Observation start time: 06:30:00 Observation end time: 11:00:00 Total observation time: 4.5 hours
Official Counter: Bob Secatore
Observers: Brian Rusnica, Harry Wales, Herrrick Wales
Visitors: Several individuals curious about the watch.
Weather: Weak to moderate SW winds turning to directly W during the last two0 hours and finally to onshore (directly E) at the very end of the watch period. Two short periods of rain during the last hour. Cloud cover became more extensive and darker as watch continued. Watch was ended at the start of the easterly wind.
Raptor Observations: Almost all of our migrants today were either already at fairly high altitude or started lower in the air coluimn but rose continually while moving north. Only one, a female SS, passed through at lower height.
Raptors that failed to migrate: Several OS, some of them local nesters. One BE also observed at high altitude.
Non-raptor Observations: Other birds: A fairly tight flock of 25 American Crows came in from the northwest and flew around to the south of us all the while remaining close together, somewhat of an unusual occurrence in this area. 3 Fish Crows, 2 Towhees, Goldfinches, 8 Double-crested Cormorants, intermittent flow of Tree Swallows, one Yellow-rumped Warbler, a couple of squabbling Mockingbirds, 6 Purple Martins and one male House Finch with bright "orangeish" head, throat and wing tips.
Predictions: Moderate N, NE, NNE, ENE, E and ESE winds blowing more or less in that order from start to finish of our usual Watch period hours. So, a not very promising forecast. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Robert Secatore (<rs8843829...>) Plum Island MA information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
