Hawk Watching Venture to Caesar's Head State Park, SC
21 September 2005 - 9 AM until 3 PM
Weather:
Pleasant in the morning; clear blue skies with some distant clouds
Wind SE 15-20 mph, and warming up to become a hot day
Pleasant conditions greeted us atop the rock when we first arrived when we had the chance to see a few warblers and other small migrants before the hawk activity really started. A small flock of American Redstarts fed in the trees near the lookout and we all managed great views of Yellow-throated and Blue-headed Vireos and a very obliging Yellow-billed Cuckoo. The raptor watching was erratic at best, but several of the local hawkwatching group kept scanning for any bird that should appear. An Osprey was a nice sight, but the Broad-winged Hawks were in very small numbers until 28 came overhead (very high!) The same applied to the flock of 32 that came across shortly afterwards. Ravens and the local Peregrine flew by a little lower and gave us something to look at below eye-level. Despite the fairly low numbers and the afternoon heat, Caesar's Head always offers a very interesting day hawkwatching with outstanding views.
| Birds | |
| Black Vulture (3) | Brown Thrasher (Heard) |
| Turkey Vulture (5+ local birds) | Blue-headed Vireo (1) |
| Osprey (1 south) | Yellow-throated Vireo (1) |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk (2 south, 1 local) | Tennessee Warbler (5+) |
| Broad-winged Hawk (80+ south) | Yellow Warbler (1) |
| Red-tailed Hawk (local birds) | Chestnut-sided Warbler (1) |
| Peregrine Falcon (1 local) | Cape May Warbler (1) |
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1) | Black-throated Green Warbler (2) |
| Chimney Swift (10+) | Blackburnian Warbler (1) |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Yellow-throated Warbler (1) |
| Red-headed Woodpecker (1 immature) | Bay-breasted Warbler (1) |
| Downy Woodpecker (heard) | Black-and-white Warbler (1) |
| Pileated Woodpecker (1) | American Redstart (4) |
| Eastern Wood-Pewee (Heard) | Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1) |
| Blue Jay | Scarlet Tanager (2) |
| American Crow | Northern Cardinal |
| Northern Raven | Indigo Bunting (Heard) |
| Carolina Chickadee | Eastern Towhee (heard) |
| White-breasted Nuthatch (Heard) | Dark-eyed Junco |
| Carolina Wren (Heard) | American Goldfinch |
| Butterflies | |
| Monarch | Red Admiral |
| Red-spotted Purple | Cloudless Sulphur |
| Tiger Swallowtail | |
| Other Critters | |
| Gray Squirrel | 5-lined Skink |