The End of the Season
I was reminded of that billboard that was put up in Seattle in April, 1971. It said, “Will the last person leaving Seattle – – Turn out the lights.” If you don’t know what that was referring to, Google will tell you.
The reason that billboard came to my mind was because today was this season’s last Winter Raptor Survey that Amanda and I conducted for East Cascades Audubon Society. Today we saw the evidence that those Arctic visitors that migrate down each winter have, indeed, left town.
The Snowy Owls have not been seen for weeks. The Gyrfalcon hid itself very well this year, as we never found one. And, the Roughies (Rough-legged Hawks) have departed. We did see one today. He must have missed the bus. But, for all intents and purposes, they have flown the coop.
There are always more Arctic visitors in November when we start our surveys and migration is in full force. In November, the three-survey total for Rough-legged-Hawks was 53. The total for March was 11. That being said, we usually see Snowy Owls at the end of December. This year they didn’t show up until February 10, and they only stayed a couple of weeks. By the end of the month, they were gone.
Thankfully, the year-round residents are still here. On the three routes we travel, we see Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harriers, Prairie Falcons, American Kestrels, Bald Eagles and Golden Eagles year round.
So, perhaps, we should leave the lights on for them.
| MARCH TOTALS | |||
| Species | Mansfield | Waterville NE | Dry Falls Junction |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 14 | 7 | 4 |
| American Kestrel | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Northern Harrier | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| Bald Eagle | Adult 4 | Adult 3 Sub Adult 1 | |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 7 | 3 | 1 |
| Prairie Falcon | 1 |