[va-bird] HSR: Snickers Gap (26 Oct 2002) Raptor counts (total=59)

Snickers Gap Hawkwatch
20 Miles West of Leesburg, VA, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 26, 2002
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                0              0              0
Turkey Vulture               0              0              0
Osprey                       0             49            251
Bald Eagle                   1             39            124
Northern Harrier             8             81            129
Sharp-shinned Hawk          35            777           1218
Cooper's Hawk                1             98            164
Northern Goshawk             0              2              2
Red-shouldered Hawk          0             27             49
Broad-winged Hawk            0             30           3365
Red-tailed Hawk             12            201            258
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 0              6             12
American Kestrel             1             94            149
Merlin                       0             18             27
Peregrine Falcon             1             40             53
Unknown                      0             35             82

Total:                      59           1497           5883
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observation start time: 11:00:00 
Observation end   time: 16:00:00 
Total observation time: 5 hours

Site Coordinator: Jon Little

Observers:        BJ Westervelt, Ian Topolsky, Todd Day

Weather:
  From 8:00-11:00EST it was a waiting game. We had heavy fog that obscured
the treeline just across the road at some points but it WAS slowly
clearing. Skies finally opened up in the 11-12 o' clock hour giving us
partly cloudy skies for the rest of the day. Wind out of the West at 3,
increasingly lighter as the day went by. Temp 12-22C.

Observations:
  An interesting day, to say the least. When it looked like there should be
birds, there wasn't and when the clouds started closing in again late
afternoon, we had a little push. 



Predictions:
  George Wheaton and Ralph Wall stuck it out with us for a good amount of
time AFTER the conversation had turned to how the sky looked like the sky
in the opening credits of "The Simpsons". This = not alot of birds. 
========================================================================
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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