Again with the Connecticut I hear you say. Well get used to it for at least another month!  I checked out Great Meadows in Charlestown, NH and then did another dusk count of goose migration from Bellows Falls. 1700 between 6:30 and 7:30 pm.  Its at times like these that I am very grateful I spent the extra money on a high end scope.  Essential for low light viewing, I was able to identify geese to species for 30 mins past sunset.  The daytime goose numbers in the fields was a bit down – about 3000 total between Hinsdale and Charlestown (NH side only), and about 75 snow geese.  No scarce ducks at all!  Either they cleared out to the north, or else headed south into Mass again with the onset of colder weather.  My bet is on the former — north!

I plan on doing regular evening goose counts from Bellows Falls — I am very interested in the number of each species that can be tallied heading north during the season — obviously only a fraction of the total but a benchmark.  Anyone interested in helping out, let me know.

The story today was of raptors — 7 species including all three buteos in the same spot within the space of an hour.  Peregrine, bald eagle, coopers hawk, and kestrel were the others. My Cheshire Co. year list is off to a good start.

Rough-legged hawk, Charlestown, NH.

Red-shouldered hawk, Charlestown, NH.

Red-tailed hawk, Charlestown, NH.