FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] HSR: Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch (08 Nov 2002) Raptor counts (total=69)

[reports@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA
Waynesboro, VA, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 08, 2002
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV                           0              0              0
TV                           0              0              0
OS                           0              1            100
BE                           0              0             14
NH                           0              2             40
SS                          10             75            673
CH                           0             17             99
NG                           0              1              5
RS                           2             14             22
BW                           0              0           3650
RT                          57            391            613
RL                           0              0              0
GE                           0              0              2
AK                           0              0            100
ML                           0              0              6
PG                           0              0             22
MK                           0              0              1
UA                           0              0              4
UB                           0              0             10
UF                           0              0              5
UE                           0              0              0
UR                           0              0             18

Total:                      69            501           5384
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Observation start time: 12:00:00 
Observation end   time: 15:45:00 
Total observation time: 3.75 hours

Site Coordinator: Brenda Tekin

Observers:        Gordy Adamski

Visitors:
A lovely afternoon and no visitors.


Weather:
Light (1-5 km/h) wind out of West changing to SSE
Temp:  (high) 15c
Humidity:  45 increasing to 57%
Bar.Pressure:  1018
NO CLOUDS! M


Observations:
Most birds were low, eye level to about 30 meters or easily with unaided
eye.

A very interesting observation by Gordy Adamski:

Early in the afternoon I witnessed a territorial dispute between 2 RT. I
was scanning the sky just above tree level when I noticed a RT sitting in
a tree to the right of the teepee. I focused my telescope on the bird.
Almost immediately he left the tree & flew to the right. I tried to pick
him up with my binoculars but it took a few seconds. When I spotted him he
was in another tree & appeared to have something in his talons. I once
again trained the telescope to his location. What I saw amazed me. He was
locked talons to talons with another RT. The dominate bird was perched in
a tree with his wings spread out for balance. His talons were locked with
the talons of another RT. The submissive RT was hanging completely upside
down. The 2nd bird did not move at all. After about 90 seconds the bird
started to move a bit. It shook around a few time & the dominate bird let
go of its grip with one talon. The submissive bird wiggled some & managed
to fly off with the dominate bird in pursuit. I did not see any further
confrontations between the 2 RT but it sure did make for an interesting
way to start my afternoon at the hawk watch.

Two separate flocks of Canada Goose - 50 and 26

Predictions:
Sunny, mild temps
========================================================================
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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