[bcbirdclub] HSR: Mendota Fire Tower (28 Sep 2014) 196 Raptors

  • From: reports@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • To: bcbirdclub@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: 29 Sep 2014 09:09:35 -0400

Mendota Fire Tower
Mendota, VA, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 28, 2014
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                0              0              0
Turkey Vulture               0              0              0
Osprey                       0             11             11
Bald Eagle                   0             16             16
Northern Harrier             0              0              0
Sharp-shinned Hawk           1             12             12
Cooper's Hawk                1             18             18
Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
Red-shouldered Hawk          0              0              0
Broad-winged Hawk          194           4046           4046
Red-tailed Hawk              0             15             15
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
American Kestrel             0             15             15
Merlin                       0              2              2
Peregrine Falcon             0              4              4
Unknown Accipiter            0              2              2
Unknown Buteo                0              2              2
Unknown Falcon               0              2              2
Unknown Eagle                0              3              3
Unknown Raptor               0              2              2

Total:                     196           4150           4150
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observation start time: 08:15:00 
Observation end   time: 15:45:00 
Total observation time: 7.5 hours

Official Counter:        Jennifer Meade

Observers:        Susan Greear

Visitors:
Abigail Jantzi arrived with Jennifer and Susan at 9:45. She provided
valuable assistance in sighting hawks until approx 1:00 pm. Allen and  Josh
Alley arrived at approximately 12:30  pm and remained until approx 3:30
providing keen eyes and identification skills. Additional visitors during
the day were: Rusty and Kim Short, Holly and Luke Reed, Donna Linkous, Tina
Linkous, Joe and Sharon McClellan, Macy, Josey, and Lily.


Weather:
Weather began cool, light winds, and variable cloudiness and haze. Clouds
continued all day with an  approx 60-80% coverage of clouds from cirrus, to
cumulus, and altocumulus clouds. As the afternoon progressed, the clouds
thickened into altostratus type clouds  filling the sky to approx 90+%. 

Raptor Observations:
Steady flow of BW Hawks today with a  marked spike in activity from 1-3 pm.
During the 4 o'clock hour, the last 3 BWs of the  day were seen, very low,
flapping and down below eye level. They came  in very close to Clinch
Mountain in the low dip just  east of the tower with an Am Kestrel
harrasing them.  The  3 BWs passed beneath tower in the powerline  clearing
and appeared to go into the trees on south slope of Clinch Mountain just
west of tower at approx eye level. 

Non-raptor Observations:
A few Monarch butterflies fluttered past. During the 12 o'clock hour, a
flock of approx 20 geese were far to the east moving from  a north to south
direction... they were visible only with  binoculars 10X. 

Predictions:
Rain showers Monday and our reporting may be over if no one else has time
to help this week.
========================================================================
Report submitted by John D Whinery (Fall.Branch.Tn.Bird@xxxxxxxxx)


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