421 Broad-winged Hawks over Darnestown Mont Co. Big Kettle

[Don Simonson]

My wife Marcia and I saw a kettle of 320 Broad-winged Hawks pass directly over our house in Darnestown, Mont. Co. today 9/25 at 11:15 AM. (counted while streaming out). immediately followed by a kettle of at least 70. More in small groups for a total of 421 so far this morning. coming from east northeast heading southwest.
Good birding!
Don Simonson Darnestown MD

[Don Simonson]

Several more big kettles; new yard record - over 1300 Broadwings today! plus 4 bald eagles

[Don Simonson]

Day total of 2,434 Broadwings!
All between 11:15 a.m. and 3:35 pm. By noon I realized we were past our prior record year (last year) and heading for 2K!
all from our 2 acres yard in Darnestown. plus 4 Bald Eagles, 2 Osprey, 1 Merlin, 1 Red-tail, 300 Chimney Swifts. Four Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. 40 Monarch Butterflies
Most astounding: Kettles of 703 at noon,630 at 12:35 and 370 at 1:15 pm.
I counted birds streaming into kettles and counted them streaming out, at first singly, then by fives, then tens and twenties. At one point astoundingly, several birds in the giant kettle flashed as if they were brilliant pure white, my wife and I saw this phenom simultaneously.
Good birding!
Don Simonson, Darnestown MD.

[Donald Sweig]

Don,
Congrats on all those Broad-wingeds in your yard, you lucky guy!
I was looking at the hawk migration reports for yesterday and the day before, and one could almost see where your birds came from. You said you had 2,434 between 11:15 and about 3:30.
They reported 2,648 at Cromwell Valley Park in Baltimore between 9:15 and 11:15. I bet you saw the same birds they did.
The day before Militia Hill, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, counted 2,694, and Rose Tree Park counted 399, and Ashland Nature Center in Delaware counted another 717.
Bob Augustine and I have talked about and traced his pattern before. When the birds are out on the coastal plain they come down to about Philadelphia and Delaware and then they turn Southwest, go across Baltimore, and come across here. Yesterday they came across your yard. I really think this is what happened.
I sure do wish HMANA had some kind of real-time reporting so it would be easier to track and see those kind of migration movements.
Congrats again on all those birds.
Donald Sweig


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[Don Simonson]

Don, 

This is terrific analysis, I believe you are spot on!!! Your hourly analysis is wonderful. I have tried over the years to make sense of it by looking at CVP numbers. But didn't get the hourly connection.  Sept 21 2016 we had over 1,500 in yard . Congrats to you and on Augustine .  Now, where do you suppose they cross the Potomac near my house? 

Do you remember about 25 years ago or more meeting on Washington monument knob hawk wAtch? 😄

Don