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We are about halfway through the season.
The OSs, CHs, and PGs are above average.
While NHs, SSs, MLs and AKs are below average.
The AKs and SSs are well below the 25 year
average. This is not new for the SSs but the
continuation of a trend of the last 12 years.
And the AK numbers have been very depressed
for 5 years. The PG numbers are at record
high levels! Including an all time high daily
total on the very early date of 9/29.
The NH numbers continue low and I expect that
the NH totals at the end will be low this year
after their record breaking flight last year.
NHs almost always seem to crash the year after
a good flight. But we may see a good flight
of adults late in the year.
| 10/7 was an
exceptional day with winds NW
6-8 mph & gusts to 14 mph.
107 Sharpies
on one day was unusual. The last time we
had SSs in triple digits was on 10/20/05.
Before that was 183 on 10/28/01. But at
these late dates, we were getting mainly
adults. On 10/7/08 they were mainly
immatures, and a very early date for such
a good flight of SSs. |
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Sharp-shinned Hawk at FIRE, 10/7/08 |
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On 10/7 we also had
309 AKs.
The last time we had more than 300 AKs
was back in 2002. And while 10/7 is
early for a big flight of SSs, it is
late for a big flight of AKs. The wind
conditions were just perfect for these
species to cross over the water and come
to the beach. |
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American Kestrel at FIRE, 10/7/08 |
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But what about the
PGs??? Only 5. This was preceded
by 8 days of double digit PGs, often on less
then desirable wind directions. Well I
suspect that there were lots of PGs flying
that day, but they were out over the water.
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