![\"Red-tailed](\"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/09\/George_Brehm750.jpg\")
Riding the Airwaves<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Raptors have one goal when migrating: use as little energy as possible to make it to their destination. So, they seek out rising air currents to help them gain altitude without flapping. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Air rises as it is heated by the warmth of the ground (a \u201cthermal\u201d), or pushed upwards by passing over a hill or mountain (an \u201cupdraft\u201d). Raptors circle inside these columns of rising air as it carries them upwards. As the air cools and stops rising, raptors exit and glide for miles, slowly losing altitude until they find another column (or start flapping).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hawks often end up riding the same air current together, forming a rising spiral of birds, or a \u201ckettle.\u201d Kettling isn\u2019t actually a social behavior, even if it looks like the hawks are flying together. Thermal-surfing raptors are simply taking advantage of the most efficient route, like drivers on a highway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cool Weather, Hot Hawkwatching<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Thermals are strongest when the ground is much warmer than the air. Hawkwatching can be excellent when a cold front moves through, bringing cold air over the (temporarily) much warmer ground and sending thermals spiraling upwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cold fronts are often accompanied by winds from the north, which are conducive to southbound raptors in the fall. When clear, cold air moves in from the north after many days of poor migration conditions (either rain or strong winds from the south), unusually high numbers of restless raptors can be seen migrating at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Timing is Everything<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Mid-September is prime season for viewing Massachusetts\u2019 most numerous and conspicuous raptors, like Broad-winged Hawks and Ospreys, as well as less common species like American Kestrels and Sharp-shinned Hawks. As the season cools, the mix shifts a little, but the hawkwatching often stays good until late October and tapers off into November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hawks, falcons, and vultures are among the few groups of birds that migrate during the day. Unlike songbirds and waterfowl, which migrate under cover of night, raptors are actually visible as they make their long journeys across continents. Although hawks pass by some sites by the hundreds or thousands, that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean you can […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":101,"featured_media":14673,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[27,28,60,67],"class_list":["post-14671","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nature-notes","tag-birding","tag-birds","tag-hawks","tag-migration"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/09\/George_Brehm750.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-3OD","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":844,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/its-prime-hawk-watching-time\/","url_meta":{"origin":14671,"position":0},"title":"It’s Prime Hawk Watching Time","author":"Hillary T.","date":"September 19, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Although many birds migrate during the fall, hawks are especially impressive to watch. In fact, fall migration potentially offers the best opportunity to view a variety of hawk species in greater numbers than any other time of year as the birds make their way across the skies of Massachusetts on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Get Outdoors"","block_context":{"text":"Get Outdoors","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/get-outdoors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/09\/455BrooksMathewson1440.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3929,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/know-your-hawks\/","url_meta":{"origin":14671,"position":1},"title":"Know Your Hawks","author":"Rosemary","date":"September 3, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Hawk watch season is just around the corner! Every fall, birders gather at ridge tops, sand dunes, and other open spaces to take in the spectacle of hawks flying south, sometimes in huge numbers. In a previous post we gave you a primer on this phenomenon. Here we\u2019ll share a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/08\/falcons.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9846,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-high-flying-hawks\/","url_meta":{"origin":14671,"position":2},"title":"Take 5: High-Flying Hawks","author":"Ryan D.","date":"September 25, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"'Tis the season...the season of fall hawk migration, that is! Each year in late summer and early fall, thousands of hawks and their young move through the state from northern breeding grounds to wintering areas often far to the south. While the majority of broad-wing hawks depart by late September,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Red-tailed Hawk \u00a9 Nathan Goshgarian","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/09\/208NathanGoshgarian6119_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/09\/208NathanGoshgarian6119_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/09\/208NathanGoshgarian6119_fi.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13166,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-red-shouldered-hawks\/","url_meta":{"origin":14671,"position":3},"title":"Take 5: Red-shouldered Hawks","author":"Ryan D.","date":"September 30, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Throughout September, birders and raptor-lovers have kept a careful eye on the sky on warm days, looking for \"kettles\" of hawks, climbing slowly upward in a spiral pattern on rising thermals (warm air pockets). September is prime season for fall hawk-watching, particularly for the Broad-winged Hawk, which is so numerous\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Red-shouldered Hawk \u00a9 Brian Rusnica","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/09\/4646Brian_Rusnica25419.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/09\/4646Brian_Rusnica25419.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/09\/4646Brian_Rusnica25419.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/09\/4646Brian_Rusnica25419.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10943,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/spring-migration-is-finally-here\/","url_meta":{"origin":14671,"position":4},"title":"Spring Migration is Finally Here","author":"William Freedberg","date":"May 2, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"On the evening of Tuesday, May 1, a wave of migratory birds arrived in Massachusetts. While some early-migrating species have been trickling in since April, Wednesday, May 2, marks the beginning of the season for our most colorful migrants. Scarlet Tanagers, Yellow Warblers, melodious Wood Thrushes, and a host of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Get Outdoors"","block_context":{"text":"Get Outdoors","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/get-outdoors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Rose-breasted Grosbeak","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/05\/rosebreastedgrosbeak600.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/05\/rosebreastedgrosbeak600.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/05\/rosebreastedgrosbeak600.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5692,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/mobs-rule\/","url_meta":{"origin":14671,"position":5},"title":"Mobs Rule","author":"Rosemary","date":"August 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Have you ever seen small birds dive-bombing a larger one\u2014often a bird of prey? This behavior is called \u201cmobbing,\u201d and it\u2019s a common phenomenon that you may encounter any time you're outdoors. The Mobsters Mobbing occurs when birds of one or more species aggressively approach a bird perceived as a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/06\/mob.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/06\/mob.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/06\/mob.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14671","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/101"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14671"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14671\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17842,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14671\/revisions\/17842"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14673"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14671"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14671"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14671"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}