Snickers Gap Hawkwatch
Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 17, 2004
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
Osprey 0 2 282
Bald Eagle 0 24 168
Northern Harrier 0 33 146
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 63 1685
Cooper's Hawk 0 31 401
Northern Goshawk 0 1 10
Red-shouldered Hawk 2 59 172
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 3701
Red-tailed Hawk 4 671 1556
Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 1
Golden Eagle 0 9 15
American Kestrel 0 0 87
Merlin 0 1 24
Peregrine Falcon 0 2 32
Unknown 0 11 83
Total: 7 908 8363
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Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Ian Topolsky
Observers:
Visitors:
Jim Ruos and a mystery man of the mustachioed persuasion...
Weather:
Winds were out of the WSW for most of the day, at 0-2 Beaufort.
Cloudcover 95% to start but dropping, bottoming out at 5% in the 1:00
hour. High Temp 55F.
Observations:
Momma always said that hawkwatching is like a box of chocolate.
Sometimes you have to take that last Maple Butter Cream, and at least try
to like it...
The feeder is finally coming into its own now {just as the regular
season draws to a close, of course}. Nonetheless, the feeder and the
"Poison Ivy Tree" thicket was quite active today. Snickers counters keep
an eye out for Siskins, or better (ya never know)...
I'll bring up more Nyjer seed.
Non-raptors:
White-throated Sparrow- 7, Red-bellied- 1, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker- 2,
Downy- 1, Cardinal- 5, Carolina Wren- 1, Hermit Thrush- 2, Common Raven-
2, Carolina Chickadee- 2 (new to the feeder list, a thank you), Purple
Finch- 2, Goldfinch- 15, etc.
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Report submitted by Ian Topolsky (ict_earth@xxxxxxxxx)
Snickers Gap Hawkwatch was established in 1990. It is located in
northern Virginia, on the Clarke and Loudoun County line. It is reached
by taking VA Route 7 to the county line, which runs atop the ridge at
Snickers Gap. On the south side of Route 7 is a commuter parking lot.
The count is conducted from there. It is a volunteer site, and is counted
in fall only, from late August until late November or early December.
There are no facilities at the site, so bring a snack, drinks, and a
chair. Many of the birds can be distant, and a scope is helpful.
As a volunteer site, we are always looking to increase our pool of
counters. We are eager to train those who have never counted, but are
skilled with hawk identification. We are also willing to pair
inexperienced observers with experienced counters. Please contact the
compiler, Todd Day, at blkvulture@xxxxxxx with any questions or if you are
interested in participating in the count.
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