Very Hot Day-No Wind-February 17, 2014

Leader:
Hal Cohen
Assisted by: Ken Okay, Marcy and Kalista

Migration Today:
10 Swainson's Hawks

Discussion:
At 9:05A 2 Swainson's Hawks flew low from the Date Farm continuing north and exiting by Coyote Canyon. They used very little glide, almost constantly flapping. This was unusual behavior. At 9:25A 8  SW's kettled up from the Date Farm. They behaved in a different manor. They exhibited typical kettling and gliding to exit the valley. This group included 3 adult light morphs, 2 dark morphs, an intermediate morph and 2 unidentified morphs.

Evening Watch:
Another fun evening as some Swainson's came in at 4:35P then a larger group at 5:10P. At least 30 and perhaps more SW's were counted. The hawks flew into the Date Farm again. It was windy, typical weather for good numbers dropping in.

Prediction: 
The weather forecast for tomorrow morning is warm with light wind. At least 30 and perhaps more Swainson's Hawks will begin to kettle up between 8:45 and 9:30A. Best place to view the hawks will be just past the fun farm on DiGiorgio Rd about 1.25 miles north of Palm Canyon Drive or the main hawk site 2.8 miles from Palm Canyon Drive on DiGirogio Rd

A Few Swainson's Hawks

Pleasant Evening With a Little Kettle of Swainson's Hawks-February 16, 2014

Leader:
Joe Hopkins

Migration Today:
0

Discussion:
Not much happening today at the hawk watch.

Evening Watch:
This evening we had a single Swainson's fly in and land at Ellis Farm at 5:05P. At 5:15P we watched a small kettle of Swainson's fly in from the south. Tommy Antel notified me of a few SW's moving down Montezuma Grade (highway leading into town). We counted 11 Swainson's Hawks in the small kettle. All 11 landed in the Date Farm.

Prediction:
Wind should be light tomorrow so expect the SW's to depart between 8:30A and 9:15A.

Sunset from the evening site

The view this evening of a few Swainson's Hawks coming in to the Date Farm

The 3 Swainson's Hawks Migrated Today-February 15, 2014

Leader:
Laura Webb

Migration Today:
3 Swainson's Hawks

Discussion:
The 3 SW's we observed yesterday evening migrated today. At 8A I checked out the Date Farm and one of the SW's took off and flew north to the solar fields then crossed Borrego Valley Rd and landed in Ellis Farm. Several Turkey Vultures that roosted at the Roadrunner were not spotted leaving the valley.

8

Turkey Vultures

am  

First Post of the 2014 Season-3 Swainson's Flew Into the Date Farm-February 14, 2014

At 5:05P today, 3 Swainson's Hawks flew into the Date Farm on Borrego Valley Rd. This is a good start of the season, which officially opens tomorrow. The official count site is 2.8 miles north of Palm Canyon Drive on DiGiorgio Rd. We meet every day from 8-11A. Most flights take place between 8 and 9A. Weather tomorrow will be very hot-in the 90's. The count data is taken at this site.

The evening site is located on Borrego Valley Rd 1.5 miles north of Palm Canyon Drive. We meet about 1 hour before sunset every evening. We use the evening site to locate roosting hawks and vultures. We have had several hundred kettling hawks at the evening site.

If you would like to be placed on the alert system (an email that is sent out when we have hundreds of roosting Swainson's Hawks), let me know. I will place your email address on the alert. My email address is: Raptorhal3@gmail.com

3 Swainson's Hawks in Eucalyptus Tree in the Date Farm

Hawkwatch Winding Down April 10-13, 2013

April 13:
Leader:
Hal Cohen

Migration:
Turkey Vultures-34

Discussion:
The hawkwatch is winding down for the season. Only a few Swainson's and TV's have migrated through the area recently. Today, April 13, 34 TVs moved through. This is the last blog for the season. I am off to Chicago for the summer. I will work on a summary after the season ends next week. Check out the youtube of TV's today. I was hoping for a Zone-tailed Hawk-no luck.

http://youtu.be/zQaMCpHtFTM

A few of the TV's 4/13/13-HC

April 10, 2013, Still a Few Swainson's Coming Through

Leader:
Laura Webb
Assisted by:
Joe Hopkins, Hal Cohen

Migration Today:
Swainson's Hawks-3
Turkey Vultures-2
Possible Osprey

Discussion:
Sunny, no clouds and temperatures ranging from 60's to upper 70's. Three Swainson's lifted off from the Date Farm. An Osprey observed at the The Springs RV Park began to migrate at 9:50A.

Here is a link to a recent article in the San Diego Tribune about the hawk watch. Please ignore the king comment.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/apr/08/tp-watchers-disappointed-by-hawks-low-numbers/

Evening Watch:
No evident migration into town this evening.

Osprey-4/10/13-HC

Cross-eyed Osprey-4/10/13-HC

Aborted Hawkwatch April 8, 2013

No watch on April 8. We had a huge sand/wind storm all day. Below is one of the you tubes from the hawk watch.
Leader April 9:
Steve Bier
Assisted by:
Joe Hopkins

Migration Today:
Turkey Vultures-7
Osprey-1

Discussion:
The wind on Monday finally calmed down today. Attached is a link to a short youtube of the watch site yesterday. Wind gusts to 83mph were reported. I have a request for a close up of a Swainson's Hawk. Below is a shot of captured Swainson's Hawk.

http://youtu.be/I2mRttDZWi4

Evening Watch:
Only 1 Swainson's Hawk was reported from the watch this evening. Some TV's came in but might be residents. Only a few days left in the season.

Swainson's Hawk captured for banding-HC