Jo Hays Vista – 2000th Raptor of the Season!

Until around 1:30pm today, Jo Hays Vista was pretty well fogged in, but then the clouds got higher and the rain stopped and birds poured through, particularly falcons and Osprey. Joe Verica, Ian Gardner, and I were there from 1:30 till 3:45 and had 29 raptors migrate past; 7 Osprey, 2 Bald Eagle, 4 Cooper’s Hawks, 6 Broad-winged Hawks, 3 American Kestrels, 6 Peregrine Falcons (that’s right, 6), and 1 unidentified Buteo. It was amazing to have so many Peregrines fly past, especially since the third one to pass was the 2000th bird of the season! The birds all came by close and low, but with how dark it was, all my photos didn’t come out so well…..

Peregrine Falcon - adult; all but one PEFA we had today was an adult and they all had ratty wing feathers.

Peregrine Falcon - adult; same bird as above.

Peregrine Falcon - adult; 2000th raptor of the season!...too bad my camera switched to the aperture- dependent setting by accident, so all I got was the silhouette.

Peregrine Falcon - adult; this bird came into view on the Centre County side and then shot over to the Huntingdon County side, which pleased Ian.

Bald Eagle - 4th year

Cooper's Hawk - adult female

Peregrine Falcon - juvenile headed right towards us!

Peregrine Falcon - juvenile; same bird as above

Peregrine Falcon - juvenile; same bird as above

Peregrine Falcon - juvenile; same bird as above - I think he sees us!

Cooper's Hawk - juvenile female