[BIRDHAWK] Backyard Hawk Watch
Geoff Graff (ggraff@erols.com)
Fri, 13 Nov 1998 23:16:51 -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
between 3-5 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 (1-5pm)
(site manned, it depends on the weather, 9am-5pm through Dec. 15th)
SPECIES 11/13 SEASON 1997
Turkey Vulture 0 474* 362
Black Vulture 0 46* 13
Golden Eagle 0 1 3
Bald Eagle 0 22* (9 ad. & 13 imm.) 9
N. Harrier 0 48* 25
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 235* 106
Cooper's Hawk 1 133* 82
N. Goshawk 0 1 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 102* 51
Broad-winged Hawk 0 11,782* 4,324
Red-tailed Hawk 2 373* 339
Rough-legged Hawk 0 7 13
Osprey 0 48* 20
Am. Kestrel 0 63* 23
Merlin 0 14* 7
Peregrine Falcon 0 4* 2
Swainson's Hawk 0 1 (imm. light phase - 9/16) n/a
Unidentified Accipiter 0 3 4
Unidentified Buteo 0 3 3
Unidentified Falcon 0 1 0
Unidentified Raptor 0 0 0
Total: 4 13,361* 5,338
Weather: Dreadful weather in the morning with rain-like cloud all
morning. Shortly before 1pm, the cloud cover became about 50%, then
changed back to mostly cloudy, so going on and off for rest of
afternoon. Wind from the SWW and few from W.
Raptor Migration Highlight: For three days in a row, it has been slow
week. Still hoping for some movement on Sun.
Non-Raptor Migration Highlight: More Am. Robin flyby with 3 flocks of 20
and an interesting flyby of White-breasted Nuthatch and a Am. Goldfinch.
Also another interesting flyby was a nice flock of 149 Snow Geese with
15 Canada Geese joining them at 4:26pm and a flock of 25 Tundra Swan at
4:28pm (finally got some swans), all heading southeast.
Note: I won't be doing any hawkwatching on Sat. because I'm going on a
10-mile hiking trip at the mountain with my aunt and uncle and their 2
dogs to Paw Paw, West Virginia early tomorrow morning. Will probably see
some winter sparrow or possible hawk flights overhead. Will post it for
you on Sun. night and will return to hawkwatching on Sun.
Questions or comments on this report to Kevin Graff at
ggraff@erols.com
Kevin Graff
Baltimore, MD
ggraff@erols.com