While doing the official raptor count for Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory at the main overlook today, Cory Ritter and I tallied a record 33 Peregrine Falcons. The previous high count for Minnesota was 21 seen at Hawk Ridge on 29 September 1997 by Frank Nicoletti and others. Coincidentally, Frank was up on the platform helping us spot birds when number 22 flew over. Southwest are often touted as the best wind for seeing Peregrines at the Ridge, and today was no exception, with SW winds at 12-18 mph with gusts to 25 mph. Interestingly, the 12 highest counts of Peregrines at the Ridge have all occurred during a narrow window from 20 September-2 October. The record Peregrine flight this season (120 total already counted) continues to be dominated by adults, suggesting poor production of young. For example, today’s flight of 33 was comprised of 28 adults and only 3 juveniles (and two which could not be aged). My thanks to Cory Ritter for all his help counting Peregrines today and the mass migration of birds we saw yesterday.
Karl Bardon Duluth, MN ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
