Fort Smallwood Park (23 May 2025) 233 Raptors

[SUE RICCIARDI]

Fort Smallwood Park

Pasadena, Maryland, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: May 23, 2025
Species	Day's Count	Month Total	Season Total
Black Vulture	7	45	316
Turkey Vulture	99	658	9009
Osprey	3	14	370
Bald Eagle	2	35	124
Northern Harrier	3	7	109
Sharp-shinned Hawk	1	52	1067
Cooper's Hawk	0	11	322
American Goshawk	0	0	0
Red-shouldered Hawk	0	0	258
Broad-winged Hawk	114	182	476
Red-tailed Hawk	0	13	122
Rough-legged Hawk	0	0	0
Golden Eagle	0	0	0
American Kestrel	0	3	145
Merlin	0	2	52
Peregrine Falcon	0	0	2
Unknown Accipitrine	0	1	10
Unknown Buteo	1	11	24
Unknown Falcon	0	0	10
Unknown Eagle	0	0	0
Unknown Raptor	1	5	23
Mississippi Kite	2	7	7
Swallow-tailed Kite	0	1	1
Total:	233	1047	12447

Observation start time:	8:30 am
Observation end time:	4:30 pm Daylight Time
Total observation time:	8 hours
Official Counter	Chris Reed
Observers:	Cindy Godwin, Dan Walker, Fred Shaffer, Hal Wierenga, Ralph Geuder, Steve Steimel, Sue Ricciardi

Weather:
Variable cloudiness with periods of dark clouds followed by partly cloudy patches; 58-68 degrees; excellent visibility; winds brisk out of the west, 7-18 mph gusting to 30 mph.

Raptor Observations:
A very good day for late May. Our 6th and 7th Mississippi Kites. The first, unaged, appeared at 1:23 pm clock time and was in view for several seconds. The second came at 3:34, low and close for about two minutes, but the lighting prevented aging. Photos confirmed that it was an adult. Photo of adult at  eBird Checklist - 23 May 2025 - Fort Smallwood Park - 60 species (+2 other taxa)  Meanwhile, Broad-winged Hawks started up at noon and we counted 86 by the end of the hour. They kept coming until the count ended for the day. Three Northern Harriers were also a treat.

Non-raptor Observations:
Nine Warbler species including Bay-breasted Warbler, a dozen Spotted Sandpipers. A Common Loon has been present for several days. Swainson's Thrush.  

---

Report submitted by Sue Ricciardi (susi...@comcast.net)
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]

---

Site Description
Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the
mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are
from the southwest.