Turkey Vulture by Joel Trick

The Observatory welcomed its first team of volunteer observers at our Raptor Watch this fall. Although the number of good weather dates was limited (that is, days with west/northwest winds, the passage of a front, and cooler temperatures), we still accomplished the following:  

·         Multiple training sessions

·         A number of field visits

·         Arranging scheduled group outings

Our totals will increase in coming seasons as we build our volunteer effort and get better coverage on those days with optimum conditions.

Noteworthy observations included one adult Golden Eagle and a Swainson’s Hawk, which was found by the Observatory’s technician at our Waterbird Watch at Harrington Beach State Park. We tallied 179 individuals in all, with Sharp-shinned Hawk taking the prize for the largest numbers. To see the other species we saw, click HERE.