Mendota Fire Tower
Mendota, VA, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 30, 2019
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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 0 7 7
Bald Eagle 1 21 21
Northern Harrier 0 1 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 18 18
Cooper's Hawk 0 5 5
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 2 2
Broad-winged Hawk 7 4993 4993
Red-tailed Hawk 0 5 5
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 2 2
American Kestrel 0 1 1
Merlin 0 1 1
Peregrine Falcon 0 3 3
Unknown Accipiter 1 5 5
Unknown Buteo 0 0 0
Unknown Falcon 0 2 2
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 1 1
Total: 9 5067 5067
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 11:15:00
Total observation time: 3.25 hours
Official Counter: Ron Harrington
Observers:
Visitors:
None.
Weather:
The day started off mostly sunny with a moderate breeze out of the S/SW
estimated at 10-15 mph, temperature 70. It was mostly sunny early but
clouds built as the morning progress and it was mostly cloudy when I left,
temperature 82. The wind slacked off until 11:00, then picked up speed
again, changing into the SE. Visibility was good with little haze.
Raptor Observations:
The first Broad-winged hawks came by at 10:34, easily seen with the naked
eyes at about straight overhead. They stayed on the same track on the
east/southeast side of the mountain throughout. All seven broad-winged
hawks and the bald eagle (Immature) were seen during the last 30 minutes of
the 10:00 hour.
Non-raptor Observations:
Saw an unidentified accipiter chasing a Pileated WP through the thick
timber. Apparently the woodpecker got away, but it was making a big fuss.
(If given a chance, Nature can always be interesting and entertaining).
Other birds seen or heard include blue jay, Yellow-shafted N. flicker,
raven, red-bellied WP, turkey and black vultures, and a scarlet tanager.
Had one monarch butterfly.
Predictions:
End of Mendota Fire Tower Hawk Count for this year. Thanks again all the
folks who helped and made it possible to continue. You helped to keep the
tradition alive and gather data that may help conserve and protect our
raptors!
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Report submitted by Ronald Eugene Harrington (roneharrin@xxxxxxx)
More site information at hawkcount.org:
http://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=706
