Record Day at Hawk Watch!

Last Saturday at DE's Cape Henlopen State Park's ( aka CHSP) Hawk Watch was a record breaking day! 

When I arrived at 12:30 PM, after quite the hectic Coastal Cleanup ( future blog ), the count was already over 400 raptors!  By the end of the day on my watch the count was 1140!

What a show it was.  Our professional Forrest Rowland was in high form and loving the stage and Raptor Performance.  The birds were coming in high,  right over our heads, and from several directions.

We broke a record number day!  The last record was 1099.

We broke the number for Sharpies.

The most fun?!  We sighted a Swainson's Hawk, Juvenile, Dark Morph.

As the Swainson's Hawk came in...... us female spotters were sqealing " Looks like a TV but it is not a TV".  Hey, Forrest maybe you would like to take a look????" 

Forrest who was already spotting birds left and right..... swung around for a look.... then had to swing the scope around for the 100% ID. 

 When he announced the  Swainson's Hawk, Juvenile, Dark Morph: WE WERE JUBILIANT!!!!!     DANCING ON THE PLATFORM AND WHOOPS AND HOLLARING!!!!

ASAP: Forrest just had to cell and text his buddies the find!

Forrest claims the CHSP Hawk Watch to be: The Most Difficult on the Face of The Planet!  Yet, I'd say he is loving every second, every bird, every new record!!! 

Best of all was the volunteer and visitor companionship: we reveled in each other's good fortune and joy!

C'est Moi: in the Funky Hat!

Post Migration Red Knot Blues!

Red Knots!  Ruddy Turnstones too!  I miss you!  I had no idea I would miss you so much..... all 10, 000's of you....every one!!!

xoxoxoxo,

Your Osprey Beach Novice Re-sighter!

Conquest Beach Outing

I must have my daily beach walk!  Beach-combing calls me!

Since last Summer, I am now a "Birder"!  Newbie- Birder!  Birds call me!

Conquest Beach was the destination....... just a few miles past Dewey Beach.  Despite the bleary rainy weather...... a nice time!

It was half-way between low and high tide....... I found 3-4 groups of 15-20 each of Sanderlings in their pre-breeding plumage, obsessively feeding.

A Laughing Gull dove and came up with a beautiful blue crab.  Sushi time!

Two sets of Willets did their serene-watch-the-ocean-thing.

One Osprey flew about the dunes picking up and letting go nest material.

A lovely conch was my beach combing cache of the day.

If I had not counted the dune-fence openings....... I would not have found my way back to my vehicle.  There were no "markers" to show me how far I walked and the same on the return!