Consolidation of Bill's Watch Reports for Late Season

In Bill's last e-mail he gave Jimmy and Harold a consolidated update to be sure they were both up to date, so I am doing the same for all of you.  Making it easy to see the results of possible raptor reports after the "Broad-wing drive."  Bill reports he might have one more day, but here's the consolidated report:

11/6/14: 1.5 hrs. (Arrive 12:30, left 2:00). Wind WSW 10-20, clouds 50%, visib. 50K, temp. 66, baro. 30.03, hum. 52%. (winds very strong from wrong direction.) 

            - Cooper’s Hawk (1)

 11/10/14: 7.0 hrs. (Arrive 9:00, left 4:00.) Wind SE to ESE 2-8, thin cirrus clouds, 0-10%, visib. 5K in morning to 50K in afternoon, temp 40-68. Baro. 30.10, gradually falling to 29.99 during day. Hum. 93% to 34%. Sometimes 2-3 RT’s coming through at the same time. Action was good all day. I’d wait until they sailed south, then turn around and start scanning for the next ones.

-          Turkey Vulture – 28 (3 different groups – largest 14)

-          Bald Eagle – 5 (all adult – the last going by at eye level, very close – nice!)

-          Golden Eagle (immature) – flew directly over the lookout about 200 yards up – great looks!

-          Sharp-shinned Hawk – 5

-          Red-shouldered Hawk – 1

-          Red-tailed Hawk 49

 

11/11/14: 7.0 hrs. (Arrive 9:00, left 4:00) Wind S 5-10 in morning, less in afternoon, but still S. Visib. 35K, temp. 50-71. Baro. 30.07 gradually falling to 29.94. Hum. 83%-47%. Action slower than yesterday, but still not bad!

 

-          Northern Harrier – 2 (first one was an adult male “gray ghost” – beautiful, 2^nd was a female.)

-          Sharp-shinned Hawk – 6

-          Cooper’s Hawk – 1

-          Red-shouldered Hawk – 1

-          Red-tailed Hawk – 23

 

11/12/14: 1.25 hr. (Arrive 12:30, left 1:45). Wind N 5-12, clouds 100%, visib. 20K, temp. 49, hum. 71%, baro. 30.17. COLD and no sign of any clearing….no hawks, but at least it counts toward hours of effort.

 

11/14/14: 4.5 hrs. (Arrive 9:30, left 2:00). Wind N 10-15. Clouds 5%-10%, visib. 40K. Temp. 28 (wind chill 16) – 38 (wind chill 30). Baro. 30.33 – 30.31.Hum. 55%-39%. Brutal cold with wind right in my face. I was hoping for good numbers coming south, but it seems the hawks knew they’d better leave a couple of days before the super cold front came through. A slow day overall.

-          Bald Eagle – 3 (2 seen at same time, 3^rd year birds - liberal white speckling all over, heads beginning to turn white – both came in very close. Great looks!)

-          Sharp-shinned Hawk – 1

-          Red-tailed Hawk – 3

 

-          Sandhill Crane – 45 (first of the year.)

 

11/22/14: 3 hrs. (Arrive 9:30, left 12:30). Wind SSE 1-3, increasing to 2-8, clouds 30-35%, visib. 40K, temp. 35-55, baro. 30.46-30.39., hum. 82% - 39%. Nice day, but very slow. 

-          Black Vulture (12) all in one kettle, watched from when they were specks until they moved on south. Local BV’s visible at same time, so I counted the kettle.

-          Red-shouldered Hawk – 2

-          Red-tailed Hawk – 1 

-          Sandhill Cranes – 69 (All going west, so probably from Hiwassee. 2 passed between lookout and north ridge, below treeline – lowest I’ve ever seen. 

-          Double-crested Cormorant – 16 

-          Gulls (Ring-Billed?) – 3

At least I’ve been able to add a few late season hours. Monday the 10^th was a wonderful day to be a late season hawkwatcher!

 

Bill (Crazy late season specialist)

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 LOL

Keep Looking UP!!!!

 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Jimmy and Cynthia