Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 17, 2006
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 5 59 65
BE 1 34 34
NH 0 9 11
SS 24 108 114
CH 2 16 18
NG 0 0 0
RS 0 1 1
BW 357 4137 4168
RT 2 20 25
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 0 0
AK 3 26 27
ML 0 3 3
PG 2 7 7
UA 0 0 0
UB 0 4 4
UF 0 0 0
UE 0 1 1
UR 1 3 3
Total: 397 4428 4481
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 17:00:00
Total observation time: 9 hours
Official Counter: Brenda Tekin
Observers:
Visitors:
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for everyone who showed up to help today.
Gordy Adamski, Robert Butler, Andrew Clem, Marlene Condon, Vic Laubach,
William Leigh, Ed and Donna Lewis.
Nancy Davidson
And special visitors, Frank, Natalie, Claudia, and Mike. (Sorry, couldn't
decipher the visitor's log.)
Weather:
Dense fog delayed official start until 8 a.m. Fog was blown up and over
from the valley on steady NW wind 20-25km/h soon revealing a bright blue
sky with not the hint or promise of a cloud. Birds were flying high
overhead, lost in bright blue. Winds diminished by 11 am, changing to out
of the south 6-11km/h and then less than 5km/h. With shift of winds and
then diminishing to almost non-existant, birds were located far to the
east. It was brutal. Eye drops and cold compresses were first order of
business upon arriving home to help relieve crispy fried eyeballs.
By 3pm a few clouds were moving in and slight increase in winds but birds
were difficult at best to locate far off to the east.
Temp: 20c >28.5c;
Humidity: 72% dropping to 42% then incrasing to 63%
Raptor Observations:
We feel certain there was a decent flight throughout the day but birds were
near next to impossible to locate in bright blue skies or too far out to
the east. By 3p.m. with a slight increase in South wind and a few clouds,
we were able to spot streaming and kettling birds. One impressive kettle
of close to 200 BW were spotted on the far ridge east of Bear Den
Mountain.
At 10:24 observers were startled when an imm. BAEA zoomed up from the east
side coming right up on over the grassy area next to the skating rink! It
quickly flew past us on NE corner of the building, then turning and
crossing the gap heading north where it met up with a Red-tailed Hawk.
After a few tag sessions, the BAEA flew north! Later in the afternoon the
2nd BAEA of the day, an adult spotted high up to the east by Robert Butler,
flew north. One adult BAEA was later located sailing across low to the
east heading south and would be the only migrating eagle for the day's
count.
While counters were struggling to track and count the late afternoon
flight of BW far to the east, a Peregrine Falcon flew right up from the
skating rink and right up over the stairs a few short yards away, filling
field of view and blocking the distant BWs. By time observers regained
composure and positioned binoculars back to area of the distant BW, they
were out of view, lost in bright blue!
Non-raptor Observations:
Black-and-White Warbler - a female (we think) flew into glass and initially
one observer thought it was badly injured.
WEB LINK TO few images:
http://home.ntelos.net/~btkin/rockfish_gap_hawk_watch/link_pages/OtheFeatheredCritters_link.htm
The warbler was obviously disoriented, unable to sit upright and head
wobbling around. I grabbed my fleece cap and we gently placed the warbler
down inside where it settled right down. It took at least 10 minutes
before it began to perk up and becoming more alert. Thankfully it
eventually hopped up to edge of cap where it perched for about one minute
before flying off!
Other sightings included Black-throated Blue Warbler, Blue Gray
Gnatcatcher;
Red-headed Woodpecker - 6
Hummingbird - 7
Am Tree Swallow - small numbers moving through
Chimney Swift
Predictions:
Hopefully counters will be rewarded with blue skies and just the right
amount of clouds along with good flights!
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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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