Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 17, 2005
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 8 49 66
BE 0 3 17
NH 0 14 16
SS 19 64 79
CH 7 20 24
NG 0 0 0
RS 0 0 0
BW 181 1724 1908
RT 1 26 61
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 0 0
AK 20 44 47
ML 0 1 1
PG 0 0 0
UA 0 0 2
UB 0 3 10
UF 0 1 1
UE 0 0 0
UR 4 7 7
Total: 240 1956 2239
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 17:15:00
Total observation time: 9.25 hours
Official Counter: Gordy Adamski
Observers: Brenda Tekin, Gordy Adamski
Visitors:
Observers/helpers today included:
Robert Butler, Marlene Condon, Robert Plank, Nancy Davidson, Dave Hunter,
Donna Lewis, Ed Lewis, and Rose Thomas
Special greetings and thanks to Charlotte and Becca who visited the site
as part of a class project. They had an opportunity to not only observe
migrating hawks but to also spot some distant birds for us! We like to
think the Cooper's Hawk put on the special show just for them!
Weather:
Front pushed through last night producing isolated rain showers that
cleared out by morning. Brisk 25-35 km/h NW wind during morning pushed
clouds through and kept birds low. By 11 a.m.Standard Time, winds were
shifting more westerly bringing in low, gray clouds below the much higher
white cirrus puffs.
Temp: 22c>28c;
Humidity: 80% dropping to 32%
Bar.Pressure:1012>1013;
Cloud Cover: zero clouds then increasing to mostly cloud by 11 a.m. and
overcast at 1 p.m. Skies began to clear out with wind shift to out of the
west.
Raptor Observations:
First, here is web link to pics of a Cooper's Hawk that put on quite a
display for observers today.
http://home.ntelos.net/~btkin/rockfish_gap_hawk_watch/link_pages/Cooper%27sHawk_Gallery.htm
When the low dark clouds moved over the gap, the birds split going far out
over the piedmont to the east and to the west over the valley. As winds
diminished and clouds cleared overhead, the birds would track more
southward directly overhead, at times so high up they were microdots in
bright patches of blue sky. The kestrels, on the otherhand, seemed to
prefer the low ground and we had some wonderful, close-up views of many,
including three that came in together at eye level out over the old
skating rink. Several pairs noted today.
By late afternoon the skies were clear and birds were dropping lower but
still at neck-straining heights.
Definite highlight of the day was a stunning Cooper's Hawk that swooped,
sailed, cruised, and buzzed over, around and below the observers coming in
so close we probably could have tossed it treat. Just when we thought it
was finally heading south, a few minutes later it would pop up again for
another show.
First bird of the day, and number 2000th for the season, a Sharp-shinned
at 8:38.
BW flight today in standard time: 8-9:4; 9-10:1; 10-11:1; 11-12:27;
12-1:6; 1-2:45; 2-3:12; 3-4:47; 4-5:38
Non-raptor Observations:
Wild Turkey - 3 (probably same 3 observed earlier in the week);
Red-headed Woodpecker - 3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 6
Monarch Butterfly - 12
Predictions:
more sun and hopefully cooler temps.
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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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