Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 16, 2013
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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 11 104 138
Bald Eagle 3 46 66
Northern Harrier 0 15 20
Sharp-shinned Hawk 11 94 107
Cooper's Hawk 3 29 40
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 9 13
Broad-winged Hawk 441 2152 2386
Red-tailed Hawk 3 28 45
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 1 1 1
American Kestrel 0 28 36
Merlin 1 5 5
Peregrine Falcon 1 2 3
Unknown Accipiter 1 5 5
Unknown Buteo 0 1 2
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 1 5 8
Mississippi Kite 0 1 1
Total: 478 2525 2876
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Observation start time: 07:30:00
Observation end time: 17:00:00
Total observation time: 9.5 hours
Official Counter: Gabriel Mapel
Observers: Vic Laubach
Visitors:
Daniel Mapel. Mike Tripp (Staunton News Leader), Bill Nettelhorst. Fran
Lazenby, Mickey Evans, Penny Warren, Susan Hastings, Elizabeth Hunter.
Weather:
Heavy cloud cover and overcast most of the day with light rain between
8-9am. Strong (4-5) NW winds through 1pm. The winds picked up to very
strong (6) and variable after 1pm with hats and chairs flying! 17.1-20.2C.
Raptor Observations:
Our first Golden Eagle of the season passed through slow and steady to east
side of the gap at 4:16pm giving very good looks. Three Bald Eagles: a
5th-yr at 2:53pm and an adult with immature at 4:10pm. Adult female Merlin
at 8:40am. Adult Peregrine Falcon at 2:15pm. Most birds flying fast and
direct with few pauses to circle. Hourly BW count: 1 (7:30-8), 1 (8-9), 5
(9-10), 6 (10-11), 1 (11-12), 38 (12-1), 4 (1-2), 326 (2-3), 2 (3-4), 57
(4-5).
Non-raptor Observations:
1 Magnolia Warbler. 3 Hummingbird. 1 Red-headed Woodpecker. 17 Raven. 25
Waxwing. 2 Phoebe. 95 Swifts. 2 Lincoln's Sparrow. 15 Tree Swallow. 122
Blue Jay.
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Report submitted by Vic Laubach (laubach@xxxxxxxxxxxx)
Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.rockfishgaphawkwatch.org
