Howard County Bird Club

A Chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society (MOS)


Field Trip: Sunday, April 26, 2009

Trip Leader: Geuder, Ralph

Date of Trip: Sunday, April 26, 2009

Location: Fort Smallwood Park

Details: The raptor species and totals for the day are shown below. (All other sightings are shown as "Non-raptor Observations.")
The people on the Howard field trip did not necessarily see that many.
Weather: Sunny becoming partly cloudy late in the day; 64-91 degrees; good visibility; winds: calm to SW to W to NNW to WNW, 0-10 mph
Raptor Observations: Mostly clear skies made detecting migrants challenging

Number on trip: 8

  • Turkey Vulture: 145
  • Osprey: 8
  • Bald Eagle: 1
  • Northern Harrier: 2
  • Sharp-shinned Hawk: 119
  • Cooper's Hawk: 12
  • Broad-winged Hawk: 5
  • Red-tailed Hawk: 6
  • American Kestrel: 1
  • Merlin: 4
  • Unknown Accipiter: 1
  • Unknown Buteo: 2
  • Unknown Raptor: 2
  • Total Raptors for day: 308

Non-raptor Observations:
Over 2200 Blue Jays counted; 300 American Goldfinches; New Arrivals: Northern Waterthrush, Prairie Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Cattle Egret; the Common Raven of yesterday was seen on exactly the same day (April 25) as the first sighting of the species in 1998.