Arrived by 4:45 p.m. EST to hold vigil for possible flight of Common
Nighthawk.
Very pleasant evenng with slight breeze out of the NW, 0-25% cloud cover but
no haze or fog with crystal clear visibility for miles.
Several late migrants including two high sailing Osprey before the sky began
to fill up with Chimey Swift heading east to west over the gap. At times
the sky was peppered with swifts, occassionally joined by a few Tree
Swallow. Thousands moved through between 5:00 - 7 p.m. EST. Even the
hummingbirds were pushing through with 6 counted along with 7 Monarch
Butterfly during the early evening hours.. Conditions were right for a good
CONI flight.
The first CONI headed west over the gap at 5:43 p.m. EST. A few more single
birds and then the first flock of 24 flew over at 5:53. There were several
small groups of 5-8 at a time. At approximately 6:25 p.m. EST, looking to
the east below eye level a specutacular sight of dark swirling mass of CONI.
They began streaming crossd over the gap in two groups (161 plus 33) heading
west at 6:29 p.m. I telephoned volunteer counter Bill Gallagher who lives
at base of Afton Mountain to alert him to the CONI swirling over is house.
Another very impressive and much larger swirling mass over the same area
consisting of 331 followed the same track heading west over the gap at 6:48.
Several small groups were seen streaming southward further to the east. I
was able to count a total of 821 CONI tonight.
Best of all was seeing the glint in the eyes of a few low-flying CONI as
they headed west into the setting sunset. Stunning!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Brenda Tekin
Charlottesville, VA
"Leave behind what you find; if you must take something, take pictures."
Digital Photography, including Birds of Virginia:
http://www.birdsofvirginia.com
