**
*Mendota Fire Tower Mendota, VA, Virginia, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep
20, 2017
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------
----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey
Vulture 0 0 0 Osprey 1 5 5 Bald Eagle 0 5 5 Northern Harrier 1 1 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 5 5 Cooper's Hawk 2 5 5 Northern Goshawk 1 2 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 1 1 Broad-winged Hawk 928 5410 5410 Red-tailed
Hawk 2 4 4 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 1
2 2 Merlin 0 1 1 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown
Buteo 0 1 1 Unknown Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0
0 Total: 939 5443 5443
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 17:30:00 Total
observation time: 3 hours Official Counter: Ron Harrington Observers:
Freddie Osborne, Jennifer Meade, Marian Finucane, Sam Evans Visitors:
Tracy Garrett and April Addington, Twin Springs HS, brought 16 students
from their Environmental Research Class. Dr. Tom Laughlin brought 14
students from his East Tennessee State University Vertebrae Zoology
Class to observe the migration.Others were David, Johnathan, and Dawn
Lugo, Jonesboro, TN; Dr. Steven Hopp, Emory and Henry College (who
helped for a while as an observer); Bill and Jane Vaughan; and Marion
Finucane who also helped as an observer. Marion's father was a regular
observer/compiler at the site for many years. Weather: Temperature
ranged from the low 50s to the mid 70s with partly to mostly cloudy
skies in the morning to partly cloudy to mostly sunny in the afternoon,
Wind was variable and very light to calm from the S/SW. Visibility was
10 miles with moderate haze. Raptor Observations: No hawks were seen
until around 9:50 when the thermals begin to form and birds started
moving. Height of the flights varied from below eye level to 12 O'clock
high and hawks were found on both sides of the ridge. An adult Northern
Goshawk was spotted overhead during the 10:00 hour and a Northern
Harrier was seen flying ahead of some vultures on the Northwest side a
few minutes before that. We had the usual local Turkey and Black
vultures. Non-raptor Observations: The Juncos that grace our presence
each year finally showed up; and a few Chimney Swifts were about. We
counted 32 Monarchs. Six Wild Turkey hens were seen on the way up the
tower road. Ravens were also calling in the distance. Predictions:
Should be another good day for hawk watching. Come on up and take in one
of the wonders of nature.
=====================================================================*
**
