Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 22, 2003
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 4 56 62
BE 0 13 18
NH 0 6 6
SS 9 55 61
CH 1 19 20
NG 0 2 2
RS 0 1 1
BW 2263 5550 5603
RT 0 21 26
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 0 1
AK 1 22 27
ML 0 4 5
PG 0 8 8
MK 0 0 1
UA 0 5 6
UB 0 3 4
UF 0 1 1
UE 0 0 0
UR 0 5 5
Total: 2278 5771 5857
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Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 14:00:00
Total observation time: 5 hours
Official Counter: Brenda Tekin
Observers: Brenda Tekin, Gordy Adamski
Weather:
Wind out of West 9-12 mph
Temp: 17.5C
Overcast with sporadic light rain
Bar.Pressure: 1017
Low clouds and fog
Note: Heavy rains moved into the region by late afternoon and continued
throughout most of the night; wind remained consistent out of the west.
Observations:
With a late afternoon push of Broad-wing the day before, there was a good
possibility more were waiting for a break in the weather.
Gordy Adamski was scheduled to man the count but with threat of rain and
fact he lives over 35 miles away, I wasn't expecting him to head up to the
mountain. He in fact made it up but left around 10 a.m. (EST) when light
rain began to fall.
From my office computer I periodically checked the Afton Mountain video
cam although cam was now pointing to the exit ramp instead of I-64, no
doubt repositioned by
Isabel. Around 10:45 EST there didn't appear to be any fog. Seemed like a
good time to go on an extended lunch hour to take care of a few errands.
I made it up by 11:15 (EST). Low clouds just above the ridges and few
raindrops. Instead of viewing from the patio of The Inn at Afton, I
parked in the overlook parking lot.
Approximately 10 minutes later, the valley floor over Waynesboro filled
with birds, most Broad-wing. All below eye level, the majority of them
were really pumping. The first wave yielded over 1,000 (1,093)in less
than 15 minutes. Several smaller waves followed including three decent
groups (226, 334, 288). By 11:56 a.m. (EST) thirty minutes later, well
over 2000 had been tallied plus 4 Osprey, handful of accipiters and one
Kestrel. Then the sky fell and you couldn't see across the interstate;
then it began to rain in earnest.
Predictions:
I suspect there are still quite a few birds just to the north of us that
settled down to ride out the approaching cold front. If weather clears by
morning, chances are we'll have a good early flight.
========================================================================
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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