[CT Birds] spring hawk watches

[Carrier Graphics]

As Clay Taylor points out - CT is not just a great fall hawk watch State. It also has some good SPRING sites as well!

    Years ago, the Hartford Audubon had yearly spring Hawk watches up on Talcott Mt, mainly at Penwood park, 1/2 mile in, north to the overlook facing west. Manning this site in mid April would produce migrating Broadwings usually in the hundreds. They use the north south MT range as lift from westerly winds, and when conditions are such, a great day should be had. I remember several good April days there of 1,000 plus birds for the day! Many other hawks are also seen, and in April, many species of birds are seen as well, including early swallows, Warblers, Thrushes and many more.
 
Found a good days report: 4-18-81:464 BW - with kettles of 20-40-56! 59SS - 3 Coop - 14 RT - 1 Gos - 23 Osp - 2 BE - (rare then)- 24K -  4 Mer - 1 Per. all in 8 hrs, 56 birds per Hr.
A great spot that unfortunately hasen't been manned for years during spring Hawk migration. 

    Another Great spring Hawkwatch site is Bald Peak and Lion's Head in Salisbury, the NW corner of the State. The lower Berkshires start here, and spring bound hawks use this MT range to go north.  Mid March is the best time for counting returning Red tails, Red Shoulders, Goshawks and Eagles. A west or south west wind is an ideal day to man these two sites.

Found a good day at Bald Peak: 3-23-80: 47 RT - kettle of 8 - 15 RS - kettle of 6,- 3 Gos - 17 SS -  1 Coop -  1 BW -  1 BE - 1 NH -  3 Osp - 3 Kest -  26 unident Buteo.  

Hawks are there, just need the people to see them...

Paul Carrier