Midnight. I am sleeping, but the hardcore Big Sitters are already at the hawk watch platform at Cape May Point State Park. 7 am. I arrive at the platform and watch the sun rise:
The day begins with many familiar sights and sounds: Yellow-rumps, egrets, ducks. A Meadowlark flies by and we are psyched. A few moments later, a Merlin flies over the lake in mad pursuit of a bird and catches it mid-air…
…and we realize it’s another Meadowlark that the Merlin has gotten. The Merlin flies over to the path near the platform and begins to kill and eat the Meadowlark:
Oh Merlin, why not a Starling?
We have many nice hawks, accipiters, and falcons flying over:
But the star of the day might just be this adult Bald Eagle, who flew directly over us:
Or, the star of the day might have been Monkey:
Here are some more images from a wonderful day. Click any photo to bring you to the full album, beginning with sunrise and ending with the moon!
