Ripley Hawk Watch
Today I joined the Cattaraugus County Bird Club for our annual hawk field trip to the Ripley Hawk Watch in Ripley New York. We headed to this hawk watch because the birds will migrate north along thermos and then reach Lake Erie. Since the lake water is cold (causing cold airs and no thermos) the hawks will not cross the lake and follow the waters edge until they find a land bridge. These areas are perfect spots in seeing many raptors in one location. Although, it was a clear sky and hard finding these bird specks way up in the sky. It was fun anyways with many great birds.
Sharp-shinned Hawk moving along Lake Erie!
We saw so many hawks that I had a hard time putting a specific number on many of the species we saw (so I will give estimates)! Some of the raptors we saw included: Sharp-shinned Hawk (few dozen), Cooper’s Hawk (dozen), Goshawk (5), American Kestrel (4), Merlin (1), Red-tailed Hawk (few dozen), Broad-winged Hawk (100+), Northern Harrier (1), Bald Eagle (2), and Turkey Vulture (to many to tell for sure between locals and migrants). Other migrants we observed included a Common Loon, Great Blue Heron and Double-crested Cormorant. The Harrier and Broad-winged Hawk were first for 2007’s!! CHECK
One of the Goshawks that flew right over our heads!
We had many other birds while on this field trip and I think I will take the time to write them up for a second post. But, I have to give everyone a teaser that I ended up with a lifer! At the Ripley Hawk Watch they had a Western Meadowlark singing out in the field! CHECK!! I did a video and able to capture its song (which is what you use for identification of the bird from the Eastern Meadowlark).
HEY: Mike, get better soon, we missed having you along with us!! You are going to have to work hard to catch up with me in this year’s numbers!!
One of many Broad-winged Hawk Kettles we saw!
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 
I was just thinking about Ripley Hawk Watch today and how I’ve never been up there. I need to figure out exactly where it is in Ripley!
22 April 2007 at 9:06 pm
I just love those “CHECKS”! LOL! What a wonderful experience to see so many raptors in a day. Great job! Now I am really looking forward to your summer “checks”!
22 April 2007 at 9:21 pm
That’s a lot of hawks for one day! We see Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s in our yard quite often, but there are a lot of species that simply don’t make it here. I’ve never heard of the Ripley Hawk Watch, but now that I read this explanation it makes so much sense. Beautiful photographs of that Sharp-shinned and Goshawk.
I’m looking forward to your meadowlark video and song.
22 April 2007 at 9:26 pm
@ Jen – That would have been awesome to have seen you there! Its off 20 or is it 5?? One of them, if they are not there, follow the arrows to where the other locations are where they are searching for hawks.
@ Mary – I think those CHECKS have become a trademark of mine! You can expect many butterfly checks over the summer months!
@ Robin – exact reason for heading out to a hawk watch! Video is more sound than anything!
22 April 2007 at 11:28 pm
Hawkwatching – what a great way to hone your distance observation and identification skills! I was a hawk-watcher late last year and enjoyed every minute – although I think lots of people who saw us couldn’t work out what we were doing – looking north at clear blue sky and pointing at little specs!
Its amazing what you can see just staying in one spot all day. I’ve heard from a reliable source that the number of hawks seen is inversely proportional to the number of people watching when that number gets over 3 (i.e. more than 3 people and they talk too much and don’t see enough birds!).
23 April 2007 at 7:44 am
I spent one day hawk watching with a guy that belongs to hawk count. We didn’t see nearly as many hawks as you did but I learned quite a bit about identifying hawks in flight for just a day. I’ll be looking forward to doing that again so I can learn a little more.-nice hawk pics!
23 April 2007 at 6:35 pm
Nice to see that full crop on the sharp-shin! Somebody just had lunch!
Sounds like a great day – how could it be anything else with broadwings?
😉
23 April 2007 at 8:58 pm
Looks awesome.
23 April 2007 at 9:38 pm
@ Matt, it is amazing how much you can see sitting in one spot! Not only hawks but I enjoy doing the same with the song birds! But, hurts the eyes looking into the sun for hours and hours!
@ Larry – the best way to learn is having someone that does it all the time explain what to look for.
@ Laura- glad you caught the full crop in this bird! We noticed that on the wing and once I edited the picture I was like, WOW! That’s probably why it wasn’t way up in the sky like all the others were!
@ Barb – thanks was!
24 April 2007 at 8:46 am
That’s a lot of raptors – very cool to have seen that many. I’m jealous of your success, particularly the Goshawk which would a new one for me.
25 April 2007 at 7:54 pm