Santa Ana NWR hawk tower, 3/21/08

I spent a really pleasant morning on the hawk tower at Santa Ana NWR with North America's raptor expert, Bill Clark. Watching Bill watch hawks is an experience. He examines each one lovingly and talks about them as though they were old friends. Best bird goes to the distant Hook-billed Kite that we studied at length. Second goes to the FOS Mississppi Kite and then there were about 250 Broadwings, four Gray Hawks up at once, a few Swainson's, Cooper's and the local Harris' and White-tailed Hawks. Northern Beardless Tyrannulet and Clay-colored Robin were singing nearby. Here's one of the Broad-winged Hawks.



There were more than hawks about.









Plain Chachalaca 5
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Anhinga 20
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 4
Little Blue Heron 7
White-faced Ibis 1
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 12
Hook-billed Kite 1
Mississippi Kite 1
Northern Harrier 1
Cooper's Hawk 2
Harris's Hawk 6
Broad-winged Hawk 250
Gray Hawk 4
Swainson's Hawk 3
White-tailed Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Crested Caracara 2
White-winged Dove 2
Mourning Dove 5
White-tipped Dove 2
Golden-fronted Woodpecker 8
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2
Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1
Great Kiskadee 10
Couch's Kingbird 20
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 5
Green Jay 8
Black-crested Titmouse 2
Clay-colored Robin 1
Northern Mockingbird 3
European Starling 3
Northern Cardinal 1
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Great-tailed Grackle 5
Bronzed Cowbird 2
Altamira Oriole 3
Lesser Goldfinch 1