WINTERING HAWKS, EAGLES & OWLS Workshop Summary - January 13 & 14

We had a wonderful couple days searching the extensive marshes along the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bayshore for raptors of all kinds on this exciting School of Birding Workshop. These marshes play host to a large diversity and number of raptors and other birds, as evidenced by the checklist below. Bald Eagles and Northern Harriers were especially numerous, allowing for the study of various plumages relating to age and sex. We encountered numerous adult and juvenile Bald Eagles, with several two and three-year old birds seen, as well. Northern Harriers were overwhelmingly in the juvenile category, but several adult females were noted, along with a single “Gray Ghost” adult male. Interesting behaviors were enjoyed both days, including a Merlin unsuccessfully chasing a Yellow-rumped Warbler and harassing a Cooper’s Hawk, a Red-tailed Hawk mantling carrion to discourage Turkey Vultures, a Short-eared Owl dive-bombing a Rough-legged Hawk, and a Rough-legged Hawk forcing a Northern Harrier to drop its prey. The adult Peregrine Falcon that passed by in the glowing sunset at Jake’s Landing was carrying some sort of prey. Even the gulls were very predatory, as we watched a Great Black-backed Gull catch and dispatch a Bufflehead along the beach. It was a fun weekend with many highlights, including an adult Golden Eagle. Although focused on raptors, a full accounting of the 62 species encountered is below:

Snow Goose – 150+

Brant – 150+

Canada Goose – 100+

Mute Swan – 25

Tundra Swan – 1

American Black Duck – 150+

Mallard – 16

Northern Pintail – 5

Greater Scaup – 14

Common Eider – 4

Surf Scoter – 16

White-winged Scoter – 1

Black Scoter – 5

Long-tailed Duck – 28

Bufflehead – 16

Hooded Merganser – 15

Common Merganser – 9

Red-breasted Merganser – 3

Common Loon – 4

Great Cormorant – 1

Great Blue Heron – 5

Black Vulture – 14

Turkey Vulture – 43

Bald Eagle – 32

Northern Harrier – 33

Cooper’s Hawk – 1

Red-tailed Hawk – 11

Rough-legged Hawk – 2 (light morph juvenile, light morph adult male)

Golden Eagle – 1 (adult)

Merlin – 1

Peregrine Falcon – 1 (adult)

Black-bellied Plover – 5

Ruddy Turnstone – 3

Sanderling – 13

Purple Sandpiper – 5

Dunlin – 88

Ring-billed Gull – 2

Herring Gull – 1000+

Great Black-backed Gull – 9

Mourning Dove – 25+

Short-eared Owl – 3

Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1

Blue Jay – 2

American Crow – 2

Carolina Chickadee – 2

Tufted Titmouse – 2

Hermit Thrush – 1

American Robin – 100+

Northern Mockingbird – 1

European Starling – 50+

Yellow-rumped Warbler j- 14

Savannah Sparrow – 5 “Ipswich”

Song Sparrow – 4

White-throated Sparrow – 10+

Swamp Sparrow – 1

Dark-eyed Junco – 2

Northern Cardinal – 2

Red-winged Blackbird – 50+

Eastern Meadowlark – 13

Common Grackle – 25+

Boat-tailed Grackle – 1

House Sparrow - 3

Bald Eagle - adult                                      © Kelly Voorhees

Turkey Vultures - carrion                          © Kelly Voorhees

Merlin                                        © Kelly Voorhees

Golden Eagle - adult                                  © Kelly Voorhees

Mott's Creek                           © Kelly Voorhees

Common Loon                                         © Kelly Voorhees

"Ipswich" Savannah Sparrow                   © Kelly Voorhees