Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Aug 28, 2015
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
Osprey 0 25 25
Bald Eagle 0 4 4
Northern Harrier 1 1 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 11 11
Cooper's Hawk 0 3 3
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 5 5
Broad-winged Hawk 2 103 103
Red-tailed Hawk 0 6 6
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 1 8 8
Merlin 0 0 0
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0
Unknown Buteo 0 0 0
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 0 0
Total: 4 166 166
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 09:15:00
Observation end time: 18:00:00
Total observation time: 8.75 hours
Official Counter: Brenda Tekin, Rose Thomas
Observers: Brenda Tekin, Rose Thomas
Visitors:
Mary Mapel
Weather:
Dry conditions continue with stationary high pressure system. Arrived by
9:15 and a brush fire that apparently started along the shoulder of west
bound I-64 had already begun to move up the mountainside. Emergency crews
were on the scene and more arriving as the thick smoke and yellow flames
could be seen from our observation site across the gap. The firefighters
worked to contain the fire and thankfully there was not much wind or it
could have quickly gotten away from them. Things were under control within
an hour. It is extremely dry with low humidity although yesterday there
was a bit more moisture in the air. We need a front to push out the
lingering high pressure system. Slight Westerly to WSW breeze becoming out
of the SE by mid-afternoon. Temp:21.3C>26.8C; Humidity:78%<54%;
Bar.Pressure:2858<2803; Cloud cover:15% increasing to 75% by 11am then down
to 5% by 5pm.
Raptor Observations:
A really slow day...First migrating raptor, an American Kestrel at 10:39
EST. Rose was rewarded with the first Northern Harrier of the season.
Non-raptor Observations:
Monarch Butterfly-2; Ruby-throated Hummingbird-5; Chimney Swift-19; Barn
Swallow-3; Cedar Waxwing-15; Saddlebag Dragonfly; a crow flying over with
popcorn.
Predictions:
More of the same.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Brenda Tekin (brenda@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.rockfishgaphawkwatch.org
