Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA
Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 18, 2004
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 19 47 57
BE 3 6 13
NH 0 8 12
SS 15 40 57
CH 1 5 13
NG 0 0 0
RS 1 2 2
BW 917 1345 1502
RT 0 11 31
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 0 0
AK 6 18 24
ML 0 2 3
PG 1 2 2
UA 1 1 2
UB 0 0 2
UF 0 1 3
UE 0 0 0
UR 2 2 6
Total: 966 1490 1729
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 13:00:00
Observation end time: 18:15:00
Total observation time: 5.25 hours
Official Counter: Brenda Tekin
Observers:
Visitors:
Thanks to Nelson Lewis and Bill Funk for starting the count today.
Former Rockfish Gap raptorian Marissa Benavente visiting from Seattle, WA
Jim
Lois Gebhardt
Jim Fitzgerald
Weather:
Hold onto your hats, your chairs, and everything else. Tropical Depression
Ivan barrelled through the region yesterday producing heavy rains, high
winds, and strong thunderstorms that produced several tornadoes
Strong winds out of NW prevailed throughout today day. On a trip up to
the mountain this morning low clouds rolling over with threat of rain.
Winds were barreling out of the NW rocking vehicles on the interstate.
We returned to the mountain by 1:30 p.m. EST with last band of heavy
clouds from Ivan being pushed out over Shenandoah Valley and over gap into
the Piedmont by the approaching cold front.
Patches of blue sky and sunshine increased throughout the afternoon.
Winds were barreling out of the NW, pretty much steady between 50-61 km/h
and stronger gusts that would blow the chairs around. (Whole trees in
motion and resistance felt walking against the wind.)
By 4 p.m. EST winds were diminishing somewhat to 30-40 km/m!
Temp: 19 c dropping to 17.5c (definite chill in the air!)
Humidity: holding steady at 50%
Bar Pressure: 1009 increasing to 1010
Visibility: Crystal clear west over in valley and east into Piedmont.
(NO fog or haze)
Cloud Cover: from overcast (100% cloud cover) to mostly clear for a
beautiful sunset!
Observations:
5 Broad-winged between 1 - 1:30 p.m. EST. From that point on it was
non-stop! Broad-wing were high, they were low, they were east, they were
west, they were overhead, whereever the wind blew they came going
"SIDEWAYS!"
Hourly count for BW:
1-2 (EST)42; 2-3:54; 3-4:89;4-5:285; 5-6:447
Many were observed dropping down into the trees by 6 p.m. EST and we're
expecting an impressive liftoff tomorrow morning.
A single Red-shouldered Hawk came overhead sailing "BACKWARDS". It never
flapped as it sailed across the interstate and passed not too high
overhead. I don't recall ever seeing a bird flying such a long distance
backwards on the wind without flapping the first time.
A good showing of Osprey, several coming in pairs.
Bald Eagle: 2 adults flew in together at 5:45 p.m. EST; less than 3
minutes later a 3rd, and immature, flew over.
Peregrine Falcon - 1 zipped by at 3:09 p.m. EST
Chimney Swift - probably down in Mexico by now!
Tree Swallow
Hummingbird - 2
Monarch Butterfly - 4
Predictions:
Mostly sunny skies and dimished winds and hopefully another impressive
flight!
========================================================================
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
You are subscribed to VA-BIRD. To post to this mailing list, simply send email
to va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx. To unsubscribe, send email to
va-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
