Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 12, 2003
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 2 23 149
BE 0 5 37
NH 4 12 29
SS 43 185 385
CH 15 40 88
NG 1 1 4
RS 0 1 5
BW 0 72 8753
RT 2 6 41
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 0 3
AK 15 24 102
ML 4 7 20
PG 1 4 25
MK 0 0 1
UA 1 6 14
UB 0 0 7
UF 0 0 4
UE 0 0 0
UR 1 3 9
Total: 89 389 9676
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Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:45:00
Total observation time: 7.75 hours
Official Counter: Brenda Tekin
Observers: Gordy Adamski
Visitors:
Pat Alther
Andrew & Jacqueline Clem
John Pitts
Nancy Davidson
Bonnie Sexton
Weather:
First, note about Saturday, Oct. 11 - no coverage due to low clouds that
persisted up and down the ridge throughout the day. So thick, it appeared
as haze. Approaching ridge from east and west, could clearly see the low,
thick clouds. Found 4 Killdeer in parking lot which were gone by Sunday
morning.
Sunday, arrived by 7:30 a.m. EST and ridge was completely socked in with
low clouds/fog and NW wind between 5-10 mph. Fog/clouds moved out by 9
a.m. EST.
Wind shifted to more WSW by late morning and then changing back to N by
late afternoon.
Once fog cleared what few clouds quickly disappeared to a bright, brutal
sky making it difficult spot birds. Once spotted, they quickly would
disappear in either the bright blue or patches of thick haze.
Thankfully clouds began to appear to out north but then they increased to
overcast by 3 p.m. EST.
Temp: High: 22.5% (Things heated up today, temperature wise.)
Humidity: 66%
Observations:
Today we had a decent accipter and falcon day.
A big surprise were the three Merlin, one maybe one minute ahead of two
others that flew in together.
Peregrine at 9:25 a.m., and first of four Merlin at 9:26 a.m. EST.
Northern Goshawk was first spotted by Andrew Clem at 10:07 a.m. EST. This
bird came in from western side of ridge, low. First observed flapping and
with long wings and tail and large size gave it appearance of Northern
Harrier. It came in close crossing through gap, pulled in wings and
sailed in front of us below eye level, affording great views of this imm.
goshawk!
Many, many birds, with so many going unidentified. Pat Alther and I tried
fog birding but with steady cool breeze and very thick low fog, birds
remained tucked down.
Lots of kinglets, both Ruby- and Golden-Crowned (seen & heard)
White-throated Sparrow - several heard
Eastern Towhee - 3
Winter Wren - 1
Black-throated Green Warbler - 4 (seen)
Magnolia Warbler - 1 (seen)
Pine Warbler - 3(seen)
Yellow-rumped Warbler - several seen throughout day
Blue Jay - many! At least 66 observed crossing over
Northern Flicker - loads! At least 87 seen crossing over
Red-headed Woodpecker - one adult picked up by Andrew Clem
Downy Woodpecker - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker- 4
Cedar Waxwing - several small flocks and single birds
Gray Catbird - 1
Chimney Swift - 4 (3 in one group early afternoon)
Tree Swallow - 6
Monarch Butterfly - 58+
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Report submitted by Brenda Tekin (bt8x@xxxxxxxxxxxx)
Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA information may be found at:
http://home.ntelos.net/~btkin/rockfish_gap_hawk_watch
***Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA - Established 1976***
The Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch is held on the grounds of the Inn at Afton, located
on the southern side of Rockfish Gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains, just above
where I-64 (exit 99) intersects with the southern end of the Skyline Drive and
the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway, just east of Waynesboro, VA and
approximately 22 miles west of Charlottesville, VA.
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