Observation start time: 10:30:00 Observation end time: 15:30:00 Total observation time: 5 hours
Official Counter: Rob Woodward
Observers:
Visitors: None until 3 ladies came by at 3:10. They were interested in my work and asked migration processes questions. What is the peak of the season? We don't know. I can tell you to the day for fall migration but not spring. Last year it was May 3 but that's just one year. Are they morning or afternoon creatures? Here the best times are the 10:00 and 11:00 o'clock hours but it should be in the afternoon when thermals are stronger. Does Pack Monadnock run a spring count? No, this is the only one in the state, not much interest since there are far fewer birds in the spring. Why? Gulp! I'll have to get back to you on that one.
Weather: Today the hope was that once the skies cleared the dam would break and a torrent of hawks would stream through. But no dam broke. What are the most favorable weather conditions? Today's start was delayed until 10:30 to give the skies time to clear, which they did to the extent of 50% by 11:00 and 90% by 12:00 followed by increasing cumlus in the afternoon. Winds were calm to start followed by light then moderate S then SW winds. The afternoon should have been best but it wasn't. Warm, 45 - 70 F.
Raptor Observations: The Alton Bay Hawk Watch is the only spring hawk watch in the state and one of only 6 in all of New England. Spring raptor migration is understudied, leaving room for discoveries. The first bird, a Broad-winged Hawk, flew at 10:36 when the the sky was still overcast and the ceiling was below 2000 feet. The best hour was at 11:00. In the afternoon I wondered if birds flew over the low cumulus and went undetected. When I looked up with binoculars a BWHA flew by invisible to the naked eye. I lay down on my back and checked but after 15 minutes didn't see anything else but then my field of view is greatly diminished.
Non-raptor Observations: First of year Blue-headed Vireo and Field Sparrow. Still no butterflies.
Predictions: Let's let the NW winds blow out tomorrow and go on Thursday with light W winds, should be a good count. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Rob Woodward (<toucanrob...>)
