[va-bird] Kiptopeke 9/27-10/12 part 2

Kiptopeke State Park, Virginia, September 27 - October 12, 2003.

Part 2.

Sat., Oct. 4.  Today I led 2 more ESVBF trips from Willis Wharf, these
going all the way out to Great Machipongo Inlet, between Hog and Cobb
islands.  Unfortunately I missed the great peregrine flight today, although
the afternoon boat trip did have 5.  From 'the Safari' we saw 200 Willets,
22 Marbled Godwits, 220 Black-bellied Plovers, the season's first Brant, 19
of them, 29 pintails and 1 Black Scoter plus a spectacular chase of a small
shorebird by a Merlin.  On the south end of Hog Island, a magnificent
wilderness setting, were 2 peregrines resting on the sand eyeing groups of
shorebirds roosting nearby plus 2 Sandwich Terns.  In the distance c. 5
miles away through binoculars one could see that the old 1880-era
livesaving station on the s. end of Cobb Island had survived yet another
hurricane.  Hawkwatch totals.  Peregrine Falcon 79.  Merlin 19.  American
Kestrel 5.  Osprey 11.  Northern Harrier 1.  Cooper's Hawk 3. 
Sharp-shinned Hawk 25.  Red-tailed Hawk 2.  Broad-winged Hawk 9.  Black
Vulture 8.  TOTAL:  162.  What is remarkable is that peregrines comprised
half of all hawks seen today and that the runner up, sharpies with 25, were
< one third the peregrine total.  This sort of thing happens occasionally
here, especially on SW winds.    So far this fall 183 raptors have been
banded at K.S.P. including 83 Merlins (most numerous banded species) and 5
peregrines.  Dinner at Jerri and Bobby Howe's K.S.P. campsite, her annual
chili fest for CVWO staff, volunteers and other friends, the feeding of the
multitudes.  The Steilkies are also on hand. 

Sun., Oct. 5.  Breakfast with the Dillards, Bettye Field, and John Bazuin
at Sting-Ray's, where I meet Jerry Uhlman for the first time.  1 hr. at the
nets, 8 hrs. at the hawkwatch.  Last day of the ESVBF, a good time for me
to use my food chits, an informal lunch (crabcake sandwiches) with Ruth
Boettcher, Dave Summers and his assistant Joey.  I am sorry Dave will be
leaving K.S.P. but happy he got a promotion.  As K.S.P. superintendent he
did countless favors for birders, as did Cameron Barnas, who left in
September for False Cape S.P.  A day of much hobnobbing at the ESVBF and on
the hawkwatch platform with Greg Dodge, Bill & Lee, Bob Ake and many
others.  Nice to meet and talk to Kevin Karlson, who George has birded with
several times on the Cape May Christmas count.  Kevin brought his huge
camera rig to the platform, which resembles somewhat the Stanley Cup turned
on edge and mounted on a tripod.  It weighs 25 pounds.  Jethro bands a
Connecticut Warbler.  Dinner with Bob Ake at Sting-Ray's.  Today Mike
Stinson and family saw 53 imm. White Ibis at the end of Magotha Rd. 
Earlier on Sep. 27 Bob Ake saw 75 at ESVNWR at Ramp Lane.  Peregrine Falcon
8.  Merlin 27.  American Kestrel 43.  Osprey 10.  Bald Eagle 1.  Northern
Harrier 14.  Cooper's Hawk 25.  Sharp-shinned Hawk 99.  Red-tailed Hawk 2. 
Broad-winged Hawk 8.  Black Vulture 4.  TOTAL:  241.  Monarch 20.  The
frustration is starting to build.  So far I have not been present for a big
hawk flight.       

Mon., Oct. 6.  Good day at the hawkwatch.  Peregrine Falcon 24.  Merlin 52.
 American Kestrel 113.  Osprey 126.  Bald Eagle 4.  Northern Harrier 32. 
Cooper's Hawk 49.  Sharp-shinned Hawk 159.  Red-tailed Hawk 2. 
Broad-winged Hawk 119.  Turkey Vulture 1.  Black Vulture 6.  TOTAL:  687,
with season highs so far for Osprey, Cooper's and harrier.  Monarch 77.  A
male kestrel harassed 2 Merlins and prevailed at its preferred perch on a
dead tree.  Bob Ake and I check out the butterfly garden at K.S.P. and find
a Long-tailed Skipper, Pearl Crescents, 2 Clouded Skippers, lots of
Buckeyes, and 2 Fence Lizards.  In the "Merlin Tree" a Blue-gray
Gnatcatcher harasses, somewhat, a Merlin perched there to our (and
presumably the Merlin's) astonishment.  A flock of 15 Great Blue Herons,
one with a broken right leg dangling down as it flies over and also a
missing left primary feather.  An excellent evening flight of raptors.  Bob
Ake treats me to lunch, Bill and Lee to dinner.  Most meals at Sting-Ray's
I have broiled Sea Trout, broiled Rockfish less often.   

Tue., Oct. 7.  A Northern Harrier crosses the platform at 7:33 A.M. after
having flown through a rainbow to the north.  65 Brown Pelicans.  Eric
captures an imm. male harrier which is released at the platform.  Dinner
with Zach, Tom Carrolan, and Marty Daniels at Sting-Ray's.  Ian & Hazel
McAllister and David & Ursula Goodine are at the platform.  Good flight
today, to say the least.  Peregrine Falcon 66.  Merlin 78.  American
Kestrel 132.  Osprey 119.  Bald Eagle 6.  Northern Harrier 35.  Cooper's
Hawk 97.  Sharp-shinned Hawk 437.  Red-tailed Hawk 8.  Broad-winged Hawk
448.  Turkey Vulture 3.  Black Vulture 2.  TOTAL:  1,431.  Monarch 7.  Liz
arrives at  9:30 P.M.

Wed., Oct. 8.  Spend 8 hours on the platform.  Marty spends the day hawk
trapping with Zach at Wise Point, where they catch 3 peregrines.  I am in
the blind briefly with Eric when an imm. male peregrine is captured and
then released in front of visitors at the platform.  Liz and I have dinner
with Bob and Joyce Ake in their charming Norfolk home.  Peregrine Falcon
49.  Merlin 57.  American Kestrel 111.  Osprey 146.  Bald Eagle 2. 
Northern Harrier 20.  Cooper's Hawk 79.  Sharp-shinned Hawk 318. 
Red-tailed Hawk 8.  Broad-winged Hawk 81.  Turkey Vulture 19.  Black
Vulture 12.  TOTAL:  902.  Monarch 54.    

Thu., Oct. 9.  A good hawk trapping day with 20 caught at Wise Point, 31 at
K.S.P.  Hal Wierenga and Lynn Davidson arrive, fresh from adventures and
seeing hundreds of thousands of raptors at Vera Cruz.  57 Great Blue Herons
at dusk.  4 late Barn Swallows.  My notes are incomplete but I think this
is the day Bob Ake relieved Jen as hawk counter, giving her a much needed
day off.  If I remember there were 2 consecutive hours when we counted > 60
Cooper's Hawks each hour.  Best hawk flight of the year today.    Peregrine
Falcon 47.  Merlin 33.  American Kestrel 198.  Osprey 68.  Bald Eagle 4. 
Northern Harrier 29.  Cooper's Hawk 263.  Sharp-shinned Hawk 673. 
Red-tailed Hawk 10.  Broad-winged Hawk 117.  Turkey Vulture 2.  Black
Vulture 27.  TOTAL:  1,471. 

Fri., Oct. 10.  Liz and I spend the morning with Zach at the William & Mary
Wise Point blind, catching 4 hawks before the rains begin: 2 Cooper's, a
sharpie and a Merlin.  Today there is a huge migration of Myrtle Warblers
there, an imm. White Ibis, and 7 rough-winged swallows.  In the P.M. Hal,
Lynn, Liz and I visit Thelma Peterson in her charming studio in Cheriton,
where we make some purchases of prints and china.  We stop briefly at
Oyster then head out to the CBBT in the NE wind, gray gloom, and drizzle. 
On the CBBT we see 7 peregrines, a Common Eider at Island 4, 2 Sandwich and
40 Caspian Terns, 145 Brown Pelicans, 1 Surf and 2 Black scoters.  The
hawkwatch operated until noon, finding:  Peregrine Falcon 8.  Merlin 16. 
American Kestrel 31.  Osprey 32.  Northern Harrier 38.  Cooper's Hawk 14. 
Sharp-shinned Hawk 85.  Red-tailed Hawk 1.  TOTAL:  225.  Monarch 1.   

Sat., Oct. 11.  Flocks of 20, 1 & 9 Great Blue Herons.  Much human activity
on the hawkwatch, as busy as during the festival, with visits by the
Hampton Roads and Eastern Shore of Virginia bird clubs as well as the
Audubon Naturalist Society (latter group led by Hal & Lynn).  Gerri Howe
brings over a Cape May Warbler Jethro has banded.  On the platform are
Quincy Dix, Ned Brinkley, Alec Humann, Steve Hairfield, Bernie and Janie
Schaaf, Ed Dewars, Tom Carrolan, Hal & Lynn et al.  At dusk Hal & Lynn's
group witnesses the impressive dusk roosting of thousands of Tree Swallows
at Oyster in which they funnel rapidly, flying straight down at full speed,
into the Phragmites c. 20 minutes after sunset within the space of a minute
or so.  Hal & Lynn also see a Yellow-crowned Night Heron there.  Peregrine
Falcon 1.  Merlin 22.  American Kestrel 6.  Osprey 69.  Northern Harrier
25.  Cooper's Hawk 15.  Sharp-shinned Hawk 10.  Red-tailed Hawk 2.  TOTAL: 
150.

Best to all.-Harry Armistead, 523 E. Durham St., Philadelphia, PA
19119-1225.  215-248-4120.  Please, any off-list replies to: 
harryarmistead at hotmail dot com
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