Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA
Daily Raptor Counts: Aug 25, 2002
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Species Day's Count Month Total YTD Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV 0 0 0
TV 2 3 3
OS 0 1 1
BE 0 0 0
NH 0 0 0
SS 3 9 9
CH 4 8 8
NG 0 0 0
RS 0 0 0
BW 0 2 2
RT 2 4 4
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 0 0
AK 0 3 3
ML 0 0 0
PG 1 1 1
UA 1 1 1
UB 0 0 0
UF 0 1 1
UE 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0
Total: 13 33 33
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Site Coordinator: Brenda Tekin
Observers: Brenda Tekin, Gordy Adamski
Weather:
Wind Speed: 1-5 km/h increasing to 11-13
Wind Direction: Variable. At times, mid-level winds clearly coming out
of NW with ground level at SE. It was interesting watching clouds passing
each other throughout the day.
Hi Temperature: 29.5c
Humidity: 63% dropping down to 38%
Bar.Pressure: 1011 dropping to 1008 with advance of weather system that
hopefully will bring rain.
Cloud Cover: 0-15% increasing to overcast by end of watch.
Special Note: We are in a severe drought and things continue to look very
grim with no measurable rainfall in the near future. East of the Blue
Ridge in surrounding counties, local authorities have enacted water
restrictions. Our main resevoir is down to 70% and continues to drop.
Observations:
Our first double-digit day!
Season's first Peregrine Falcon at 1:18 p.m. EST. First spotted to east
little past Rose-of-Sharon Bush not too high up from top of bush. Slowly
gliding with long pointed wings slightly angled back and NO DOUBT it was a
falcon. It continued heading toward gap in a more NW direction but then
as it reached eastern slope close to cut-through area, it began to make
slow wide circles and gaining altitude. Watched it with scope for at
least 2-3 minutes, maybe longer. It never flapped and just lazily circled
as it continued to utilize ridge lift. I soon realized I would have a
difficult time spotting with binoculars, it was that high up. It finally
started gliding South following top of ridge. Never did I see it flap
it's wings and even in a steady breeze it was rock steady.
Dark-morphed Red-Tail: At 11:50 a.m. est, 2 RT were first spotted by
Gordy Adamski, high over twin trees on north side of gap, approximately
2.5-3 glasses up from top of trees. They circled together and came across
gap toward NE corner of building. First RT, an adult, had a noticeably
dark wide belly band. The second, observing the underside, we could
detect the rufous tail. If not for the rufous tail and the fact it was
close to size of the adult RT, I would have thought I was looking at a
dark-phased Rough-legged. The effect of silvery "fingers" against the
very dark solid underside of wings was like that of a Turkey Vulture. The
two remained together heading SW.
Two Cooper's were observed for several minutes in an incredible aerial
display, with diving, stooping, and turns. A SS appeared and decided to
have a go at it and before you know it there was a free-for-all before one
Cooper's took off across the gap later followed by the two SS. A second
Cooper's was observed crossing a short time later.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 8 (including 1 first year male with small red
dot in center neck.
Monarch Butterfly - 5
Robber Flies
Black Saddlebag
Predictions:
Rain is in the forecast for next several days.
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Report submitted by 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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