Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 16, 2006
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 5 54 60
BE 7 33 33
NH 0 9 11
SS 31 84 90
CH 9 14 16
NG 0 0 0
RS 0 1 1
BW 268 3780 3811
RT 4 18 23
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 0 0
AK 9 23 24
ML 1 3 3
PG 0 5 5
UA 0 0 0
UB 1 4 4
UF 0 0 0
UE 1 1 1
UR 0 2 2
Total: 336 4031 4084
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Observation start time: 07:30:00
Observation end time: 17:00:00
Total observation time: 9.5 hours
Official Counter: Brenda Tekin
Observers:
Visitors:
Several observers and visitors:
William Leigh, Pat Alther, Gordy Adamski and Betty, Dave Hunter, Marlene
Condon, Robert Butler, Donna Lewis, Pat Alther, Allen Larner
A special THANKS to William, Pat and Gordy for assisting in cutting back
the overgrown hedges. A job well done!
Weather:
Fog early am pushed up over ridge from valley to west on NW wind 20-28km/h.
By 9 a.m. few birds were seen lifting up and then the low clouds moved in
and kept moving in throughout most of the day. We figure good flights
were going up and over the low clouds early on. SOooooo frustrating. By
11 am (EST) a large dark band moved over the ridge, spreading out over the
piedmont (Rockfish Valley) to the east where it would break. The cloud
coverage extended upward and we discovered BW were dropping trying to
skirt around the advancing clouds out over to the east heading south.
Small kettles of 15-25 birds at a time were located but then threat of
rain from increasing dark clouds pretty much shut things down for several
hours. By 3:30 clouds were breaking up with blue skies above but hope for
late afternoon flight never materialized.
Wind out of the NW persisted throughout the day, diminishing to 12-15km/h.
Fog am, overcast and light rain thrown in for good measure. Temp: 18c
increasing to 21 for a high.; Humidity: never got below 71%;
Raptor Observations:
Best hour of day for BW was between 12-1 (EST) when birds began to drop
under large dark clouds. A total of 161 counted in that hour and quickly
tapered off. A good showing of Sharp-shinned spread across the day.
Although we didn't come close to yesterday's record setting Bald Eagle
flight, there are no complaints with the 7 for the day, giving us 25 in
two days! 12:23-2 adults; 1:48-imm; 2:21(2)-adult&juv; 2:35(2)-adult&juv.
Non-raptor Observations:
Monarch - numbers dropped substantially after yeserday's
not-soon-to-be-forgotten record-setting flight.
A black bear was struck and killed on I-64 on approach to top of Afton
sometime overnight.
Red-headed Woodpecker - 5 - (2 adult pairs)
Hummingbird - 6
Predictions:
Hopefully more sun and lot less clouds and please, not fog!
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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
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