Winged predators descend on Pateros for festival

The Chelan Ridge Hawk Migration Festival returned to Pateros Saturday for its third year of close-ups with live raptors, educational booths and activities about their biology and life patterns, vendors selling birding gear and more.

Tours to the 5,675-foot Chelan Ridge were also given, where biologists band the raptors and even fit some with satellite transmitters as they make their way south for the winter. Some of the species seen there include sharp-shinned hawks, broad-winged hawks, peregrine falcons and golden eagles.

The raptors at the park were provided by the Okanogan Wildlife League and the Washington State University Raptor Club. The entire event is a partnership between the Methow Valley Ranger District, North Central Washington Audubon Society and HawkWatch International and is part of a larger migration project that also involves the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife and some private partners.

Raptor counts typically range between 2,000-3,000 migrants of up to 17 species per season, according to HawkWatch International.

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest's Twitter page reported a successful count on Saturday. A chart pictured on the site shows that 60 birds were counted - one each of osprey, northern harrier, Swainson's hawk and American kestrel; two each of turkey vultures, buteos and falcons; three raptors; five Cooper's hawks; six red-tailed hawks; and 34 sharp-shinned hawks.

The total 2012 species count as of Saturday was 441, according to the chart.

Regular updates from the raptor tally board will be posted to www.twitter.com/OkaWenNF.