Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 13, 2008
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 13 16 32
BE 2 2 12
NH 0 1 3
SS 23 31 49
CH 3 4 8
NG 0 0 0
RS 1 1 1
BW 74 118 361
RT 1 3 3
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 0 0
AK 8 15 19
ML 0 0 0
PG 0 0 0
UA 0 0 0
UB 0 0 0
UF 0 0 0
UE 0 0 0
UR 0 1 2
Total: 125 192 490
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:45:00
Total observation time: 7.75 hours
Official Counter: Multiple Counters
Observers: Brenda Tekin, Dave Hunter, Vic Laubach, William Leigh
Visitors:
Robert Plank
Tom Lord
Dave Hunter
WIlliam Leigh
Mike Iwanik and Vicky
Jane
Christina
Weather:
The persistent rain, clouds and fog that prevailed throughout most of the
week at last moved out overnight, leaving behind just the right amount of
cloud coverage to locate some of the high sailing birds. Pleasant in the
morning with wind out of the SW to West, 6-12km/. By afternoon winds
diminished considerably and things really heated up.
Temp: 23.5 > 32c;
Humidity: up and down throughout day starting at 76% dropping to 46% and
then back up to 57%l
Bar.Pressure: 1013<1011;
Cloud cover: mostly cloudy decreasing to less than 50% cloud cover,
increasing to 50-75% by late afternoon,
Raptor Observations:
Observers were hopeful for a decent flight but it just did not materialize
or we missed them as they sailed high overhead. With steady SW to W wind
during morning hours, birds weren't flying too high. As lower level winds
diminished to a screeching halt, we noted upper level winds out of the
north and we spotted high flying specs popping out of the clouds. By
mid-afternoon, with no lower level winds and increasing cloud cover, even
the vultures were having difficulty getting across the gap and the few
birds observed came in relatively low and flapping to maintain lift. A few
birds were seen settling down in the trees to our north.
All-in-all, considering bad weather the past week, we managed to exceed
triple digits with a decent showing of Sharp-shins and Osprey. The two
adult Bald Eagles came in close, one at 12:53 p.m. and the 2nd at 1:41.
Non-raptor Observations:
Red-headed Woodpecker - 2;
Least Flycatcher - at least one first heard by William Leigh;
Common Nighthawk - 12 flying over Waynesboro early morning;
Hummingbird - 18;
Monarch Butterfly - 16
Predictions:
sunny and HOT
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Report submitted by Brenda Tekin (bt8x@xxxxxxxxxxxx)
Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA information may be found at:
http://home.ntelos.net/~btkin/rockfish_gap_hawk_watch
