Bedford Audubon Society

The Chestnut Ridge Hawk Watch conducted its 19th annual official count of migrating raptors and vultures from August 27 to November 21, 2001.

9,790 migrant raptors and vultures were counted passing the Chestnut Ridge Hawk Watch in Fall 2001. Many species saw lower numbers than usual this year at Chestnut Ridge, including Osprey, Cooper’s Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, and American Kestrel. This is probably due to both the lack of a Hawk Watch intern this year, which reduced coverage of the skies at the watch, and unfavorable weather conditions in the area this year for hawk migration. However, Red-shouldered Hawk totals were unusually high this year, and Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Golden Eagle, and Merlin all had respectable showings.

August The month of August saw only four observation days. Hot, humid weather with winds from the south and southwest were the rule, with very few migrants recorded. The one exception to this weather pattern was August 29, the best day this month, which still only yielded 8 birds over the span of 6.6 hours, despite north and northwest winds prevailing for much of the day.
August totals Osprey - 3 Northern Harrier - 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk - 2 Broad-winged Hawk - 4 American Kestrel - 1 Unidentified Buteo - 2 Unidentified Raptor/Vulture - 1 Total birds: 14	Peak days for each species in August Numbers were so low in this month that peak days for each species have not been noted.
September The month of September had a total of 24 observation days. This month saw the peak movements of Ospreys, Bald Eagles, Broad-winged Hawks, and American Kestrels.
September totals Black Vulture - 3 Turkey Vulture - 6 Osprey - 201 Bald Eagle - 20 Northern Harrier - 29 Sharp-shinned Hawk - 765 Cooper’s Hawk - 44 Northern Goshawk - 1 Red-shouldered Hawk - 6 Broad-winged Hawk - 5,412 Red-tailed Hawk - 12 American Kestrel - 308 Merlin - 21 Peregrine Falcon - 2 Unidentified Accipiter - 26 Unidentified Buteo - 3 Unidentified Falcon - 10 Unidentified Raptor/Vulture - 24 Total birds: 6,893	Peak days for each species in September * indicates peak day for the entire season Black Vulture - 2 on 9/30* Turkey Vulture - 6 on 9/29 Osprey - 21 on 9/19* Bald Eagle- 5 on 9/6* Northern Harrier- 5 on 9/15 Sharp-shinned Hawk - 104 on 9/12 Cooper’s Hawk - 8 on 9/28 Northern Goshawk - 1 on 9/3 Red-shouldered Hawk - 2 on 9/17 and on 9/29 Broad-winged Hawk - 2,336 on 9/15* Red-tailed Hawk - 3 on 9/29 American Kestrel - 37 on 9/12* and on 9/26* Merlin - 4 on 9/26 Peregrine Falcon - 2 on 9/28
October There were 25 observation days in October. The peak migrations of Turkey Vultures, Northern Harriers, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper’s Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, Merlins, and Peregrines occurred in October.
October totals Black Vulture -1 Turkey Vulture - 532 Osprey - 37 Bald Eagle - 4 Northern Harrier - 53 Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1,093 Cooper’s Hawk - 215 Northern Goshawk - 5 Red-shouldered Hawk - 76 Broad-winged Hawk - 2 Red-tailed Hawk - 198 Golden Eagle - 6 American Kestrel - 60 Merlin - 25 Peregrine Falcon - 4 Unidentified Accipiter - 93 Unidentified Buteo - 16 Unidentified Falcon - 6 Unidentified Raptor/Vulture - 21 Total birds: 2,447	Peak days for each species in October * indicates peak day for the entire season Black Vulture - 1 on 10/16 Turkey Vulture - 94 on 10/29* Osprey - 7 on 10/24 Bald Eagle - 2 on 10/27 Northern Harrier - 19 on 10/17* Sharp-shinned Hawk - 106 on 10/9* Cooper’s Hawk - 32 on 10/16* Northern Goshawk - 2 on 10/28* Red-shouldered Hawk - 24 on 10/29* Broad-winged Hawk - 2 on 10/4 Red-tailed Hawk - 124 on 10/28* Golden Eagle - 2 on 10/15* American Kestrel - 11 on 10/15 Merlin - 6 on 10/24* Peregrine Falcon - 3 on 10/13*
November There were 17 observation days in November. Surprisingly, none of the species counted this year had its peak movement in November. Red-tailed Hawk numbers would ordinarily be expected to be greatest in early November, but favorable winds in the last few days in October produced our strongest Red tail flights, and weather conditions in early November largely included south and southwest winds, bad conditions for hawk migration.
November totals Black Vulture - 2 Turkey Vulture - 221 Bald Eagle - 3 Northern Harrier - 9 Sharp-shinned Hawk - 38 Cooper’s Hawk - 12 Northern Goshawk - 2 Red-shouldered Hawk - 29 Red-tailed Hawk - 93 Golden Eagle - 2 American Kestrel - 1 Unidentified Accipiter - 5 Unidentified Buteo - 13 Unidentified Falcon - 1 Unidentified Raptor/Vulture - 5 Total birds: 436	Peak days for each species in November Black Vulture - 1 on 11/4 and on 11/5 Turkey Vulture - 43 on 11/4 Bald Eagle - 1 on 11/10, 11/11 and 11/21 Northern Harrier- 6 on 11/7 Sharp-shinned Hawk - 10 on 11/6 Cooper’s Hawk - 4 on 11/4 Northern Goshawk - 1 on 11/1 and on 11/77 Red-shouldered Hawk - 7 on 11/18 Red-tailed Hawk - 20 on 11/6 Golden Eagle - 1 on 11/9 and on 11/17 American Kestrel - 1 on 11/4

A Northern Westchester & Eastern Putnam Counties, New York Chapter of the National Audubon Society

Celebrating 95 Years of Conservation 1913-2008

Chestnut Ridge Hawk Watch - 2001