Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA
Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 11, 2004
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 9 17 27
BE 0 2 9
NH 4 4 8
SS 2 14 31
CH 2 2 10
NG 0 0 0
RS 0 1 1
BW 124 261 418
RT 5 8 28
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 0 0
AK 3 11 17
ML 0 0 1
PG 0 0 0
UA 0 0 1
UB 0 0 2
UF 0 1 3
UE 0 0 0
UR 0 0 4
Total: 149 321 560
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Observation start time: 08:30:00
Observation end time: 16:45:00
Total observation time: 8.25 hours
Official Counter: Brenda Tekin
Observers: Butler&Condon, Gordy Adamski
Visitors:
Great day brought out many visitors including long-time friends of the hawk
watch.
Thanks to all the extra eyes in spotting BW that seemed to range from high
to low, east to west.
Vince and Cindy Capaccio, Jo King, John Spahr, Tom Pendleton, Nancy
Davidson, Dave Hunter, Marlene Condon, Robert Butler, Alice Davis, Lois
Gebhardt.
Weather:
Wind - SW 1-11km/h throughout the day. At times only whisper of a breeze.
Temp: 27.5c (high)
Humidity: 63% dropping to 35% by 1 p.m EST then climbing back up to 59%
Bar.Pressure: 1022 > 1020
Cloud Cover: Mostly Cloudy throughout the morning to overcast and
threatening skies decreasing to less than 5% clouds (wonderful cirrus and
small cummulus).
Visibility: less than 12km; very hazy again.
Observations:
At last, our first triple-digit day! Small groups of kettling Broad-wing,
some very high and small specs against backdrop of clouds; some low
providing great views.
Very good showing of Northern Harrier for early in the season.
Dark-phased Broad-winged Hawk @ 10:33 a.m. EST at eye level. Initially
thought it to be a crow but realiazed as it came up along east side of
ridge very short distance from observation deck that it was a broad-wing.
Stunning bird!
Peak hour for BW between 2-3 EST (41)
Last bird was low sailing Osprey at 4:47 EST AFTER packing it up and
reaching parking lot.
Lots of small birds flying high heading south but unable to identify.
Hummingbird: 2
Chimney Swift: several waves heading south
Eastern Phoebe
American Tree Swallow - small numbers
Red-headed Woodpecker - 1
DC Cormorant - 1 heading south
Monarch Butterfly - only 2!!!
Predictions:
Hopefully more of the same.
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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
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