Report from Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, Waynesboro, VA - 9/22/03
Home computer connection is down again so I couldn't get this posted before
now. Official tally will be posted to HawkCount once home computer is back
up and running.
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. I learned this morning he in fact made it up but left around 11
a.m. (EDST) when light rain began to fall.
In checking the Afton Mountain video cam from my office, although cam was
now pointing to the exit ramp instead of I-64, no doubt repositioned by
Isabel, around 11:45 EDST 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 12:15 p.m. (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.
With approach of strong front, wind was out of the west at 9-15 mph. Temp
64 degrees Fahrenheit.
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 in less than 15
minutes. By 12:56 p.m. (11:56 a.m. EST) well over 2000 had been tallied
that included 4 Osprey and 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.
I suspect there are still quite a few birds just to the north of us that
settled down to ride the approaching cold front. Quite possibly a decent
liftoff this morning.
(Note: Heavy rains moved into the region by late afternoon and continued
throughout most of the night; wind remained consistent out of the
west. Clearing is from the west and ridge is now clear! Wind remains out
of the west!)
Brenda Tekin, Co-coordinator
Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch
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