[BIRDHAWK] Backyard Hawk Watch
Geoff Graff (ggraff@erols.com)
Wed, 04 Nov 1998 21:18:21 -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-1:45pm & 4:15pm-5pm)
(site manned, it depends on the weather, 9am-5pm through Dec. 15th)
SPECIES 11/04 SEASON 1997
Turkey Vulture 35 438* 362
Black Vulture 0 43* 13
Golden Eagle 0 1 3
Bald Eagle 3 22* (9 ad. & 13 imm.) 9
N. Harrier 0 46* 25
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 222* 106
Cooper's Hawk 1 123* 82
N. Goshawk 0 1 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 4 87* 51
Broad-winged Hawk 0 11,782* 4,324
Red-tailed Hawk 15 277 339
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: 61 13,181* 5,338
Weather: Mostly cloudy remain all morning until 11:30am, then turned to
sunny with 25% cloud cover for rest of early afternoon. Late afternoon
remain sunny and 50% cloud cover. Cold and windy with wind from SWW all
day.
Raptor Migration Highlight: At 11:01am, 2 adult Bald Eagle near tree
line was a pretty sight and a 2nd winter Bald Eagle at 11:58am followed
by 2 Turkey Vultures. Both TV and RTH are going strong today.
Non-Raptor Migration Highlight: Interesting day for songbirds flyby,
including 43 Blue Jay, 86 Am. Robin, 14 "Slate-colored" Juncos, 3 Purple
Finches, and 1 adult White-crowned Sparrow with a flocks of 6 adult and
3 juv. White-throated Sparrows flyby. This is the first time in four
years that I had a White-crowned Sparrow in my backyard or flyby. The
last time I saw this bird was on Nov. 7, 1994 on the ground near the
feeder, ate some millet with several Song Sparrows, White-throated
Sparrows and "Slate-colored" Juncos.
Note: Had a Winter Wren and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet in the bushes today.
Questions or comments on this report to Kevin Graff at
ggraff@erols.com
Kevin Graff
Baltimore, MD
ggraff@erols.com