Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 06, 2010
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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 13 21 41
Bald Eagle 4 5 18
Northern Harrier 0 1 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 5 21
Cooper's Hawk 0 7 11
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 19 62 114
Red-tailed Hawk 2 10 19
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 1 1 1
American Kestrel 1 11 16
Merlin 0 0 0
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 1
Unknown Buteo 0 0 0
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 1 4
Total: 41 124 249
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Observation start time: 07:00:00
Observation end time: 15:30:00
Total observation time: 8.5 hours
Official Counter: Multiple Counters
Observers: Brenda Tekin, Rose Thomas, Vic Laubach
Visitors:
Tyler Tobin of Richmond, Dan Perkuchin, Tom Mizell, and Donna Lewis;
Jennifer Gaden and Lois Gebhardt made a brief visit.
Weather:
Another gorgeous day with chilly start. Early morning NW winds at
29-35km/h greatly diminished by 2nd hour, down to 6-11km/h and then 1-5km/h
from NW to N. Temp: 14.5c>21.5c; Humidity: 60% dropping to 58%;
Bar.Pressure: steadily climbing from 1014 to 1017; No cloud cover for most
of the day, except for a few white wisps and puffs that quickly evaporated
once they reached the ridge. Nothing but bright blue sky with increasing
haze out over the valley.
Raptor Observations:
A great day for Osprey, most flying low, well below eye level out over
Waynesboro to the west. This is where all of the eagles, including the
season's first Golden, were located, far out over the western valley. By
mid-day, things slowed down and we speculated the broadwings were flying
high overhead. And indeed, a group of five Broad-wing sailed high
overhead, unseen without binoculars, and then quickly lost in all that
bright blue sky. At end of the day, after reaching the base of the
mountain, the winds were blowing out of the NW a good clip that might
explain why all of the BIG birds were seen flying low over the valley.
The first eagle was spotted far out low over the valley circling with a
vulture and due to distance and bright haze, it was initially dimissed for
a Black Vulture. However, Vic Laubach stuck with it and although one
spotter thought it to be an immature BAEA, the eagle flew in close enough
for others to confirm it to be a Golden at 10:22 a.m. EST. A short time
later, at 10:46 a.m., Rose Thomas picked up on a juvenile Bald Eagle far
out over the valley ahead of two adults. The 4th BAEA, another adult, flew
past at 12:35.
Non-raptor Observations:
It can be frustrating to see so many warblers and other migrating
passerines that we are unable to identify. Occassionally, some will drop
down in the nearby vegetation, allowing an opportunity for an all-too-brief
glimpse before disappearing. Vic Laubach and Rose Thomas arrived early and
were fortunate to be on hand when a flock of five Black-throated Green
Warblers dropped in. Later in the morning a Hooded Warbler flew into the
glass window just a few feet away from the counters and it was seen
fluttering down resting on the grassy knoll adjacent to the sidewalk. It
was obviously stunned from the impact and it was gently placed inside a
stocking cap and relocated away from the building but within sight of the
counters who monitored it's recovery. (The mountainside has unfortunatey
become a haven for feral cats!) I'm happy to report the bird eventually
hopped to top edge of the cap, chirped and then flew off, disappearing into
the nearby vegetation.
The last identifiable warbler of the day was a Black-throated Blue.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird-4;
A few dragonflies were observed and 8 Monarch Butterfly.
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Report submitted by Brenda Tekin (brenda@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA information may be found at:
http://www.rockfishgaphawkwatch.org
