Harvey's Knob
Roanoke, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 31, 2007
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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 51 188
Bald Eagle 0 23 68
Northern Harrier 0 26 45
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 542 757
Cooper's Hawk 0 67 130
Northern Goshawk 0 0 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 15 19
Broad-winged Hawk 0 23 9633
Red-tailed Hawk 5 319 416
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 6 6
American Kestrel 0 44 101
Merlin 0 13 20
Peregrine Falcon 0 16 22
Unknown Accipiter 0 1 2
Unknown Buteo 0 5 10
Unknown Falcon 0 0 2
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 11 19
Mississippi Kite 0 0 1
Total: 6 1162 11440
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Bill Grant
Observers:
Visitors:
VISITORS TODAY FROM TENNESSEE, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA, WEST VIRGINIA,
OHIO, NEW YORK, LOUISIANA, MINNESOTA, ALABAMA AND MARYLAND AND TWO CARS
FROM VA PARKED AT THE KNOB AND THE COUPLES TOOK OFF ON THE TRAIL NORTHWARD,
THE ONE COUPLE RETURNED JUST BEFORE I LEFT AND THE OTHER COUPLE WERE STILL
ON THE TRAIL.
Weather:
THE TEMPS TODAY RANGED FROM 6.9C AT 0800 EST TO 14.1 AT 1400 EST.
BAROMETRIC PRESSURE AT 0800 EST WAS 27.64 AND HAD DROPPED TO 27.53 AT
1400.
HUMIDITY AT 0800 WAS 68% DROPPING TO 47% AT 1400.
WINDS WERE MOSTLY OUT OF THE SW ALL DAY FROM 0-2 BEAUFORT.
VISIBILITY WAS THE BEST EVER FOR WEDNESDAY THIS YEAR AT 5+ WITH EVERYTHING
SHARP AND CLEAR, YOU COULD EVEN READ THE NAMES ON THE TRUCKS ON 81 WITH
BINS.
Raptor Observations:
FIRST BIRD ARRIVED AT 1118 EST, A SHARP-SHIN ON THE EAST SIDE AS WERE ALL
OF THE BIRDS TODAY. ALSO HAD A RED-TAIL DURING THE 1100 HOUR.
AT APPROXIMATELY 1223 THERE APPEARED FROM THE WOODS ON THE KNOB 4
RED-TAILS THAT CIRCLED AROUND THE AREA OF FLAT-TOP AND THE EAST SIDE BEFORE
RETURNING BACK IN THE WOODED AREA OF THE KNOB. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER ALL
4 APPEARED ONCE AGAIN WITH 2 RETURNING TO THE WOODED AREA AND THE OTHER 2
FLYING OVER TO THE EAST SIDE AND HEADING SOUTH. PERHAPS THE 2 THAT STAYED
ARE OPERATING A ROOST AND BREAKFAST OR EARLY LUNCH FACILITT THERE IN THE
WOODS, SINCE IT ALMOST LOOKED LIKE THE 2 THAT WENT SOUTH SAID GOODBYE AS
THEY LEFT.
Non-raptor Observations:
ONLY OTHER BIRDS FLYING TODAY OF SIZE WERE THE TWO RAVENS, TWO TURKEY
VULTURES AND TWO BLACK VULTURES BUT THEY EVEN GAVE IT UP AS 1500 HOURS
APPROACHED. I STAYED ON SITE UNTIL 1600 HRS EST, BUT AFTER HAVING NO
COUNTABLE BIRDS DURING THE LAST HOUR I GAVE IT UP.
Predictions:
Wind
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Report submitted by Bill James (bijam@xxxxxxx)
Harvey's Knob Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://bijame.googlepages.com/home
