Kiptopeke Hawkwatch
Tip of Virginia's Eastern Shore, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 04, 2011
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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 68 449 1608
Bald Eagle 3 22 140
Northern Harrier 15 68 206
Sharp-shinned Hawk 240 727 4868
Cooper's Hawk 53 194 862
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 1
Broad-winged Hawk 214 294 590
Red-tailed Hawk 2 7 52
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 1
American Kestrel 194 573 2625
Merlin 33 123 830
Peregrine Falcon 20 68 381
Unknown Accipiter 0 1 15
Unknown Buteo 0 0 1
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Falcon 0 6 14
Unknown Raptor 4 6 25
Swainson's Hawk 0 0 1
Total: 846 2538 12220
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Observation start time: 06:45:00
Observation end time: 17:45:00
Total observation time: 11 hours
Official Counter: Kyle Wright
Observers:
Weather:
Light and moderate northwest winds as a stubborn low persists over New
England and a high tries to push in from the upper Ohio River Valley. Skies
were a bit too blue for the likings of this hawkwatcher.
Raptor Observations:
Non-raptor Observations:
Best day of the season yet for Monarchs, with 44 tallied. First two Common
Loons of the season seen in the morning. A decent Warbler flight in the
morning, with (in no particular order) Yellow, Wilsons, Nashville,
Black-throated Blue, Blackpoll, Palm, Cape May, Black-and-white, Magnolia,
and Tennessee seen, in addition to American Redstart and Common
Yellowthroat. At least a half dozen each of Red-eyed Vireo and
Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Also the first day more than one Eastern Pheobe was
noted, and at least three Brown Thrashers were seen. Over a dozen each of
Blue Grosbeak and Indigo Bunting, six southbound Great Blue Herrons, and
one Common Nighthawk. Northern Flickers were counted in both directions
between 6:45 and seven, then hourly until one bird time. Northbound totals
were 46, 99, 19, 9, 5, 1, & 1, while southbound totals for the same time
intervals were 2, 10, 7, 6, 21, 11, and 3. A good day for all woodpeckers,
with Red-headed, Red-bellied, Pileated, Hairy, Downey, and Yellow-bellied
Sapsucker noted. A few small flocks of icterids in the morning, totaling
less than 1,000 birds, and lastly, about 4,000 Tree Swallows noted headed
south, mostly in the afternoon and mostly well east of the platform, with
at least 3 Rough-winged Swallows also pulled out of the groups.
Predictions:
There was mumbling amongst the minions that tommorrow would be "the day". I
can't say that I would put any money on that bet, but with north winds
predicted for tommorrow and northeast winds predicted for thursday, I would
venture that there's a decent chance for both days tallying at least four
digits worth of migrating raptors.
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Report submitted by Brian Taber (Taberzz@xxxxxxx)
Kiptopeke State Park information may be found at:
www.cvwo.org
