FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] HSR: Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch (03 Oct 2004) 88 Raptors

[reports@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA
Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 03, 2004
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV                           0              0              0
TV                           0              0              0
OS                           1              3             96
BE                           1              1             20
NH                           0              1             15
SS                          62             78            376
CH                          11             13             48
NG                           0              0              0
RS                           1              1              3
BW                           8             10           4579
RT                           0              0             41
RL                           0              0              0
GE                           0              0              2
AK                           4              7             40
ML                           0              1              7
PG                           0              2              8
UA                           0              1              6
UB                           0              0              4
UF                           0              0              5
UE                           0              0              0
UR                           0              0              9

Total:                      88            118           5259
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observation start time: 11:30:00 
Observation end   time: 15:30:00 
Total observation time: 4 hours

Official Counter: Brenda Tekin

Observers:        

Visitors:
Heidi Herd, Ted Johnson, Nancy Davidson and Pat Alther


Weather:
By 6 a.m. (EST) top of ridge was clear of fog and low clouds.  In
Charlottesville, 22 miles to the east, sunshine and patches of blue sky
were peaking through the clouds.  Arrived by 7 a.m. EST and WNW wind
approximately 8-10 km/h began pushing fog up the west slope and over
completely socking in the ridge.  To the east we could see sunshine over
Rockfish Valley.  An hour later we were finally able to see outline of the
north ridge.  Then the wind came to a halt and fog drifted back down over
the entire gap and west over Waynesboro.  By around 8:30 EST winds shifted
to out of the ENW then NW.  The fog was now being blown to the west back
over towards Waynesboro.  During this time we did manage to see a single
Sharp-shinned and Am.Kestrel low over the green field adjacent to The Inn.
 We left the ridge to check out the lower elevations.

By 11:15 a.m. EST fog was finally lifting off the ridge and sunshine
pouring through breaks in the clouds.  NE wind 6-10 km/h and the birds
were flying.  

Within 2 hours dark threatening clouds returned putting the birds down.

Humidity:  increased to 80%
Bar.Pressure: 1019
Temp:  17.5 (high)

Observations:
What might have been a very good flight day for accipiters was thwarted
once again by weather.  A little before 3 p.m. EST the NE quandrant was
well-clouded over with low dark gray clouds and we could not see towers on
Bear Den Mountain.  An eagle-like bird appeared out of the dark clouds and
before I was able to get scope on it it disappeared UP into the dark
clouds.  Approximately 15 minutes later, at 3:06 EST an adult Bald Eagle
seemed to drop down out of the dark bank of clouds and sailed across the
sky heading southward.  

Before the dark clouds began rolling in Sharp-shinned were coming through
in small groups, 4-5 at a time.  One "kettle" of 8 flew in then joined by
2 more.  

Single Red-shouldered Hawk came up low over the ridge flying over the
parking lot.  By now, most of the birds were dropping low below bank of
clouds.

Humidity levels increased to 80% and by then even vultures were dropping
down.

Blue Jay - small numbers still pushing through (171)
Northern Flicker
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler (good numbers showing up)
Common Yellowthroat

Predictions:
Sunshine and cooling temps with advance of high pressure system moving into
region.  Should be some very good accipiter flights!
========================================================================
Report submitted by Brenda Tekin (bt8x@xxxxxxxxxxxx)
Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA information may be found at:
http://home.ntelos.net/~btkin/rockfish_gap_hawk_watch


***Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA - Established 1976***
The Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch is held on the grounds of the Inn at Afton,
located on the southern side of Rockfish Gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains,
just above where I-64 (exit 99) intersects with the southern end of the
Skyline Drive and the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway, just east of
Waynesboro, VA and approximately 22 miles west of Charlottesville, VA.  

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