Borrego Valley Hawkwatch: March 3-6, 2016-The Hot Weather Has Departed-Swainson's Hawks Continue With Hopes for Rain On March 7

Leaders:
March 3-Wes
March 4-Rose
March 5-Hal
March 6-Wes

Migration:
March 3-Swainson's Hawks-67
March 4-Swainson's Hawks-27
March 5-Swainson's Hawks-22; 1 Turkey Vulture
March 6-Swainson's Hawks-317; 1 White-tailed Kite

Discussion:
March 3- We had some nice kettles form over the Date Farm. Of the hundred birds that were spotted on Wednesday evening, only 67 left. The evening of March 3 had 34 Swainson's Hawks. So the numbers add up. Check the March 3 youtube-https://youtu.be/oz5rovUK9cE
March 4-Some action as 27 Swainson's migrated
March 5-We had one nice kettle of 22 Swainson's Hawks and a lone Turkey Vulture migrate.

Evening Watch March 5-Over 200 Swainson's Hawks on the ground. Quite a sight.

March 6-A remarkable day with over 300 Swainson's migrating. Plus a White-tailed Kite. The evening of March 5th we found over 200 Swainson's on the ground between Borrego Valley Rd and DiGiorgio Rd. on Sunday March 6 we relocated the hawks early (6 a.m.). By 6:30 a.m. they were kettling up and out of the valley. The final count was well 317 SW's. Here are two youtubes from March 6. The first youtube-hawks on the ground https://youtu.be/pya42GDDvU4; the second-in flight before departure from the valley. https://youtu.be/HePRtoASTak

We now have counted a total of 588 Swainson's Hawks for the season. The first 6 days of March produced 488 SW's.

Evening Watch:
March 6-This evening we watched several Swainson's Hawks from a distance near the potato fields to the northeast. They began to move west and finally several flew over the evening watchers to land in the Date Farm.

Prediction: There are at least 30 Swainson's Hawks in the Date Farm. There are around 20 or more hawks near the West Coast Tree Farm (new name for Elis Farm) and in the potato fields. Tomorrow if the wind diminishes the hawks will probably leave the roosts early to feed before departing the valley around 8A. Of course if it is windy the hawks could leave earlier. Best place to view hawks is at the evening site on Borrego Valley Rd.