FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] HSR: Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch (06 Oct 2004) 15 Raptors

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Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA
Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 06, 2004
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV                           0              0              0
TV                           0              0              0
OS                           0              3             96
BE                           0              2             21
NH                           2              5             19
SS                           6            170            468
CH                           3             25             60
NG                           1              1              1
RS                           0              1              3
BW                           1             12           4581
RT                           0              3             44
RL                           0              0              0
GE                           0              1              3
AK                           0              9             42
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                           2              6             15

Total:                      15            242           5383
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observation start time: 07:30:00 
Observation end   time: 15:00:00 
Total observation time: 7.5 hours

Official Counter: Tom Pendleton

Observers:        John Irvine

Visitors:
Hans and Betty Heinz from Culpeper, VA


Weather:
Best described by former Co-ordinator John Irvine, Jr. "..it was a fierce
blank sky most of the day--but a lovely day to be out and up there."

Strong high pressure system continues with bright crystal blue skies
making it near next to impossible to spot anything flying.  

Wind:  1-11 km/h throughout the day, NW changing to N to NE then ENE by 12
p.m EST
Temp:  16c (high) at 1 p.m. EST
Humidity: 63% 
BarPressure:  1025 > 1027 (need to check this as average has been 1021)
Humidity: 40% dropping to 35%
Crystal clear skies with no haze

Observations:
Good deeds are rewarded.  At 12:10 pm EST John Irvine spotted a "monster
accipiter" and was able to observe the bird through his scope for
approximately 2 minutes.  Both he and Tom Pendleton were rewarded with
season's first Northern Goshawk, an immature, possibly a female.  It was
John's bird #374 for the year!  Congratulations gentlemen!
 

Observation from John Irvine - "One other neat thing--after the others had
left and I was alone on the patio, three deer came prancing onto the
grassy lawn just below me.  The doe was immediately aware of my presence
and promptly went down over the hill's edge through the sumac, but her two
3/4 grown fawns (no spots anywhere on them) looked me over, puzzled, and
then stayed munching shrubs (honeysuckle?) on the far edge of the lawn,
just beyond the skating rink corner, for about ten minutes, while I was
munching the last of my lunch and otherwise in their full sight and doing
some moving around up on the patio.  It was the first time I'd seen that
at the Inn, and in the middle of the day!"

Chimney Swift - 3
Northern Flicker - 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
American Crow - 9
Common Raven - 2
Mockingbird - 2 (there is at least one resident that entertains the
watchers throughout the day with it's renditions of various birds,
whistles and chirps.)

Predictions:
Warming temps and more clouds.
========================================================================
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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