Braddock Bay Raptor Research

Braddock Bay Raptor Research BBRR conducts research and educates the public about birds of prey, wildlife and conservation issues.
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5/31/26Day 92!What a lovely day to round out the season!Partly cloudy in the morning, becoming mostly sunny for the rest...
06/01/2026

5/31/26

Day 92!

What a lovely day to round out the season!

Partly cloudy in the morning, becoming mostly sunny for the rest of the day. Temps started around 60F and reached a high of 75F. Winds were from the west all day.

There was a slow but steady trickle of birds today. The flight consisted mainly of Turkey Vultures (77), Broad-winged Hawks (26), and Bald Eagles (8). There were also 5 Red-tailed Hawks, 3 Osprey, and 2 Northern Harriers mixed in. The most exciting bird today was a Turkey Vulture because it was the 86,000th bird we’ve seen this season! Today's tally of 121 birds makes the season total of raptors 86,033. This makes 2026 the fourth highest season in the history of the count!

It was an absolutely fantastic season and I would like to thank everyone who followed along! Your support and enthusiasm were very much appreciated. Stay tuned for a full season report in the coming weeks!

Non raptors: The two Lesser Scaup continue on the bay. Not much else unusual was around.

Hawkcount: https://hawkcount.org/day_summary.php?rsite=353&ryear=2026&rmonth=05&rday=31

Photo: The 86,000th bird of the season! (Turkey Vulture)

5/30/26Day 91!Another sunny day with temps reaching a high of 62F and north winds at 10-15mph. A few local raptors were ...
05/31/2026

5/30/26

Day 91!

Another sunny day with temps reaching a high of 62F and north winds at 10-15mph. A few local raptors were around, including a pair of Osprey and a Red-tailed Hawk. The only raptor that appeared to be migrating was one single Turkey Vulture that flew high over the park.

Non raptors: The two male Lesser Scaup continue on the bay.

Hawkcount: https://hawkcount.org/day_summary.php?rsite=353&ryear=2026&rmonth=05&rday=30

Photo: Red-tailed Hawk (from 5/17)

5/29/26Day 90!There were clear skies in the morning, partially clouding over in the afternoon. Temps ranged from 64F to ...
05/30/2026

5/29/26

Day 90!

There were clear skies in the morning, partially clouding over in the afternoon. Temps ranged from 64F to 73F. Winds were out of the west at 10-20mph. Today’s flight was light with small waves of birds coming through intermittently. The day tally was 195 with Turkey Vultures and Broad-winged Hawks being equally numerous. There were also 11 Bald Eagles, 5 Red-tailed Hawks, and 2 Northern Harriers.

Non raptors: The gull numbers have dropped dramatically with only ~50 present today. 3 Sandhill Cranes were seen circling high up before disappearing into the blue.

Hawkcount: https://hawkcount.org/day_summary.php?rsite=353&ryear=2026&rmonth=05&rday=29

Photo: American Kestrel (from several day ago)

5/28/26Day 87!It was a beautiful day at the park with clear skies and temps in the 60s. Winds were NW at 10-20mph. As th...
05/29/2026

5/28/26

Day 87!

It was a beautiful day at the park with clear skies and temps in the 60s. Winds were NW at 10-20mph. As the end of the season approaches rapidly, the number of raptors on the move is dwindling. A total of 29 birds passed over the park today. Turkey Vultures were the majority with 20 individuals. 3 immature Bald Eagles flew over together around midday. There were also 3 Broad-winged Hawks, 2 Osprey, and 1 Red-tailed Hawk.

Non raptors: The large number of gulls continue on the bay with one Bonaparte’s Gull mixed in.

Hawkcount: https://hawkcount.org/day_summary.php?rsite=353&ryear=2026&rmonth=05&rday=28

Photo: View from the platform

5/27/26Day 86!NW winds all day at 10-15mph with temps right around 70F. A few clouds in the morning cleared to blue skie...
05/27/2026

5/27/26

Day 86!

NW winds all day at 10-15mph with temps right around 70F. A few clouds in the morning cleared to blue skies for the rest of the day. A total of 132 raptors flew over the park today. Birds were very high again, and with the clear blue sky, it made spotting birds very difficult. Broad-winged Hawks were the majority of the flight with a total of 88. Turkey Vultures (29), Red-tailed Hawks (3), and Ospreys (2) were the other birds mixed in. Bald Eagles were less numerous today with only 9 migrating over. There was also 1 Northern Harrier that passed over pretending to be a Broad-winged.

Non raptors: Hundreds of gulls continue in the bay today. A Blackpoll Warbler was feeding in the trees by the parking lot.

Hawkcount: https://hawkcount.org/day_summary.php?rsite=353&ryear=2026&rmonth=05&rday=27

Photo: Local Cooper’s Hawk

5/26/26Day 85!Mostly sunny skies in the morning becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. Temps ranged from 69F to 84F. W...
05/27/2026

5/26/26

Day 85!

Mostly sunny skies in the morning becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. Temps ranged from 69F to 84F. Winds were light SW to start, shifting to west as the day progressed. Just before 3pm the lake breeze kicked in, shutting down the flight.

There was a small but decent flight today with a total of 342 raptors! The majority of the birds were very high. Turkey Vultures (158), Broad-winged Hawks (106), and Bald Eagles (57) were the most numerous species. There were also 17 Red-tailed Hawks, 3 Osprey, and 1 Northern Harrier mixed in.

Non raptors: The highlight of the day was actually not a raptor, but an adorable Brant that spent all day on the lawn with two Canada Geese! There were hundreds of gulls around the bay today including an Iceland Gull.

Hawkcount: https://hawkcount.org/day_summary.php?rsite=353&ryear=2026&rmonth=05&rday=26

Photo: Brant

5/25/26Day 84!The morning started out with overcast skies, temps around 60F, and NW winds at 10-15mph. By the afternoon ...
05/25/2026

5/25/26

Day 84!

The morning started out with overcast skies, temps around 60F, and NW winds at 10-15mph. By the afternoon the skies were nearly cloudless with NNW winds. Temps reached a high of 69F.

There was a light flight today, with more birds than the last few days! We saw a total of 143 raptors. Turkey Vultures (62), Broad-winged Hawks (50), and Bald Eagles (22) were the most numerous. There were also 5 Red-tailed Hawks, 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks, and 1 Osprey.

Non raptors: A Pileated Woodpecker flew through the park going right over the pavilion. There were some Pine Siskin and Cedar Waxwing flocks flying over throughout the day. A Great Egret flew low over the hedgerow providing wonderful views!

Hawkcount: https://hawkcount.org/day_summary.php?rsite=353&ryear=2026&rmonth=05&rday=25

Photo: Bald Eagle

5/24/26Day 83!Overcast skies with south winds at 10-15mph and temps ranging from mid 50s to mid 60s. The morning was ver...
05/25/2026

5/24/26

Day 83!

Overcast skies with south winds at 10-15mph and temps ranging from mid 50s to mid 60s. The morning was very slow with only a few Turkey Vultures passing by. In the afternoon there was a period with some more activity including some Broad-winged Hawks and Bald Eagles. In total, there were 68 birds that passed by. The raptor highlight of the day was a very nice adult Peregrine Falcon that flew over.

Non raptors: A good number of swallows continue to feed over the bay. Two male Lesser Scaup also continue in the bay. The highlight of the day was a Gray-cheeked Thrush that was hopping around next to the hedgerow!

Hawkcount: https://hawkcount.org/day_summary.php?rsite=353&ryear=2026&rmonth=05&rday=24

Photo: Osprey

5/23/26Day 82!No count was conducted today due to consistent rain.Photo: Broad-winged Hawk
05/23/2026

5/23/26

Day 82!

No count was conducted today due to consistent rain.

Photo: Broad-winged Hawk

5/22/26Day 81!Mostly cloudy with temps in the low 50s and NE winds at 10-15mph. Another day of subpar winds resulted in ...
05/23/2026

5/22/26

Day 81!

Mostly cloudy with temps in the low 50s and NE winds at 10-15mph. Another day of subpar winds resulted in only 7 birds (all Turkey Vultures) passing by the platform. The local pair of Ospreys were feeding over the bay and an adult Bald Eagle was sitting in a tree.

Non raptors: One Common Raven was seen flying by while being chased by Red-winged Blackbirds.

Hawkcount: https://hawkcount.org/day_summary.php?rsite=353&ryear=2026&rmonth=05&rday=22

Photo: Broad-winged Hawk (seen the other day)

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