FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Mendota Update for 9/19/05

[RonEHarrin@xxxxxxx]

Hi Folks:

Mendota Hawk Watch Update for 9/19/05

It was another clear and hot day for the eleventh day of the 2005 Mendota 
Hawk Watch, located at the old tower atop Clinch Mountain near Mendota, VA. Bob 
Quillen and I were at the site from 9:15 until 6:30 p.m. Ron Pendleton and Bill 
Grigsby (Bristol Bird Club President) were also on hand for part of the day. 
Sue Carter brought 19 students from her Environmental Research Class, Twin 
Springs HS, and, as usual, they had a great time. They stayed about three hours 
and it sure helped having all those "young hawk eyes." Other visitors included 
Andy and Diane Hawkins, Jeremy Keller, Judith Holland, and Junior Kegley.

 The first Broad-winged hawks started coming by the tower around 10:00 a.m. A 
wind out of the East/southeast of 5-15 mph kept the thermals from getting too 
high until early afternoon, then the winds died down and the hawks soon were 
almost out of sight. We were able to pick up small kettles from time to time, 
but it took a lot of hard work to find and track them. Our last kettle of 45 
came by around 6:00 p.m. They were still flying very high. Whew! We got more 
sunburn, strained eyes and necks. I long for the "good old days" when a jacket, 
gloves and even thermal underwear felt good in the mornings. 

Species:                            9/19/05                            
Year-to-Date

Northern Harrier                  -                                         1
Broad-winged Hawk         378                                     2529
Coopers Hawk                     1                                         8
Am. Bald Eagle                    -                                         3
Osprey                                3                                       
13
Am. Kestrel                          -                                        
 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk            -                                          5
Red-shouldered Hawk          -                                          1

Other: Red-headed WP:       -                                          2

Man Hours:    37

Come join the fun. And don't forget the third annual Mendota Hawk Festival, 
Saturday, September 24, at the Mendota Community Center.

Ron Harrington
Bristol, VA