Monday, March 10, 2014

Sunny and Warm Today With 10 Swainson's On The Move-Monday March 10, 2014-ALERT-400+ Swainson's In Town This Evening

Leader:
Hal assisted by Rose and Joe

Migration Today:
Swainson's Hawks-10

Discussion:
We are in a lull now but checking this period over the past 10 years, the lull is expected. In fact 4 of the ten preceding years had zero hawks on March 10th. Only three March 10 dates produced numbers above 100. So the question is: When is the next wave? You can check out Hawkcount.org select monthly and scroll to Borrego Valley to see all of our records dating back to 2003. It looks like the action will pick up in a day or so based on prior years.

Evening Watch:
ALERT-At 6:10P we watched as a huge kettle of Swainson's hawks spent an hour above us. They descended into the Date Farm at 7:10P. The first count yielded over 200 SW's; A second count upped the number to 350 SW's. A count during descent yielded 400 and more kept coming. I will work on a youtube to add to the photo's below later this evening. http://youtu.be/ujYNeUuI89A

Prediction:
Wind tomorrow morning should be light at 5mph. Is this enough to get the SW's up early? It's hard to say. We will monitor the Date Farm as early as 7A. If the wind remains light to calm the hawks will begin to kettle up around 9A. It should be quite spectacular as the entire group appears to be in the Date Farm. Best viewing from Borrego Valley Road with the sun behind. Also viewing form DiGiorgio Rd anywhere from 1 mile north of Palm Canyon Drive to Big Horn. Watch out for soft sand along DiGiorgio. If the SW's kettle up together it will be quite a sight.
Streaming Swainsons-3/10/14

Count the mass of SW's 3/10/14



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