POWNAL — Hawkwatching season is here. Freeport Wild Bird Supply will again partner with Nikon Sport Optics to sponsor the Spring Hawkwatch at Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal, beginning on March 15.  2012 marks the sixth consecutive season for this project through which valuable data is collected while providing an enjoyable and educational experience for visitors.

This year Katrina Fenton will be the official counter.  A native New Englander, Katrina is an experienced hawkwatcher, having spent many hours over three years with the Pack Monadnock Raptor Observatory in New Hampshire.  She is also an enthusiastic birder who leads walks at various natural areas in New England.  She’ll be stationed at the summit from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily from March 15 to May 15.

Rising 485 feet above the southern coastal plain, Bradbury Mountain provides unimpeded views to the south and east all the way to the islands of Casco Bay. Whether using updrafts off the mountain, gliding overhead, or soaring over the plains, observers watch raptors utilizing a variety of migratory methods as they work their way north.  The goal of the project is to document this migration by identifying and counting all raptors that pass by the mountain. During the best spring (2010), 4474 hawks were counted, including 52 bald eagles, 500 ospreys and 1746 broad-winged hawks.

Hawkwatching is a very social activity that is accessible to birders of all abilities. Last spring there were more than 1100 visitors. Katrina will answer questions about raptors and help visitors learn what to look for to identify the 18 species that may pass by. The hawkwatch is free, though there is an entry fee to the park.