Incredible swarm of a hundred or more birds at various heights over south College Station Sunday morning. They are not buzzards. They have a profile of a hawk, but maybe too big to be a hawk. Any idea what these are? (Photo does not give good details but gives indication of the number.)

Here is one that came in fairly low.

Cool birds. They use thermals to migrate up to 4000 miles using very little energy. They don't eat during the migration.

That time of year. Huge tornadoes of pelicans over lake Somerville right now too.

A hawk formation of that type is called a "kettle".

Don't ask me why they named it that......

C

milner79 said:

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Here is one that came in fairly low.

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This picture appears to be a Zone Tailed Hawk. Many hawks migrate in the fall and the approaching front has them on the move.
https://www.almanac.com/hawk-migration-facts
This reminds me of one year I traveled with Dr Dick Cain to the Sanderson area and we saw hundreds, if not, thousands of hawks across a large field. Look like they were taking a break on their trip. He said that was the biggest one that he had seen.

They're looking to clean up after yesterday's massacre on the football field

Hawks in a kettle.

Junction71 said:

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lt's not a Zone-tailed Hawk but a Broad-winged Hawk. The hawk counting stations on the coast (Hazel Bazemore in Corpus) are counting numbers in the 100K. Massive migration is occurring.

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Just wait till they fly through an area with a few dozen wind turbines

Was thinking these were the grackles that used to inundate campus parking lots at dusk. Then the were ushered off campus and seen around H6/Rock Prairie for awhile.

TarponChaser said:

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Birds aren't real. Those are government drones.

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Jade Helm practice fake hawks ?

that's pretty cool picture, didn't know hawks migrated like that

"Hawk Watch" in Corpus this weekend. Lots of "Jane Hathaways" and a few "Pink Breasted Mattress Thrashers".

I have seen kettles of hawks migrating in the past while dove hunting. They are amazing to watch how far they can soar with no flapping on the thermals. This attests to the quality of their wings and why crappy buzzards have to flap a lot, at least what I was told.

They are an amazing bird to watch hunt when the attack prey also. Always have enjoyed hawks and falcons in action.