Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 15, 2005
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 4 32 49
BE 0 3 17
NH 1 10 12
SS 4 27 42
CH 0 11 15
NG 0 0 0
RS 0 0 0
BW 942 1474 1658
RT 0 25 60
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 0 0
AK 1 20 23
ML 0 1 1
PG 0 0 0
UA 0 0 2
UB 0 3 10
UF 0 1 1
UE 0 0 0
UR 0 3 3
Total: 952 1610 1893
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 17:30:00
Total observation time: 9.5 hours
Official Counter: Allen Hale
Observers: Allen Hale, Brenda Tekin
Visitors:
Allen Hale, owner of Buteo Books (www.buteobooks.com), took time from his
very busy schedule to hold vigil today. After several years away from the
mountain, it was great to have him back!
Quite a few visitors and helpers including:
Marlene Condon, Mary Smith visiting from the Aloha state), Pring and Bruce
Davenport, Dick Gooding, Charles and Janet Cheessman, Massie Wright, John
and Pat Lloyd, and Alan Armstrong.
Weather:
Wind consistent in being inconsistent. Started out NW 6-11km/h and then
variable for several hours changing back and forth between N-NW to east
SE putting the birds all over the sky. Temp: 23c >27c ;
Humidity: 73% dropping to 63% then back up to 75%;
Bar.Pressure: 1014>1015
Cloud Cover: o increasing to partly cloudy, and brief period of mostly
cloudy to overcast. By late afternoon, clouds clearing out to the east.
Raptor Observations:
When wind coming out of the east, the birds were far off sailing over the
piedmont (Rockfish Valley). When wind would switch to NW, birds were
picked up far out over the valley beyond the town of Waynesboro, including
one flock of 61 BW at approximately 11:55 (Standard Time). Few minutes
later an Osprey following same flight path. Then the wind quickly
switched to east and few BW and one OS moving well out to the east.
Note from Brenda Tekin: I drove up after work to retrieve the daily report
and arrived by 4:30 (standard time). Light wind 5-8 km/h out of the east
and mostly clear skies to the east except for two large cummulus clouds
with impressive thunderheads. Temp. was 27c. I was captivated by the
impressive clouds and was thinking I wish I had my camera. Inbetween
scannng the skies I would study the cloud formations lit up with the
setting sun. The first large thunderhead was east over the piedmont, right
of the interstate cut-through and eyelevel when sitting down. It seemed to
be in line with the far series of hills that run parallel to Rt. 29.
At first I thought I was seeing Chimney Swift and quickly realized they
were Broadwing. Time was 5:43 p.m. (4:43 Standard Time). Over the next 4
minutes, by 5:48, a steady stream of Broadwing tracked southward far off
to the east. They were in the foreground of the brightly lit thunderhead,
a total of 847 BW and 2 Osprey. It didn't appear they were turning
westward to pick up our ridge further south.
Easterly winds typically do not bring the birds to us and these birds were
tracking more southward along the Rt. 29 corridor. Immediately upon
arrival back home, unable to reach him by telephone, I sent a "heads up"
email to Gene Sattler who mans Candler Mountain outside of Lynchburg.
Hopefully the birds will continue tracking toward his area.
Non-raptor Observations:
Palm Warbler are here in full force!
Monarch Butterfly - 19
Predictions:
Partly cloudy with chance of rain with approaching coldfront. Bring on the
rain!
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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
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