Hawk migration

 

 

We noticed the first turkey vultures migrating a few weeks ago.  Today, we notice a stray hawk or two, then the sky suddenly blossoms with kettles of circling birds, rising on thermals to gain enough altitude to glide to the next thermal and repeat.  Hardly a wingbeat required as they migrate hundreds of miles, thousands altogether, from north to south in the fall.

 

Mostly swainson’s hawks at first, then broad-winged hawks and the occasional turkey vulture.  I zoom in to try to get a better look at the birds.

 

In the morning light, they’re mostly just silhouettes.  As the closest kettle drifts off, more appear in the distance.

 

The hundreds turn into thousands.  I take more pictures.  Even though they are different birds, they all look about the same.

 

 

We may get the same show again tomorrow, or we may not see a single hawk.  Never know.

 

Range maps.

Turkey vulture

The orange is summer only.  The purple is year-round.

 

Broad-winged hawk.

The blue color is for winter only.

Swainson’s hawks are the long-distance migration champions.  They migrate as much as 6,000 miles from their northern range to their wintering grounds in South America.