Saturday, March 15, 2014

Surprise Lift-off Today-Saturday March 15, 2014

Leader:
Wes, assisted by Rose and Hal

Migration Today:
Swainson's Hawks-110

Discussion:
Clear sky until 9A when dust clouds started to envelop the valley. Temperature ranged from 70-80F. Northwest breeze becoming gusty. The surprise of the day was the lift-off at 7A even with calm wind conditions. It's possible that the Swainson's Hawks were disturbed in the Date Farm. After lift-off the SW's moved west and then north. In this group were 94 SW's. During the next 2 hours another 16 SW's migrated.

Below see photo's of the Date Farm with Eucalyptus Trees from the evening watch. Also a series of the Peregrine Falcon Adult feeding on what appeared to be a dove. Tomorrow we'll share a professional shot of the Peregrine. Also included a short youtube. http://youtu.be/Qcix6iVUs8o

Evening Watch:
Pleasant evening with some nice Peregrine activity as well as a triple play (3 groups of Swainson's dropping into the Date Farm). At 6:35P the first group  of 16 SW's arrived, followed by a group of 15 and finally a group of 35 for a total of 66 Swainson's Hawks. They all descended into the Date Farm.

Prediction:
Today the 100 plus SW's took off just before sunrise. By 7A they were very high. All on a morning of calm wind conditions. So tomorrow we will not go out on a limb for a prediction. We will be out at sunrise, around 7A to watch 66 Swainson's Hawks. No doubt they will take off at 8:30 or 9A However, no guarantees. Good viewing from DiGiorgio Rd about  1.25 miles north of Palm Canyon Drive.
A view of the Date Farm and Eucalyptus Trees


A Baker's Dozen of SW's Coming in 3/15/14
Losing the grip-Peregrine with dove-3/15/14

Holding on
Opps!
The Dive
It will hit the ground

No comments:

Post a Comment