Colyer Lake Shorebirds and Raptors 9-14-10

I birded Colyer Lake from 12:00pm until 2:00pm. There were 4 Pectoral Sandpipers, 5 Killdeer, and 5 Least Sandpipers foraging on the mud flats.

Pectoral Sandpiper

As I was taking photos of the Pectoral Sandpiper pictured above, I noticed it look up at the sky, so I looked up and above me were 4 Broad-winged Hawk gliding past. I began searching around in the sky more and instantly found a kettle of 45 Broad-wings. Other migrant raptors that flew past high above Colyer Lake this afternoon were Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Bald Eagle, Osprey, and American Kestrel (totals of each species below). Total I counted 88 migrant raptors. There were two adult Red-shouldered Hawks present also, being harrassed by the local Red-tail.

Osprey 1 migrant
Bald Eagle 2 migrants (juveniles)
Northern Harrier 1 migrant (female)
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 migrants (juveniles)
Red-shouldered Hawk 2 adults; being harrassed by Red-tailed Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk 77 migrants; one kettle contained 45 birds, the rest were in smaller kettles or solitary.
American Kestrel 3 migrants; one eating on the wing

Joined by a Broad-winged Hawk, this Osprey glided low over the lake.