Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Aug 21, 2005
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 7 11 11
BE 11 14 14
NH 1 1 1
SS 5 11 11
CH 1 1 1
NG 0 0 0
RS 0 0 0
BW 26 155 155
RT 11 27 27
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 0 0
AK 1 2 2
ML 0 0 0
PG 0 0 0
UA 0 1 1
UB 2 7 7
UF 0 0 0
UE 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0
Total: 65 230 230
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Observation start time: 08:45:00
Observation end time: 16:30:00
Total observation time: 7.75 hours
Official Counter: Brenda Tekin
Observers: Jim Fiztgerald, Mark Johnson
Visitors:
A special welcome to newcomer, Amy Gilmer, who got to see the early morning
close-up views of BW, Osprey, kestrel and BE.
Weather:
A difference between night and day from yesterday. A strong front pushed
through overnight and the very strong West to WSW wind was blowing to beat
the band throughout most of the day. With persistent 29-38 km/h winds,
trees were in full swing. Although I didn't hear whistling in the wires, I
could make a tune with wind blowing over top of water bottle. Chairs had to
be secured or risk sailing over the piedmont.
Between 12-3 p.m. winds ranged between 15-38 km/h and began to pick up again
by 3:30. Partly cloudy skies increased to several dark threatening clouds
late morning but by 12 p.m. the winds pushed them eastward leaving behind
crystal clear blue skies and no haze with visibility for miles.
Temperature started out at 29c increasing to 29.5c (85.1 fahrenheit) and
dropping to 28.5c by 3 p.m. What's interesting is that in Charlottesville
22 miles east of the gap the high temperature tied the record at 101
fahrenheit!
Humidity steadily dropped from 54% to 31% by 3 p.m. and back up to 33% at
4 p.m.
Observations:
Oh what a day! And it's only August! And, we had a total of eight species!
After yesterday's record-breaking Broad-wing flight for so early in the
season, things settled back down. With today's strong winds there were no
thermals and no kettling BW -- most were single birds or in pairs. Numbers
were down to only 26 for the day but still a bit above our normal average
for this time of year.
Several of the early morning birds were low providing wonderful close-up or
near close-up stunning views in the morning light.
The first birds for the day were 3 Osprey at 9:11 a.m. They circled
together, gaining altitude using ridge lift and streamed out single file
heading south on east side of the ridge. The total of 7 for the day was a
very good showing.
Northern Harrier, a female, between 12-1 p.m. EST.
All five SS for day came through between 10-11 a.m. that included two
separate pairs.
And the Red-tails keep a'coming...including a stunning dark-phased at
11:36 a.m. to the east between the I-64 cut-through and observation
sidewalk. It stalled to kite, providing full view of the very dark
underside; the blackish underside of wings with very pale edges along the
trailing edge like that of Turkey Vulture and rufous tail!
The truly remarkable surprise for today was we broke the bank with Bald
Eagle. The fact that we squashed the highest single day record by 3 was
cause for celebration but the truly amazing thing is it was done in August
and not mid to late September. Of the eleven BE for the day, all were
adults except for one. Here is breakdown of today's spectacular BE
flight:
10:30 - 1 adult; 11:58 - 3 (2 adults & 1 juv.); 12:04 p.m. - 1 adult; 1:36
p.m. - 1 adult; 3:17 p.m. - 2 adults; 3:29 p.m. - 1 adult; 3:34 p.m. - 1
adult; 4:13 p.m. - 1 adult
Dragonflies
Monarch Butterfly - only 1
Hummingbird - 2
Chimney Swift
Barn Swallow - a few zipping by
American Tree Swallow
Predictions:
Mostly sunny, dimishing winds, cooler and drier
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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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