Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 25, 2003
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 0 29 155
BE 1 8 40
NH 2 17 34
SS 11 393 593
CH 4 90 138
NG 1 3 6
RS 0 3 7
BW 0 73 8754
RT 4 33 68
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 2 5
AK 1 29 107
ML 0 9 22
PG 0 6 27
MK 0 0 1
UA 0 7 15
UB 0 2 9
UF 0 0 4
UE 0 0 0
UR 0 3 9
Total: 24 707 9994
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Observation start time: 09:15:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 6.75 hours
Official Counter: Brenda Tekin
Observers: Gordy Adamski
Visitors:
Dave Adams from Richmond, VA
Pete Aleksiewiczz from Kensington, MD
Weather:
Mild compared to past few days.
North wind in morning changed to more southerly-variable, 6-15 km/h.
Thankfully thin layers of cirrus clouds kept down the bright blue sky.
Temp (high): 18c
Humidity: 47% dropping to 31% between 2-3p.m. EST, then climbing back to
39% the following hour.
Observations:
The 27th season of counting migrating raptors at Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch
will officially end on November 23. It has been a fun season full of many
pleasant surprises, including an Anhinga observed by a number of
individuals on two different days, a flock of seven Sandhill Crane, large
numbers of Double-crested Cormorant including one flock of 150+ that flew
low directly over the observers heading due south, and an early season
record of Golden Eagle, a stunning close view of an adult on August 14. A
few totals to date: Bald Eagle - third highest count in a season with 40
including 7 on 9/23 setting the second single day record; Broad-winged
Hawk - 8,754; Osprey 155 including 33 on 9/28 setting third single day
record; American Kestrel - 107; Peregrine Falcon - an impressive 27; and
closing out the falcon is the Merlin with a record setting season of 22.
Today we were hoping to break the 10,000 mark for the season but fell
short by only four. Hopefully tomorrow!
Northern Goshawk, imm., 10:20 a.m. EST, provided closeup look.
The two Northern Harrier were both adult males, one at 11:04 a.m. EST and
2:36 p.m.
American Kestrel, an immature, came in so close a little below eye level,
we could see lovely facial markings without binoculars.
Gordy Adamski spotted out 40th Bald Eagle, a stunning adult, at 12:02 p.m.
EST that flew close in and low.
Northern Flicker - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 26
NO Monarch Butterfly
a possible Antlike Flower Beetle that was photographed and posted to web
site.
A sad looking Catydid missing one hind-leg.
Predictions:
chance of rain later on in the day
========================================================================
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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