Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch counters have conducted a Raptorthon for the past 12 years where we have raised over $14,000; half of which was used to directly support our hawk watch! Our Raptorthon team is named “Rockfish Gap Hawkwatchers“. The Hawk Migration Association (HMA) is committed to the conservation of raptors through the scientific study, enjoyment, and appreciation of raptor migration. The purpose of the Raptorthon is to have fun and raise money to support HMANA’s work for raptors and hawk watching throughout North America.
Our 2025 Raptorthon on May 9 was a big success! Our team had a really fun day that ended with 91 bird species including 5 raptor species! We were able to raise over $2,600, which will be used to support our Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch as well as Hawk Migration Association research grants!
Our day was long, 6:30am to 6:30pm. Although there was significant risk of rain, we only had a bit of rain in the first hour and then beautiful skies for the rest of the day! Our first major stop was Paddy Knob (elevation 4,478 ft) where we were greeted by multiple Least Flycatchers singing (two were busy building nests!). Other birds here included Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Ruffed Grouse, Vireos (Yellow-throated, Blue-headed, Red-eyed), Veery, Dark-eyed Junco, and lots of warblers (Ovenbird, Worm-eating, Black-and-white, Cerulean, N Parula, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Redstart, Blackburnian). At the knob we found our primary target of the day; a Mourning Warbler singing and moving about a lot. A small pond nearby had a bunch of Red-spotted Newts crawling and swimming about.
On our drive back north to Monterey and areas around Blue Grass for the afternoon, other highlights included Killdeer, Sandpipers (Spotted, Solitary, Least), Lesser Yellowlegs, Warbling Vireo, Black-billed Cuckoo, 4 Red-headed Woodpeckers, Cliff Swallows gathering mud for nest building, lots of Bobolinks, Orchard and Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and two more warblers (Yellow and Yellow-rumped). Raptors included 5 American Kestrel, a female Northern Harrier, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, 4 Red-tailed Hawk, and 5 Bald Eagles including a nest with two adults and two chicks. Other highlights of the day included birthday cupcakes, a bleating lamb/whinnying screech-owl (still under debate), flowers, butterflies, trout, a big snapping turtle, and (to end our Raptorthon) a Ruffed Grouse that flew across the road right in front of us on our way home! Our team (Robyn, Bill, Rich, and me) thanks you all for your support! Here are some photos from our day.
