Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 20, 2015
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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 0 1 213
Bald Eagle 1 32 212
Northern Harrier 0 16 75
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 74 1479
Cooper's Hawk 0 26 238
Northern Goshawk 1 3 6
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 22 50
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 10497
Red-tailed Hawk 5 306 496
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 4 16
American Kestrel 0 0 187
Merlin 0 1 47
Peregrine Falcon 0 1 40
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 18
Unknown Buteo 0 2 7
Unknown Falcon 0 0 10
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 5 30
Total: 9 493 13621
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Observation start time: 09:30:00
Observation end time: 12:30:00
Total observation time: 3 hours
Official Counter: Brenda Tekin
Observers:
Weather:
Brutally bright blue sky with no clouds, no contrails. Crystal clear
visibility for miles without haze. Breezy WNW with definite chill in the
air. Temp: 8.2C>8.3C; Humidity: 39%<31%; Bar.Pressure: 29.10<18.44.
Raptor Observations:
Surprisingly slow given the WNW wind and cooler temps. First bird was a
Red-tail at 9:33. Adult Bald Eagle at 9:56 flying high over the north
ridge heading SW was quickly swallowed by the bright blue sky. How can one
lose a Bald Eagle? The "Holy crap" bird was the adult Northern Goshawk
that suddenly floated UP directly in front, coming in from well below eye
level, probably trying to get around the brisk wind barreling through the
gap. Once it reached to just above eye level a gust of wind took it up and
over the roof of the old hotel at 10:20 a.m. A Merlin was hunting over the
north side of the gap and did not cross to be counted.
Non-raptor Observations:
Not much of anything except for one Common Grackle, a couple of Ravens back
and forth, several flocks of Cedar Waxwings. Definite highlight was one
Monarch Butterfly quickly moving across the gap.
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Report submitted by Brenda Tekin (brenda@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.rockfishgaphawkwatch.org
