Harvey's Knob
Roanoke, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 29, 2017
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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 1 74 83
Bald Eagle 0 93 105
Northern Harrier 0 9 10
Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 86 95
Cooper's Hawk 1 49 58
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 9 10
Broad-winged Hawk 3 7652 7664
Red-tailed Hawk 0 72 86
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 0 49 55
Merlin 0 7 7
Peregrine Falcon 0 11 11
Unknown Accipiter 0 1 1
Unknown Buteo 0 1 2
Unknown Falcon 0 1 1
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 4 4
Total: 5 8118 8192
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:30:00
Total observation time: 7.5 hours
Official Counter: Mitch Mitchell
Observers: David Kirk, Kristine Newcomb
Visitors:
Mr. & Mrs. Beck from Bonsack arrived shortly after watch began and spent a
couple of hours with us. Mike Hoffman and wife from the Philadelphia area
stopped in. Mike spends time observing coastal birds from the air and was
present when the osprey came through. Al & Debbie McPherson also spent an
hour or two with us but retreated when the stink bugs staged and all out
attack. Several AT hikers, all but one heading north and assumed to be
section hikers. Parkway traffic was fairly steady for a weekday.
Weather:
Temperature at the start of watch was 12c and ended the watch at 24. Winds
started from the southwest gradually changing to west, then northwest and
at a fairly steady 2-3 mph throughout. Cloud cover was zero at the start
and then increased to about 20% by midday. Visibility was great in all
directions as all the far reference points were clearly visible.
Raptor Observations:
Very light day with only five birds observed with four of those (osprey and
three broadwings) in the ten o'clock hour. All birds were over the knob
and fairly high. A local red tail came in close and lit in a dead pine on
the overlook side of the near ridge.
Non-raptor Observations:
A good day for monarchs (18) and vultures including a group of about 15-20
TVs in the western valley and close. Also a good day for stink bugs, if
you're a stink bug but not if you are any other living thing.
Predictions:
Weather should be similar, possibly a little cooler. Unfortunately,stink
bug population also predicted to be the same or possibly a little worse.
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Report submitted by stan Mitchell (mitchmitchell7@xxxxxxxxxxx)
Harvey's Knob information may be found at:
http://bijame.googlepages.com/home
More site information at hawkcount.org:
http://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=482
