Students at Big Bald Hawkwatch

Migrant birds continued to flow through Big Bald Banding Station this week. With the help of 150 visiting students from Mars Hill Elementary, Evergreen Community Charter School, Hot Springs Elementary and station volunteers, large numbers of birds were counted and banded. Passerine highlights were Yellow-billed Cuckoo, a leucistic Downy Woodpecker, and a Golden-crowned Kinglet.  As the peak of Broad-winged Hawk (BWHA) migration approaches, we have counted more than 1800 BWHA’s passing by Big Bald. Our raptor banding station opened with Merlins, Sharp-shinned Hawks, and an American Kestrel banded.