binford, L. C Birds of the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan. Miscellaneous Publications No. 125, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan. Brennan, C.G Brockway Mountain Hawk Watch Summary Report. Copper Country Audubon and Copper Harbor Birding. Clark, W. S Aging Bald Eagles. Birding 33:18 28 Green, A. W Keweenaw Raptor Survey 2011 End of Season Summary. Copper Country Audubon and Laughing Whitefish Audubon. Green, A. W Keweenaw Raptor Survey 2011 End of Season Summary. Copper Country Audubon and Laughing Whitefish Audubon. Haas S. and Z. Gayk Keweenaw Raptor Survey Count Protocol. Copper Country Audubon and Laughing Whitefish Audubon. Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA) Standard Data Collection Protocol for Raptor Migration Monitoring; Retrieved from Raptor Population Index: Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA) HawkCount; Retrieved from: Henschell, M. A Keweenaw Raptor Survey 2010 Spring Report. Copper Country Audubon and Laughing Whitefish Audubon. Liguori, J Hawks from Every Angle. Princeton University Press. Sibley, D. A. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Knopf Doubleday. Wheeler, B. K Raptors of Eastern North America. Princeton University Press APPENDIX A: Migrant Raptors Brockway Mountain, Spring SPECIES FIRST MAX MAX DATE LAST E. TOTAL W. TOTAL Turkey Vulture 31 Mar Apr 14 Jun Golden Eagle 16 Mar 8 5 Apr 28 May 68 43

13 Rough legged Hawk American Kestrel Merlin Peregrine Falcon Unidentified Accipiter Unidentified Buteo Unidentified Falcon Unidentified Eagle Unidentified Raptor 9 Apr 11 Apr 7 Apr 30 Mar 30 Mar tw Apr 2 6 May wo dates 19 May 30 Mar 29 May 9 Jun 5 Jun 10 Jun 6 Apr TOTAL Whitefish Point Observatory THE THIRTY SIXTH ANNUAL DIURNAL RAPTOR MIGRATION COUNT WHITEFISHH POINT, MICHIGAN Spring 2014 By Dave Meyer WPBO Hawk Counter Abstract Conducted by the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory The 36 th Annual Hawkcount at Whitefish Point, Michigan was conducted from March 15 to May 31, The 2014 spring raptor total of 9829 birds, consisting of 16 species, was 44.3% below the ten year average ( ) and was the third lowest recorded at Whitefish Point. Turkey Vulture, Osprey,, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp shinned Hawk,, Northern Goshawk, Red shouldered Hawk, Broad winged Hawk, Red tailed While Cooper s Hawk, Golden Eagle and Merlin were at Hawk,, Rough legged Hawk, American Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon were all counted below average numbers. about average numbers. Introduction Whitefish Point, located in Chippewa County in the northeastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan (46 46 N, W), is a significant concentration spot for migrant raptors in the spring. The surrounding land and water create a natural

14 corridor, funneling thousands of birds directly to the Point as they travel through the Great Lakes region. This provides an excellent opportunity to study and monitor raptor populations and makes for spectacular bird watching. The spring count at Whitefish Point is one of the most northerly and longest running of annual hawk migration censuses in North America. This year marks the 36th annual hawk migration count conducted by Whitefish Point Bird Observatory at Whitefish Point. The objective of this study is to monitor raptor populations by comparing past and present migration totals. With this information we can evaluate population dynamics of each species and identify those that are in need of greater protection. Methods The 2014 diurnal raptor count began on March 15 and ended May 31. The census period was from 0800 to 1600 EST daily. The census was occasionally stopped due to hazardous weather or poor visibility caused by heavy fog, rain or snow. Although the WPBO hawk census was initiated in 1979, the current methodology was developed by K. Durham in 1983 and revised by J. Granlund in The observation site is a wooden platform built in the fall of 1991 on the highest sand dune at Whitefish Point. This is located approximately 200 meters west of the main parking lot. All observations were made from this location. The following weather data was taken on an hourly basis: wind speed, wind direction, temperature, barometric pressure, cloud cover, and visibility. Wind speed, temperature, and barometric pressure were taken using a hand held Brunton weather instrument. Wind speed was recorded as kilometers per hour (kph) and also, along with cloud cover percentage, was converted to a code that matched those used by WPBO in previous years. Most observations were made with 10x42 Nikon binoculars. The spotting scope used was a 20 60x, 85mm Vortex Razor HD. Migration Summary A total of 9,829 diurnal raptors were counted between March 15 and 31 May 31, An average of 17 hawks were counted per hour or 126 hawks per day. The number of species varied between 1 and 15 per day, with an average of 8. A total of observation hours were obtained. Hawk numbers were down 44.4% from last year s total of 17,079. The 2014 total was the third lowest on record. This season s total was 52.2% below the ten year average ( ) for Whitefish Point and it was 41.0% below the ten year median period ( ). March March was much less productive than last spring with 120 raptors of 9 species counted. These included: Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Cooper s Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Red shouldered Hawk, Red tailed Hawk, Merlin, Golden Eagle and American Kestrel. The Bald Eagle (68 birds) was the most abundant species in March, with Golden Eagle (29 birds) and Northern Goshawk (9 birds) the next two populous species. March held the peak day for two raptor species. March 30 th was the peak of the Golden Eagle (7) and the Redshouldered Hawk (2). The peak total raptor day came on the 30 th with a total of 45 raptors. Observation coverage was out of a possible 136 hours for March. The remaining 4.33 hours were lost due to snow or other circumstances. The wind direction was primarily out of the northwest, north, or northeast with only a couple of the days having winds from the south or southeast. The wind velocity in March was primarily in the codes 2 (6 11 kph) and 3 (12 19 kph). The highest wind velocity in March was 35 kph on the 22nd. The coldest temperature recorded in March was 12 C on the 23 rd, and the highest temperature was 8 C on the 26th and the 29th.