Bald Eagle
This Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) was one of 36 migrant Bald Eagles recorded at the Boothe Park Hawk Watch on September 20, 2015, breaking our previous daily record of 22 that had been set on September 14, 2014. The next two days in the record books were of 20 Bald Eagles apiece, making it an especially strong Sunday. We have been off to a difficult start considering the record-shattering heat in September, but Osprey have been abundant – in fact, we soared by our yearly record of them already! Bald Eagles have also been strong in numbers overall as both formerly endangered...
Read MoreBoothe Park Hawk Watch 2015 Season
We are now well into the fall hawk watch season as sites across the country are staffed by citizen scientists engaged in counting raptors heading south for the winter. Various hawk, falcon, vulture, eagle, and kite species plus birds like the Osprey, Northern Harrier and even some owls can be tallied on conducive flight days at migratory hotspots often situated along ridges or at the edge of a body of water. Counting these birds helps keep track of raptor populations on an international scale, gauging the health of these important predator species that have often been threatened by human...
Read MoreLake effect snow coming to RTPI
This photo was taken nearly one year ago to the day – November 13, 2013. On that day in 2014 lake effect snow will also be covering the region in the first event of the fall season. Enjoy the winter preview and beautiful scenes!
Read MoreWind, climate change and raptor migration
Earth’s climate and weather play a direct and constant role in the lives of birds. At no point is this impact from mother nature more widely observable than during migration. Global winds shape the timing and track of bird movements across the continents and the sea. In this case I wanted to take a look at September 2014 and how it seems to have been a climatic “throwback” in the Northeast for our birds. If you talk to folks in many portions of New England the Mid-Atlantic about the weather in 2014 you often hear how it was very average in terms of temperature and...
Read MoreButter butt season
We are now in the prime time for the butter butts: Yellow-rumped Warblers (Setophaga coronata). When you cannot see their behind they certainly look rather plain in October, like this individual. Nevertheless they are still a joy to watch pouring through our lands in sizable flocks and that distinctive flash of yellow we inevitably see is a reminder of the cold air on its way.
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