[BIRDHAWK] Backyard Hawk Watch

Geoff Graff (ggraff@erols.com)
Thu, 05 Nov 1998 21:27:24 -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-10:30am & 12:30pm-5pm)
(site manned, it depends on the weather, 9am-5pm through Dec. 15th)

SPECIES                11/05  SEASON                             1997
Turkey Vulture           11     449*                              362
Black Vulture             0      43*                               13
Golden Eagle              0       1                                 3
Bald Eagle                0      22*   (9 ad. & 13 imm.)            9
N. Harrier                0      46*                               25
Sharp-shinned Hawk        0     222*                              106
Cooper's Hawk             1     124*                               82
N. Goshawk                0       1                                 2
Red-shouldered Hawk       2      89*                               51
Broad-winged Hawk         0  11,782*                            4,324
Red-tailed Hawk          14     291                               339
Rough-legged Hawk         0       5                                13
Osprey                    0      48*                               20
Am. Kestrel               1      63*                               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:                   29  13,210*                            5,338


Weather: Cold and windy with clear sky and sunshine, but for a while has 
some cloud cover about 35% all day.

Raptor Migration Highlight: A slow day today.

Non-Raptor Migration Highlight: A nice flocks of 45 Am. Robin and 26 
Blue Jay.



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


                          Kevin Graff
                          Baltimore, MD
                          ggraff@erols.com