It’s a little bit late for a post on the fall Hawk migration since the new year is already approaching, but since I finally have a break from school and I’m now confident all the raptors have moved through, it’s a nice time for a synopsis.
It started in late August, with an overly ambitious Hawk Watcher who just couldn’t wait to kick off another season. That Hawk Watcher was me, and after a few nighthawks, a couple of Osprey, and 1,000,000,000 mosquito bites, I decided to wait it out until September.
Unfortunately, It turned out the entire early season was a wash. School had started up, the Cross Country Season was in full force, and college applications waited. I caught a few (63 in total) Broad-winged Hawks here and there, but none like the big “kettles” of previous years. Indeed, quite the disappointment, but other tasks took precedence.
Fast forward to mid October and some serious action begun to take place. Accipiters and Falcons filled the skies, and some late Osprey came through as well.
Adult Sharpie, October 19, 2014
Juvenile Sharpie, October 19, 2014
Merlin, October 19, 2014
Bald Eagle, October 19, 2014
Bald Eagle, October 29, 2014
Red-shouldered Hawk, October 30, 2014
Even a flock of arctic Snow Geese flew over, which was really special. But the finale was waiting. October was over and hundreds of hawks had flown by. It was time for something incredible, and I had one specific bird on my mind: The Golden Eagle.
When you’re looking for one specific thing, and it so happens to be extremely rare in your area, too, life can become temporarily frustrating. I sat outside one day in BITTER cold temperatures and 30+ mph winds in an attempt to find a Golden. No dice. I got a beautiful, low adult Red-shouldered Hawk, though.
That was November 2nd, 2014. The most promising day with strong NW winds and decent cloud cover, but apparently not my day. Cross Country was now over, so after school on Monday the 3rd held some promise. Lighter winds and clear skies, I wasn’t exactly too hopeful. When I got outside to my yard, I immediately caught a young Bald Eagle heading south, then nothing. And I mean nothing. Like not even an airplane nothing. About an hour passes and I’m ready to give up when a young Red-tailed Hawk cruises by. Probably not a migrant but at least it was something, so I stayed. Another ten minutes pass and there’s a dark shape off to the NE. A BIG dark shape, so I figure it has to be a Turkey Vulture. But in Golden season, all TVs are carefully examined. And for good reason.
White wing patches!!! It’s a Golden!!!!!!!!!!! But it wasn’t finished there. It wrapped around back south (it was heading west at first) and stooped over a few properties to my north. What a bird!!
What an AMAZING bird! A Golden Eagle, probably the most formidable of all North American raptors, and an emblem of the wild, untamed west soaring over my yard not 20 miles from Manhattan!
Golden Eagles have a small eastern population that breed in northern Quebec and winter in the most remote regions of the Appalachians. They’re a rarity over here, as the entire population east of the Mississippi may number around 2,000 birds. And most are observed still a few hundred miles to the west of here in PA.
That was the last migrating raptor I counted in 2014. What a season, and what a way to end it!!
Westchester Birder 
Very nice write-up, great photos as well. Keep up the good work.