Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 27, 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 8 66 246
Northern Harrier 0 17 76
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 92 1497
Cooper's Hawk 0 37 249
Northern Goshawk 0 3 6
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 35 63
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 10497
Red-tailed Hawk 14 419 609
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 10 22
American Kestrel 0 0 187
Merlin 1 2 48
Peregrine Falcon 0 1 40
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 18
Unknown Buteo 0 3 8
Unknown Falcon 0 0 10
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 5 30
Total: 24 691 13819
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Observation start time: 09:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter: Gabriel Mapel
Observers:
Visitors:
Jennifer Jowdy, and Daniel & Mary Mapel with family dog Bukki.
Weather:
Another very warm (11.2-15.0C) and mostly overcast (60-95% cloud cover)
day. Mild WNW Winds before noon, then very light SW Breezes, then very
light SE Breezes after 2pm. Clear visibility.
Raptor Observations:
First bird of the day was Merlin #48 for the season adding to the
record-breaking season for Merlins. The Merlin flew low, powerfully, and
FAST heading SSE across the gap at 9:36am. This also represents a new late
date for migrating Merlin at Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch (previous late date
was 11/24/88).
Second bird of the day was not picked up until 10:45 which was a 4th-year
Bald Eagle migrating south down the east side of the gap, which was the
first of eight BE today! Other BEs for the day, all of which migrated
south down the east side of the gap, except for a few which came directly
overhead: 11:16 adult, 11:26 adult, 1:06 group of three adults, 1:24 adult,
and 2:07 4th-year. A juvenile BE was seen circling with the three adults
at 1:06 which made for a very impressive four BE "kettle" which also
included 1 Red-tailed Hawk, but the juvenile headed north and was not
countable.
First Bird-9:36 ML, Last Bird-2:07 BE.
Non-raptor Observations:
Not all that much flying over except for several flocks of Fish Crows
totaling 104 and Cedar Waxwings, strangely enough, also totaling 104. A
Hairy Woodpecker greeted me at arrival this morning, and a Pileated
Woodpecker was seen flying over the North Ridge.
Predictions:
Tomorrow will be another warm, overcast day with west winds before a rain
system moves into the area for several days starting Saturday night.
Hopefully the weather will cooperate for some hawk watching on Monday which
is our last day of the season.
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Report submitted by Gabriel Mapel (birdmangabriel@xxxxxxxxx)
Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.rockfishgaphawkwatch.org
