Date: 4/15/25 2:55 pm From: Brian Rusnica <velocicrafter...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] T 4/15/25 Backyard Raptor Migration (Townsend, MA)
I had a very nice push of 200+ Broad-winged Hawks and 11 Osprey just before the front rolled through at 4:30pm here in Townsend, MA.
Starting around 3pm, the skies up over my yard clouded up just enough that I began picking out tiny streaming specks, shooting to the NE, starting with Osprey and eventually getting my first Broad-wing of the year. Over the next 90 minutes, the flight slowly built as the front approached, with skies darkening and the wind picking up, pushing the birds due East with a vengeance. Singles became doubles, and the flight crescendoed with a stream of 68 Broad-wings together!
The flight abruptly ended as the front arrived at 4:30 with some big rain drops. All together, I had 227 Broad-wings, 11 Osprey, 2 American Kestrels, 1 Sharpie, 1 Coop, and 1 Gray Ghost (ad M Northern Harrier). Appearances from the locals included 3 Red-shouldered Hawks, 2 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 Bald Eagle and 2 Turkey Vulture.
In the yard today, I made it up to 41 species with several FOYs including Barn Swallow, Palm + Pine Warbler, and Double-crested Cormorant migrant flyovers.
