Backyard Hawkwatch and (possible Swainson's Hawk)
Geoff Graff (ggraff@erols.com)
Wed, 16 Sep 1998 21:47:24 -0400
Backyard Hawkwatch - northeast Baltimore City - Fall 1998
-White Ave. between Belair Rd. and Walther Ave.
Another bad morning for hawks (too hot), but after 4:15pm, kettle
of Broadwings show up along with other hawks.
***A possible imm. light phrase Swainson's Hawk seen with kettle of
318 Broad-winged Hawks at 4:18pm moving southwest-west. This imm.
Swainson's has almost same size as Red-tailed Hawk and almost same
shape, bandtail looks similar to Broadwings, brown streaked across upper
chest with brown spots across almost entire chest and has tan on chest
and underneath both wings. After I describe this bird, I went in the
house and look through field guide and the description fit the bird. If
I am right, it would be my lifelist and a first backyard hawkwatch
record. Any guess if this is right description, any help would be great.
Thanks...
Total for 9/16
Broad-winged Hawk - 788
N. Harrier - 6
Am. Kestrel - 3
Black Vulture - 1
Osprey - 1
Merlin - 1
Unidentified Raptor/Swainson's Hawk - 1 looks like imm. light phrase
Total for 1998 (Aug. 23-Sept. 16) 1997
Turkey Vulture - 11 362
Black Vulture - 1 13
Golden Eagle - 0 3
Bald Eagle - 8 9
N. Harrier - 9 25
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 10 106
Cooper's Hawk - 11 82
N. Goshawk - 0 2
Red-shouldered Hawk - 2 51
Broad-winged Hawk - 4779 new record* 4324
Red-tailed Hawk - 4 339
Rough-legged Hawk - 0 13
Osprey - 29 20
Am. Kestrel - 16 23
Merlin - 5 7
Peregrine Falcon - 1 2
Unidentified Raptors - 1 (1 - possible Swainson's Hawk) 7
Total: 4888 5338
Kevin Graff
Baltimore, MD
ggraff@erols.com