[BIRDHAWK] Backyard Hawkwatch
Geoff Graff (ggraff@erols.com)
Mon, 05 Oct 1998 20:10:44 -0400
Backyard Hawkwatch (est. 1992), Fall 1998
Site: 3812 White Ave., between Belair Rd. and Walther Ave. - northeast
Baltimore City in the Gardenville section.
Topography of the Site: The prominent peak in the area is a steep ridge
about 180-200' above Belair Road and about 260' above sea level. It
runs northeast to southwest and is the first ridge west of the
Chesapeake Bay. It is about 12 miles from the bay, and is about 5 miles
northwest of the head of Back River, an arm of the bay, and about 6
miles north of Baltimore's Inner Harbor. There is a long narrow old-
growth of woods about 3+ acres on top of the ridge. My hawkwatch site
is about 150 yards west of the ridge. From the west side of the ridge,
going west past my site, the topography continues to rise for about 6/10
mile to a height even higher than the ridge. The only road that runs
along side of ridge is Fairwood Ave., that connects from White Ave. to
Parkmount Ave.
The hawkwatch is located in my backyard. Most of the hawk flights
arrive from the northeast and a few from the north.
Reports: Kevin Graff (ggraff@erols.com)
Counter: Kevin Graff
(site manned, it depends on the weather, 9am-6pm - early to mid. Oct.)
SPECIES 10/05 SEASON 1997
Turkey Vulture 0 28 362
Black Vulture 0 6 13
Golden Eagle 0 0 3
Bald Eagle 0 10* (5 ad. & 5 imm.) 9
N. Harrier 6 27* new record* 25
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 48 106
Cooper's Hawk 2 26 82
N. Goshawk 0 0 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 2 11 51
Broad-winged Hawk 7 11,773* 4,324
Red-tailed Hawk 7 27 339
Rough-legged Hawk 0 1 13
Osprey 3 40* 20
Am. Kestrel 1 37* 23
Merlin 0 8* 7
Peregrine Falcon 1 3* new record* 2
Swainson's Hawk 0 1 (imm. light phrase - 9/16) n/a
Unidentified Accipiter 0 2 4
Unidentified Buteo 0 0 3
Unidentified Falcon 0 0 0
Unidentified Raptor 0 0 0
Total: 32 12,048* 5,338
Weather: After rain all weekend, today remain mostly gray clouds, but
brought a nice several species of birds migration. After noon, clear sky
show up a little and then back to gray cloud.
Raptor Migration Highlight: A late kettle of 6 Broad-winged Hawk join by
2 Osprey, 1 Red-shouldered Hawk, 1 N. Harrier, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk
together.
Non-Raptor Migration Highlight: A nice day for non-raptor, a 23 flocks
of 330 Canada Geese, 1 male Common Merganser, a Common Loon, also a
Brown Thrasher and a male breeding plumage Black-throated Green Warbler
stop by in the yard.
Mammal: A Red Fox made a brief visit to my old fish pond, drinking ( the
new pond, 16' by 6' is under construction with natural setting and a 3'
fall crashing waterfall and will be complete by early spring 1999).
Questions or comments on this report to Kevin Graff at
ggraff@erols.com
Kevin Graff
Baltimore, MD
ggraff@erols.com