Susan, Kathryn--

This went out to the bird lists around the state and to our hawkwatch contacts today.  Feel free to use on the web site and/or Facebook.  It will also be in the next KF.

Andy

**********************************************

January 5, 2019 ended the 39th consecutive season of monitoring migrating raptors at the Franklin Mt. Hawkwatch, near Oneonta in NY's northern Catskill Mountains.  No birds were tallied under overcast skies with gusty WNW winds.

Whereas the 2018 season was notable for a large concentrated movement of Golden Eagles in the second half of October, this year was the exact opposite.  Only one golden was counted in Oct., 2019, a great aberration from the norm.  This is even stranger considering the record-shattering 254 counted in Oct. 2018.  A typical October at Franklin Mt. would produce 50 or so Golden Eagles, so this represents two extremes in succeeding years.

Over half of last year's October tally came on one incredible date, Oct. 25, when counters and visitors spotted 128 GE's—a single day record for eastern North America.  Even setting aside this huge day, Oct., 2018 far surpassed any other October in site history.  The drop to one bird this year is inexplicable.  Will the species return to form next season?

Golden Eagles did recover in November though, with a good count of 157, including double-digit days of 39 on the 8th, 43 on the 12th, 23 on the 13th, and 14 on the 20th.  For the season, the GE total stood at 166, somewhat below the 19-year average of 183, since full time counting began at the site.

Red-tail Hawks totaled 922, only half of the average of 1727, continuing a downward trend for this stalwart of Franklin Mt. numbers.  All accipiters were notably down, as were Osprey and kestrels.  Record season highs were set for Turkey Vulture and Broad-winged Hawk.  No Black Vultures were spotted, throwing cold water on a hoped for regular appearance following last season's count of 15 and 2017's six.  Only two BVs had been recorded in the previous 28 years.

Total raptors were 5237, largely due to the excellent Broad-winged Hawk count in September.  This makes two seasons in a row above average for total birds.

All Franklin Mt. Hawkwatch data is available at www.hawkcount.org.

Thanks for their dedicated service goes to counters Peter Fauth, Becky Gretton, Steve Hall, Carol and Randy Lynch, Pam Peters and Tom Salo, and also to the spotters and visitors who helped out this year.

--
Andrew Mason
13 Boylston St.
Oneonta, NY  13820
(607) 652-2162
AndyMason@... 

Today ended the 39th consecutive season of monitoring migrating raptors at the Franklin Mt. Hawkwatch, near Oneonta in NY's northern Catskill Mountains.  No birds were tallied under overcast skies with gusty WNW winds.

Whereas the 2018 season was notable for a large concentrated movement of Golden Eagles in the second half of October, this year was the exact opposite.  Only one golden was counted in Oct., 2019, a great aberration from the norm.  This is even stranger considering the record-shattering 254 counted in Oct. 2018.  A typical October at Franklin Mt. would produce 50 or so Golden Eagles, so this represents two extremes in succeeding years.

Over half of last year's October tally came on one incredible date, Oct. 25, when counters and visitors spotted 128 GE's—a single day record for eastern North America.  Even setting aside this huge day, Oct., 2018 far surpassed any other October in site history.  The drop to one bird this year is inexplicable.  Will the species return to form next season?

Golden Eagles did recover in November though, with a good count of 157, including double-digit days of 39 on the 8th, 43 on the 12th, 23 on the 13th, and 14 on the 20th.  For the season, the GE total stood at 166, somewhat below the 19-year average of 183, since full time counting began at the site.

Red-tail Hawks totaled 922, only half of the average of 1727, continuing a downward trend for this stalwart of Franklin Mt. numbers.  All accipiters were notably down, as were Osprey and kestrels.  Record season highs were set for Turkey Vulture and Broad-winged Hawk.  No Black Vultures were spotted, throwing cold water on a hoped for regular appearance following last season's count of 15 and 2017's six.  Only two BVs had been recorded in the previous 28 years.

Total raptors were 5237, largely due to the excellent Broad-winged Hawk count in September.  This makes two seasons in a row above average for total birds.

All Franklin Mt. Hawkwatch data is available at www.hawkcount.org.

Thanks for their dedicated service goes to counters Peter Fauth, Becky Gretton, Steve Hall, Carol and Randy Lynch, Pam Peters and Tom Salo, and also to the spotters and visitors who helped out this year.

--
Andrew Mason
13 Boylston St.
Oneonta, NY  13820
(607) 652-2162
AndyMason@... 

Northumberland farmland, Saratoga, New York, US
Jan 1, 2020 11:35 AM - 2:15 PM
Protocol: Traveling
22.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Once again, I choose to do a travelogue of a larger area with highlights of specific spots of birds observed. John and I started our Northumberland tour in Bacon Hill and went up River Rd. Easily 150 American Crows in large fields beyond Welcome Farm. There were other spots where crows were plentiful. There was one Common Raven on Harris Road, which was our next stop. Except for two Common Mergansers, the ducks were all Common Goldeneyes, flying to different spots and riding the river rapids downs and going back up again. There was a Carolina wren in the bushes near the shore.
It was significant that we had no filed birds, despite hitting all the favored spots in Northumberland. So Callahan Rd, Williams Lane, King Rd, Wall Rd, Purinton Rd, Austin Rd, Goff Rd all were devoid of field birds, with the field bird kid, John H on the case no less!
We hit an active spot on Kobor Rd. There were at least 8 Eastern Bluebirds, 2 American Golfinches, numerous Juncos, and a few Chickadees and WB Nuthatches. We enjoyed watching the Bluebirds eating the sumac berries. This dead end part of Kobor also had over 100 American Crows.
We zigzagged on Peters Rd and up and down Purinton and Austin Rd. We are about to give up when we spotted a small raft of Mallards on the Hudson 1/2 mile North of Purinton Rd. Also in the area were many Common Goldeneyes and a few Common Mergansers. I was checking out what at a distance seems to be more Goldeneyes when I saw the deep chestnut head and pure white body of a male Canvasback. I got some iffy photos before going back to get John's attention. Unfortunately, they flew off before he could see it, and despite our best efforts, we couldn't relocate it. I did have a single American Pipit fly over my head and it was calling.
Cold and lack of field birds, brought and end to the day's adventure. Hopefully more snow and more manure will bring the field birds back.
20 species

Canada Goose 14
Mallard 34
Canvasback 1 Male. Unmistakeable, hanging out with Common Goldeneyes. I am making a guess that it might be the same drake that was on Saratoga Lake up until it froze on December 20, 2019. Can'y t prove it without banding or other means, but it is unusual to have just one and The Hudson is a logical place for it to go after Saratoga Lake freezes. I did go up and down River Rd 3 weeks ago and there were no diving ducks then. Now, there are lots of Common Goldeneyes, Common Mergansers, and this Canvasback. All were on Saratoga Lake until it froze. There are also lots of Goldeneyes in Stillwater as well.
Common Goldeneye 28
Common Merganser 4
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 56
Mourning Dove 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 4
American Crow 345
Common Raven 1
Black-capped Chickadee 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Carolina Wren 1
European Starling 112
Eastern Bluebird 16 We 8 on Kobor, 4 on the Williams Lane and 4 on River Rd
American Pipit 1 Call was distinctive as was size, coloring and shape.
American Goldfinch 2
Dark-eyed Junco 14

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S62892911

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Crescent Park, Saratoga, New York, US
Dec 31, 2019 12:42 PM - 12:56 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: I drove down the river from Klamsteam Tavern to the Crescent Bridge. The shallow water was frozen. A small group of Common Mergs were near the little marina about halfway down. The next birds I saw were a bunch of Great Black-backed Gulls floating down the river, some riding little ice chunks like royalty. Therein group of gulls were near the Crescent Park proper. The "highlight" was an Iceland Gull. There was a mix of Black-backed, Herring and Ring-billed hanging out on the edge of the ice, taking off once when I first got out of the car, but they settled down.
7 species (+1 other taxa)

Common Merganser 9
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 7
Mourning Dove 2
Ring-billed Gull 25
Herring Gull 19
Iceland Gull 1
Great Black-backed Gull 29
gull sp. 14 I have difficulty figuring out years and plumages of gulls.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S62826251

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)