Flight picking up

This is one of at least three Cooper's Hawks that were working the northern half of the Hook today. I doubt that they migrated out of the area today, and expect to see at least one of them again tomorrow.

Raptors that were moving in today's stiff NW-winds, included 6 Osprey, 2 Bald Eagles, and... 3 Peregrine Falcons! Especially those Peregrines were a surprise to me, it seems so early for them. I see Peregrines practically daily on the Hook, often perched in the dunes or working the beach. All three Peregrines today flew north in a straight line, and seemed potential migrants to me. One was way out over the ocean, flying parallel to the Jersey coastline. Another was closer along the beach; this was a (blond) tundrius juvenile - that one quite possibly a winter resident, since this subspecies does winter here and generally stays well into April or May. I put this bird on the count because it went north and because I hadn't seen this individual before.

The resident Osprey still have not returned. Gannet numbers out on the ocean are now rapidly building. I counted only north-flying birds today and got to 130 - practically all in the afternoon.

For me personally most interesting sighting yesterday happened while walking the beach in the mist, not too far off shore, a Pilot Whale. I now regularly see Harbor Seals around Sandy Hook, but this was a first...

Partly cloudy weather with light SW winds are in the forecast for Thursday... Seemingly ideal conditions for migration over Sandy Hook.

Started on Sandy Hook

This week I started the migration watch on Sandy Hook, NJ. I did this count two years ago, when I exposed myself to what seems in retrospect to have been two months of rain and cold with biting east winds coming right off the Atlantic, and long stretches with no birds. Already I feel like this year is going to be different, because today, on what's only the third day of the count, I was able to be on the platform in T-shirt. And there were even some birds to be seen, like this rather pale Red-tailed Hawk.

Best bird today was this immature Bald Eagle. These days a fairly common sight at many hawk watches, but for the Hook still a pretty good bird. Seasonal totals here run between 10 and 20 for this species.

Accipiters (like this Cooper's Hawk) are more numerous at this site.

This is the time for Red-shouldered Hawks to migrate through. Sandy Hook being a peninsular site, many buteos of course don't make the crossing. Today I did see a few going high enough for a serious attempt.

Interesting non-hawks this week included an Iceland Gull on the North Beach and an immature male Common Eider on the bay side, across from the bird observatory's office. Northern Gannets are curiously absent.