Hello all
We are still trying to get as many days covered as possible at the
Mendota, Va fire tower <http://www.mountainempirebirds.net/hawkcount/>
during the Broad-winged Hawk migration. We have volunteers for Sunday
September 13th and Wednesday September 16 through the end of the
migration around October 1st but of course would appreciate helpers any
time. We would like to start earlier in September but know everyone has
limited time to help and are concentrating on the statistical major days
until we can get additional help. This makes us realize what an
incredible job Tom Hunter has done for the last several years, manning
almost every day of September.
We still would like a lead counter on Saturday 9/12 and Monday 14th and
Tuesday 15th. I have bought a portable weather station we can share to
make on site readings each hour of the count. I'll be uploading our
observations nightly to Hawkcount.org.
I will be monitoring the 2 main counting locations upstream of Mendota,
Rock Fish Gap and Harvey's Knob, so if the migration is early we can
adjust. If anyone is interested in the migration but isn't up to the
hike to Mendota tower they should make the drive to Harvey's Knob. It is
right on the Blue Ridge Parkway along a pull off at mile marker 95.3
<http://www.virtualblueridge.com/parkway-place/harveys-knob-overlook/>.
Just get out of your car, open you lawn chair and watch. There are often
a couple dozen or more birders there each day. Even have a Saturday
morning cookout making the place a spectacular social place to bird, and
overflowing the parking that day. I'm planning on going up there for a
couple of days between my scheduled counting days at Mendota.
Please let me know if you can help.
--
John Whinery
Fall Branch, Tn
Greene County
