What’s Up With All of the Hawks in Ocean County?

Is it me or is it a crazy year for these huge birds flying around Ocean County?

It's a crazy year of hawks.  Every afternoon I see these huge birds in the trees in my yard.  I'm a little scared for my little dog.  She'll stand there and just bark and bark at them, but they don't move.

Have you seen a lot of these birds, recently?  Why are there so many of these this year?