Dear readers,
There will be no more Presque Isle Hawk Watch posts after this one until after the first of May.  However, hawk watching will continue through April at the Presque Isle Hawk Watch, but the data won't be submitted until early May.  Also, there will be no Sunday "Erie County bird sightings" posted for the entire month of April.  Will return to schedule in May.

Thanks for your interest,
Jerry McWilliams
Hawk watch coordinator 

Observation start time: 08:45:00 
Observation end   time: 12:00:00 
Total observation time: 3.25 hours

Official Counter:        Jerry McWilliams
Observers:        Jerry McWilliams, Roger Donn, Sam Stull
Visitors: Don Snyder and a curious passerby.

Weather: Clear and cold with NE wind, with temps. reaching the low 40s.

Raptor Observations: Another lackluster day of hawk movement, but Turkey Vultures continue to be on the move.  Soon after the vultures started to move they quickly drifted south of the watch and later became dots in the south sky.  Heaviest vulture movement occurred between 0900 and 1000 hrs. EST.  A light morph Rough-legged Hawk was spotted well south of the watch.  Roger Donn and Sam Stull assisted with the count and Pat Howell helped count vultures for a while.  After this post there will be no more hawk watch posts until after the first of May.  However, hawk watching will continue to be conducted through April and this data will be submitted in early May

Non-raptor Observations:  none
Predictions:  Warmer with SW winds predicted.  If the showers hold off, it could be the first big movement of hawks so far this season.
Jerry McWilliams
Erie, Erie County, pa.

The following birds of note were reported this week from Presque Isle State Park:

• Red-necked Grebe  up to 3; all week; Presque Isle and Thompson bays 17; March 30; 10 in Presque Isle Bay and 7 at the south pier
• Cackling Goose  1; March 28 & 29; Tom Ridge Environmental Center hawk watch
  
• Sandhill Crane  1; March 27; Tom Ridge Environmental Center hawk watch
  
• Little Gull  1 adult; March 30; off Leo's landing
  
• Iceland Gull  up to 3; all week; Presque Isle Bay
  
• Lesser Black-backed Gull  up to 5; all week; Presque isle Bay
  
• Glaucous Gull  up 12; all week; Presque Isle Bay
  
• Probable Herring X Glaucous Gull  1 first cycle; March 26 & 27; off Leo's landing
  
• Long-eared Owl  1; March 29; in the pines
  
• Northern Saw-whet Owl  1; March 29; in the pines
  

Jerry McWilliams
Erie, Erie County, Pa.

The following birds of note were reported from Presque Isle S.P., unless noted other wise:

• Red-necked Grebe  7; all week; channel
  
• Cackling Goose  1 flying with 8 Canada Geese; March 21; Presque Isle Hawk Watch
  
• White-winged Scoter  6; all week; channel
  
• Black Vulture  1; March 18; Lawrence Park
  
• Sandhill Crane  2; March 18; Presque Isle Hawk Watch   9; March 18; Fairview Twp.
• Iceland Gull  1 first cycle; March 23; Leo's
  
• Lesser Black-backed Gull  up to 2 adults; Presque Isle Bay
  
• Glaucous Gull  up to 4 imm; all week; Presque Isle Bay
  
• Snowy Owl  1; March 19; junct. interstate 90 and Rt. 97
  
• Northern Shrike  1; March 18; south of Pine Tree Trail

Now that the ice is coming off of Presque Isle Bay and the inland ponds, thousands of ducks have filled in the open areas.  Best concentration of puddle ducks is in Thompson Bay where there were well over 200 American Wigeon and about that many Gadwall on March 23.  The gull numbers have picked up considerably as well.  At least a couple of dozen Bonaparte's Gulls were near the head of Presque Isle Bay on March 22 & 23.  The first Eastern Phoebe of the year was at Perry Monument on March 22.

Jerry McWilliams
Erie, Erie County, Pa.