Harvey's Knob
Roanoke, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 08, 2008
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
Osprey 0 7 110
Bald Eagle 0 6 64
Northern Harrier 0 2 22
Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 59 174
Cooper's Hawk 0 9 41
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 7
Broad-winged Hawk 0 2 6252
Red-tailed Hawk 2 15 55
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 1
American Kestrel 0 14 43
Merlin 0 2 9
Peregrine Falcon 0 4 10
Unknown Accipiter 0 4 6
Unknown Buteo 0 0 0
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 3 8
Total: 2 127 6802
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 13:30:00
Total observation time: 5.5 hours
Official Counter: Bill Grant
Observers: David Kirk
Visitors:
VEHICLES DRIVING THROUGH THE KNOB TODAY FROM DELAWARE, FLORIDA, INDIANA,
ILLINOIS, LOUISIANA, MARYLAND, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH CAROLINA, OHIO,
SOUTH CAROLINA, TEXAS AND WEST VIRGINIA.
ONE HIKER MOVED THROUGH QUICKLY FROM SOUTH TO THE NORTH TRAIL.
FEWER MOTORCYCLES THAN IN PAST WEEKS.
Weather:
THE SITE SHOWED PROMISE WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED WITH THE SUN TRYING TO COME
THROUGH BUT WENT STEADILY DOWNHILL AFTER THAT. CLOUDS CAME OVER THE KNOB
FROM AROUND 8:15 UNTIL WELL AFTER 12:00 WHEN VISIBILITY CLEARED A LITTLE
BUT SOON GAVE WAY TO A STEADY RAIN BY 1:15. WINDS WERE STEADY ALL DAY FROM
THE SE WITH NO WIND BEING RECORDABLE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE KNOB DUE TO
THE STAND OF TREES TO THE EAST. THE OPENING ON THE EAST SIDE HOWEVER
PROVIDED WINDS RANGING FROM 1-3 BEAUFORT.
Raptor Observations:
TWO REDTAILS WERE COUNTABLE TODAY WITH THE FIRST COMING IN OVER THE WEST
SIDE OF THE KNOB AND FLYING JUST UNDER THE CLOUDS. DEFINITELY NOT A LOCAL
AS IT NEVER FLAPPED ITS WINGS AND FLEW STRAIGHT TO THE SOUTH AND OUT OF
SITE. IT APPEARED AT 10:44. THE OTHER ALSO CAME IN OVER THE WEST SIDE AT
12:17 PASSED TO THE SOUTH CAME BACK TOWARDS THE KNOB AND KITED FOR A FEW
MINUTES THEN TURNED SOUTH AGAIN AND WENT OUT OF SITE. OBSERVED THREE
OTHERS WHO WERE DEFINITELY LOCALS WORKING THE KNOB AND OCCASIONALY GOING
DOWN FOR SUSPECTED FOOD.
Non-raptor Observations:
HEARD A NUMBER OF NUTHATCHES, TOWHEES AND CARDINALS. THERE WERE TWO BLUE
JAYS WHO FLEW CONSTANTLY BACK AND FORTH JABBERING QUITE A BIT. ONLY ONE
TURKEY VULTURE WORKED THE KNOB FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT 20-30 MINUTES. AT
10:10 A GROUP OF 10 NORTHERN FLICKERS FLEW ABOUT OVER THE WEST SIDE OF THE
KNOB LANDING IN THE TREES THERE FOR GOOD LOOKS AND THEN EVENTUALLY THEY
FLEW NORTH OVER THE KNOB AND DISAPPEARED. ALSO HEARD AND SAW TWO PILEATED
WOODPECKERS.
Predictions:
NOT LOOKING GOOD FOR TOMORROW OR FRIDAY AND MAYBE PART OF THE DAY SATURDAY
WITH RAIN FORECAST FOR THE PERIOD.
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Report submitted by Bill Grant (clarinetman@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Harvey's Knob Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://bijame.googlepages.com/home
