Harvey's Knob
Roanoke, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 28, 2009
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
Osprey 0 14 188
Bald Eagle 0 19 74
Northern Harrier 0 4 16
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 307 514
Cooper's Hawk 1 67 95
Northern Goshawk 0 1 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 18 22
Broad-winged Hawk 0 50 8195
Red-tailed Hawk 16 78 137
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 1 33 66
Merlin 0 6 12
Peregrine Falcon 0 4 16
Unknown Accipiter 0 1 3
Unknown Buteo 0 2 4
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 1 1
Unknown Raptor 0 1 2
Total: 21 606 9346
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Bill Grant
Observers:
Visitors:
Cars into the knob today from Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia,
Lousiana, Maine, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York,
Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin and
Wyoming. Also a car from Ontario, Canada.
A lot of traffic today on the parkway but very few motorcycles and RV's.
Weather:
Valley on both sides covered by clouds upon arrival but mountaintops were
clear as a bell and visibility from halfway up most mountains was superior.
All the clouds had lifted from the valley by 10:30. Temps were moderate
but the wind was blowing from 9-16.8 mph day long. Due to the wind the
cloud cover was variable all day as the clouds moved quickly from west to
east.
Raptor Observations:
Redtails were the bird of the day with the first bird appearing at 10:24
EST. In addition to the migrating redtails, as many as four locals were
kiting at one time and around 11:30 EST the two ravens hassled on of the
migrating ones, causing it to beat a hasty path to the south.
Non-raptor Observations:
A pair of pileated woodpeckers flew across in front of near ridge at 9:18
EST and the sun shining on them was spectacular. There were also several
flocks of unidentified small birds moving south but they were too far away
to make identification.
Predictions:
According to the forecast weather should be good but with ESE winds
forecast most birds should be on the east side. Good Luck tomorrow.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Bill Grant (clarinetman@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Harvey's Knob Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://bijame.googlepages.com/home
