Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 29, 2018
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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 9 167 200
Bald Eagle 10 173 180
Northern Harrier 0 29 30
Sharp-shinned Hawk 95 542 545
Cooper's Hawk 31 102 107
Northern Goshawk 0 1 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 10 15
Broad-winged Hawk 1541 22157 22283
Red-tailed Hawk 3 40 54
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 6 6
American Kestrel 18 149 156
Merlin 2 47 47
Peregrine Falcon 0 36 36
Unknown Accipiter 1 5 5
Unknown Buteo 0 1 2
Unknown Falcon 0 6 6
Unknown Eagle 0 1 1
Unknown Raptor 0 14 17
Mississippi Kite 1 8 9
Total: 1711 23494 23700
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Observation start time: 07:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 9 hours
Official Counter: Vic Laubach
Observers: Allen Larner, Brenda Tekin, Dave Hunter, Josh Laubach
Visitors:
Faye Ryan, John Troyer Jr. and son Johann, Peter Van Acker, Shannon and
Chris Updike, Ezra and Theo Staengl, Ruth Douglas, Ed and Donna Lewis, Jimm
Todd, Jack ?, Mack Robinson, Eleanor Robinson, Sewell Robinson, Lois McKim,
Blue Ridge Community College Class (4), the Raffinan Family of 5, Jennifer
Jowdy, 12 members of the Waynesboro Pathfinder Club, plus a few others.
Weather:
Beautiful day, partly cloudy (10-25%). 16.7-20.6C temps. Moderate W winds
all day. Clear visibility.
Raptor Observations:
The morning was very busy with birds everywhere in the sky, but then fewer
birds flying afterward (1,609 of 1,711 total birds came through before
noon). Another late season Broad-wing push with lots of small/medium-sized
groups and some kettles containing up to 100 birds. Most were flying quite
high and often distant. Broad-wing hourly flight: 1 (7-8am), 117 (8-9am),
608 (9-10am), 571 (10-11am), 200 (11-12pm), 32 (12-1pm), 5 (1-2pm), 4
(2-3pm), 1 (3-4pm).
A good eagle day with 10 Bald Eagles: 6 adult (8:49, 10:35, 11:49, 1:05,
1:10, 2:34), 2 2nd-YR (10:10), 2 1st-YR (1:11, 1:31). An unaged Mississippi
Kite observed distant out to the west flying southward, pausing several
times to catch some flying snacks.
Non-raptor Observations:
36 Monarchs. Many other migrating birds passing through the gap in the
morning including a nice showing of 6 Red-breasted Nuthatches (some heard
calling repeatedly). Other migrants that could be identified include 6
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 18 Chimney Swifts, 1 hummingbird, 1 DC Cormorant, 3
Red-headed Woodpecker, 34 Northern Flicker, 202 Blue Jay, 1 Cap May
Warbler, 7 Magnolia Warbler, 4 Black-throated Blue Warbler, 1
Black-throated Green warbler, 8 Scarlet Tanager, 5 Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
A yearling Black Bear was seen on "rockpile 1", which then proceeded to
cross the parkway heading down the slope.
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Report submitted by Vic Laubach (laubach@xxxxxxxxxxxx)
Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://www.rockfishgaphawkwatch.org
More site information at hawkcount.org:
http://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=491
