[BIRDHAWK] Backyard Hawk Watch

Geoff Graff (ggraff@erols.com)
Tue, 03 Nov 1998 19:01:50 -0500 

Backyard Hawk Watch (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 Rd. 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 and northeast-east.


Reports: Kevin Graff (ggraff@erols.com)
Counter: Kevin Graff (9am-10am)
(site manned, it depends on the weather, 9am-5pm through Dec. 15th)

SPECIES                11/03  SEASON                             1997
Turkey Vulture            0     403*                              362
Black Vulture             0      43*                               13
Golden Eagle              0       1                                 3
Bald Eagle                0      19*   (7 ad. & 12 imm.)            9
N. Harrier                0      46*                               25
Sharp-shinned Hawk        1     219*                              106
Cooper's Hawk             0     122*                               82
N. Goshawk                0       1                                 2
Red-shouldered Hawk       0      83*                               51
Broad-winged Hawk         0  11,782*                            4,324
Red-tailed Hawk           3     262                               339
Rough-legged Hawk         0       5                                13
Osprey                    0      48*                               20
Am. Kestrel               0      62*                               23
Merlin                    0      14*                                7
Peregrine Falcon          0       3*                                2
Swainson's Hawk           0       1  (imm. light phase - 9/16)    n/a
Unidentified Accipiter    0       3                                 4
Unidentified Buteo        0       2                                 3
Unidentified Falcon       0       1                                 0
Unidentified Raptor       0       0                                 0
Total:                    4  13,120*                            5,338


Weather: Mostly cloudy from 9 to 9:30am, then changed to partly cloudy 
with a few sunshine.

Raptor Migration Highlight: n/a

Non-Raptor Migration Highlight: n/a


Questions or comments on this report to Kevin Graff at
ggraff@erols.com


                       Kevin Graff
                       Baltimore, MD
                       ggraff@erols.com