Snickers Gap Hawkwatch
Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 09, 2004
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
Osprey 9 24 42
Bald Eagle 3 20 27
Northern Harrier 2 9 11
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 27 32
Cooper's Hawk 2 12 24
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 2 2
Broad-winged Hawk 4 115 225
Red-tailed Hawk 2 13 27
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 1 9 13
Merlin 0 3 3
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown 2 4 4
Total: 29 238 410
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Observation start time: 08:30:00
Observation end time: 15:30:00
Total observation time: 6.5 hours
Official Counter: Linda Millington and Dorothy Tella
Observers: Ian Topolsky, Lad Topolsky
Weather:
Leftovers from Frances gave us an interesting weather day. Initially
Winds were out of the South at a persistent 2 on the Beaufort Scale. Skies
were dark and grumpy, with a very low ceiling of 100% Cloudcover.
Within 25 minutes, we had clear blue skies ( 5%CC ), before a change in
wind (to W) and the emergence of a conveyer belt of menacing, yet
georgeous cloud walls started to march in- bringing us back to 100% CC by
close.
Observations:
Bald Eagle breakdown: 2 ad, 1 first yr.
Osprey: we were on track for double-digit Osprey, but they shut down on
us early ( 9 total ). None packing a lunch.
Predictions:
Will tomorrow bring us a great many joys (adapted from a old fortune
cookie that was laying around) ???
" IT IS CERTAIN "- The Eightball has spoken.
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Report submitted by Ian Topolsky (ict_earth@xxxxxxxxx)
Snickers Gap Hawkwatch was established in 1990. It is located in
northern Virginia, on the Clarke and Loudoun County line. It is reached
by taking VA Route 7 to the county line, which runs atop the ridge at
Snickers Gap. On the south side of Route 7 is a commuter parking lot.
The count is conducted from there. It is a volunteer site, and is counted
in fall only, from late August until late November or early December.
There are no facilities at the site, so bring a snack, drinks, and a
chair. Many of the birds can be distant, and a scope is helpful.
As a volunteer site, we are always looking to increase our pool of
counters. We are eager to train those who have never counted, but are
skilled with hawk identification. We are also willing to pair
inexperienced observers with experienced counters. Please contact the
compiler, Todd Day, at blkvulture@xxxxxxx with any questions or if you are
interested in participating in the count.
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