Hey birders, The Bethany Hawkwatch has been up and running intermittently since the 15th of August, but yesterday was probably the most productive day of the fall at the Bethany site. Of special note was our first Swainson’s Hawk of the fall. This species is typically a late September or early October (22 Sep-2 Oct) bird at our site and this was the earliest we have ever seen one. Other species and counts: 8 Turkey Vultures, 2 Ospreys, 4 Bald Eagles, 3 Broad-winged Hawks, 2 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 American Kestrel, 111 American White Pelicans and numerous swifts, swallows, and gulls. I also had a Merlin perched on the Bethany campus around sunset and numerous neotropical passerines and hummingbirds during the day. It almost felt like September! Happy birding! *Chad Heins* Assistant Professor of Biology Bethany Lutheran College 700 Luther Drive Mankato, MN 56001 Office: 507.344.7327 | Toll Free: 800.944.3066 [log in to unmask] www.blc.edu