How many raptors in 1 day? (1 Viewer)

M

MOOSE

Member

• Jul 8, 2004

• #1

The UK is relatively impoverished in its diversity of raptors compared with mainland Europe and other parts of the world. Large soaring raptors don't like crossing areas of open sea and all that.

If like me however you need your raptor fix and you try hard and you get a bit of luck you can see a good number of species in 1 day in Britain.
Anyone who goes to the Wensum Valley Watchpoint in the Summer, as I did in May, can expect Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Honey Buzzard, Marsh Harrier and Hobby. Thats 6.
If I carried a pager which I don't and I had timed my run and been really lucky I could have added Black Kite, Rough Legged Buzzard and Red-footed Falcon. Or perhaps something else might drift through the watchpoint maybe an Osprey or a Montagu's Harrier.

In late March in North Wales I've had Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Goshawk, Hen Harrier, Merlin, Peregrine. Thats 7. I did'nt get Red Kite!

Can anyone beat that? I am sure you can. Perhaps in Scotland or a good day in the New Forest. Or at a raptor watchpoint I've never been to. I do like a good raptor watchpoint!
So 7 to beat.

 

Grousemore

Senior Member

• Jul 8, 2004

• #2

Hi Moose and welcome to Birdforum from the Moderators and Staff.

Raptor subjects are inevitably popular on here and I predict your 7 will be beaten before too long!

 

Brian Stone

A Stone chatting

• Jul 8, 2004

• #3

Hi there Moose

Hmmm...? I can certainly remember getting 7 locally (Peterborough area) - same as your 7 but exchanging Goshawk for Red Kite. Managed 5 from my house in one day more than once: Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Red Kite Common Buzzard plus either Osprey, Merlin or Peregrine. I would be amazed if any two of the last three occurred on the same day so 6 from home has to be unlikely.

 

Jasonbirder

Jason-occasional-twitcher

• Jul 8, 2004

• #4

Off the top of my head I can think of a couple of days when i`ve had 7 or 8 species - in Scotland i`ve had White-tailed Eagle, Golden Eagle, Red Kite, Hen Harrier, Common Buzzard, Merlin & Kestrel in one day and recently in Norfolk/Lincs i`ve had 7 - Honey Buzzard, Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Montagu`s Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Hobby...

More notable tho at Emley in 2002 when had all 4 Harriers in a day - Marsh, Hen, Monty`s and Pallid.....

 

Stonechat2

Tooty Fruity Member

• Jul 8, 2004

• #5

Hi Moose,
You say about getting 7 in one day. I have only six overall, hoping to change that in just over a months time in Newcastle though.
I've managed Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Red Kite in one day. A rather mesley amount, i hang my head in shame.

 

B

Beverlybaynes

Mod Squad

• Jul 8, 2004

• #6

Moose, if you're looking for a great hawk watch (although it's certainly not limited to hawks!), then hie yourself to the US anytime from early September through late November and go to Hawk Mountain, Pennsylvania -- the granddaddy of North American hawkwatches!

Raptors literally flow along the ridges of the Alleghany Mountains, and this particular ridge gets tons of them. What you'd see will depend on the timing, but they get everything from Bald and Golden Eagles to Goshawks to Red-tailed Hawks to American Kestrels -- with plenty more in between.

For sheer numbers, if not variety, I can boast of spending a day in Steuben County, Indiana, this past January, where there are still a good number of open grassland areas. This is Indiana's most northeastern county, bordered by both Michigan and Ohio. We clocked a total of 125 raptors that day, including Red-tailed and Rough-legged Hawks, Northern Harriers and American Kestrels. That evening, we were able to add Barred and Short-eared Owls. Seeing 6 Roughies, both light and dark morph, in one bino view was awesome, to say the least and the highlight of the day.

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• Jul 8, 2004

• #7

Seven in a day in Northumbs, unfortunately because of security, I can't mention what all are, sorry. Eight is possible.

Elsewhere, my best total both diversity and numbers in a day was on the Bosporus (Istanbul, Turkey):
Short-toed Eagle (32)
Sparrowhawk (35)
Levant Sparrowhawk (30)
Buzzard (900)
Lesser Spotted Eagle (650)
Booted Eagle (4)
Kestrel (2)
Hobby (4)

Michael

 

Reader

Well-known member

• Jul 8, 2004

• #8

Well I have to say that the best place I have been for varying species was in Gaucin which is where we were staying in Spain this year.

Black Vulture
Egyptian Vulture
Griffon Vulture
Short toed Eagle
Bonelli's Eagle
Booted Eagle
Osprey
Honey Buzzard
Common Buzzard
Black Kite
Sparrowhawk
Common Kestrel
Peregrine

That's 13 and I was convinced that one day we had Lesser Kestrel as well but it was to quick to firm up the ID.

 

Edward

Umimmak

• Jul 8, 2004

• #9

In Iceland you're never going to get much more than 3 in a day and I've actually only done that once I think, White-tailed Eagle, Gyr Falcon and Merlin.

As you say the UK is relatively impoverished but I've seen 15 in day in Spain: Black Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Black-winged Kite, Red Kite, Black Kite, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Common Buzzard, Montagu's Harrier, Peregrine, Kestrel and Lesser Kestrel in a day in and around the splendid Monfragüe National Park, Extremadura.

E

 

J

John Butler

Registered Member

• Jul 8, 2004

• #10

Hi Moose.

As Reader and Michael have opened up the topic to include birds outside of Britain I have decided to add my own personal best ONE DAY total for the Donana region. This list was recorded in one day in March 2004.

Ospreys.
Marsh Harriers.
Hen Harriers.
Red Kites.
Black Kites.
Black-shouldered Kites
Spanish Imperial Eagle (distant views of a single bird).
Short-toed Eagles.
Booted Eagles. (light and dark morphs).
Common Buzzards.
Common Kestrels.
Lesser Kestrels.
Sparrowhawk (single bird).
Peregines.
Griffon Vultures.
+ Little Owls, Barn Owl (single bird), Woodchat Shrikes and Southern Grey Shrikes.

Living in Spain you become used to seeing plenty of raptors, throughout the year, but having not been back to the UK for nearly 8 years the birds that I miss are things such as Yellowhammers, Redpolls, Bullfinches, Rooks and Crows.

Regards from Donana.

John.

 

Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening

Supporter

• Jul 8, 2004

• #11

I reckon in Britain my best is seven in a day. There are seven species resident in Islay (Sparrowhawk, Hen Harrier, Buzzard, Golden Eagle, Kestrel, Peregrine and Merlin) and I managed all of them on one occasion. I got six in Norfolk the other week.

My best abroad is eleven in a day at Halfeti in Turkey. I thought I would have managed more than that at some stage. For the record those eleven were Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Short-toed Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Montagu's Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Levant Sparrowawk, Steppe Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Bonelli's Eagle and Kestrel. Also had Bimaculated Lark, White-throated Robin, Finsch's Wheatear, Upcher's Warbler, Great Rock Nuthatch, Yellow-throated Sparrow, Desert Finch and Cinereous Bunting that day. It's a good place if you're ever in that part of the world.

 

S

StevieEvans

Well-known member

• Jul 8, 2004

• #12

Hi
Have had various combinations of 7 species in a day in North Eastern England

8 in a day in North Western England (Lakes & Leighton Moss)

8 in the Scottish Borders.

9 in a weekend in Dumfries & Galloway.

Only 6/day in County Durham, were 12-13 in a day could be possible.

Stevie.

 

B

Beverlybaynes

Mod Squad

• Jul 8, 2004

• #13

So, can anyone give us reports from Eliat, Israel, or Veracruz, Mexico?

 

samuel walker

It's OK to be a little blue........

• Jul 9, 2004

• #14

raptors in N America

Beverlybaynes said:

Moose, if you're looking for a great hawk watch (although it's certainly not limited to hawks!), then hie yourself to the US anytime from early September through late November and go to Hawk Mountain, Pennsylvania -- the granddaddy of North American hawkwatches!

Raptors literally flow along the ridges of the Alleghany Mountains, and this particular ridge gets tons of them. What you'd see will depend on the timing, but they get everything from Bald and Golden Eagles to Goshawks to Red-tailed Hawks to American Kestrels -- with plenty more in between.

For sheer numbers, if not variety, I can boast of spending a day in Steuben County, Indiana, this past January, where there are still a good number of open grassland areas. This is Indiana's most northeastern county, bordered by both Michigan and Ohio. We clocked a total of 125 raptors that day, including Red-tailed and Rough-legged Hawks, Northern Harriers and American Kestrels. That evening, we were able to add Barred and Short-eared Owls. Seeing 6 Roughies, both light and dark morph, in one bino view was awesome, to say the least and the highlight of the day.

Click to expand...

I have heard hawk Mt is indeed very good in the Fall I went to Cape May NJ on the Delaware Bay and couldn't give a number it must have been dozens per hour.On a more normal day for me,I saw five bald eagles and three harriers along the coast of Lake Erie a local best day for me.
Sam

 

G

gordon hamlett

Well-known member

• Jul 9, 2004

• #15

Findhorn Valley and surrounding area in Scotland

White-tailed Eagle
Golden Eagle
Red Kite
Osprey
Sparrowhawk
Goshawk
Peregrine
Merlin
Kestrel
Hen Harrier
Marsh Harrier
Buzzard

That's 12 regular species that could be seen though the best I have managed is ten in a day. I've also seen Rough-legged Buzzard and Honey Buzzard in that part of the Highlands too though I haven't connected with Hobby there yet

Gordon

 

M

MOOSE

Member

• Jul 9, 2004

• #16

Well it sounds like you've all had some great days birding, thanks for the replies.
It looks as though I need to go to Spain, Turkey or the USA for some serious raptor watching. Although if you only have 3 species in Iceland Edward, White-tailed Eagle, Gyr Falcon and Merlin are a pretty good trio to have.
Thats an impressive one day list you've got there John from the Donana region in Spain. You're right though a male Bullfinch really is a splendid bird and as I write this I can hear a Yellowhammer singing outside. I'd swap a couple of Crows for a Black-shouldered Kite though.
Cheers Moose.