Snickers Gap 16-22 Nov 98.

BlkVulture@aol.com
Mon, 23 Nov 1998 16:58:13 EST


Happy Thanksgiving......

Snickers Gap is a full time fall hawk watch with volunteer counters.  It began
in the fall of 1990, with 2365 birds in 161 hours of observation.  It is
located about 50 miles WNW of Washington, D.C. in Virginia.  It is about 1100
feet above sea level.  It straddles the Clarke and Loudoun county line, along
VA route 7.  

Due to the local breeding population, large wintering population,
and proximity to a large roost, we do not count any vultures.

16 Nov 98: (0 hours)
uncounted

17 Nov 98: (3.5 hours)
SS.........1
RS.........1
RT.........15

18 Nov 98:
BE.........2
NH.........1
SS.........3
RS.........1
RT.........17
GE.........1

19 Nov 98: (4.5 hours)
NH.........1
RS.........1
RT.........15
UR.........1

20 Nov 98: (3 hours)
NH.........1
SS.........1

21 Nov 98: (8 hours)
BE........1
NH........2
SS........1
RS........1
RT........16
UR........3

22 Nov 98: (7.25 hours)
NH........1
SS........2
RS........5
RT........85
GE........2
PG........1
Also, 35 Common Loons  

Year to date totals:
                                      Prev. Annual
1998:            1997:              Record:                   Average:
OS   162       (185)                 250  (1995)               201
BE   56         (64)                   73    (1996)               51
NH   182        (120)                 267  (1994)               182
SS   1312     (1622)              2645 (1995)                2026
CH   157        (316)                 521  (1995)               349
NG   7           (31)                  42    (1993)               23
RS   101         (147)                 287  (1995)               209
BW  25813    (3747)             12622 (1995)              5152  
SW  1           (none)                 1     (??)                < 1
RT   1014        (1442)               2302 (1995)              1736
RL   0           (3)                      4    (1992)               3
GE  10          (14)                    29   (1995)              18 
AK   135        (100)                  204  (1995)              143
ML   23          (25)                   39    (1995)             22
PG   33          (35)                   35    (1997)              27
UA   22
UB   12
UE   0
UF   9
UR   86         
Tot: 29135   (7990)              19413 (1995)

All totals are  still unofficial.  Very unofficial.  So unofficial I could be
off by several hundred.  

Key:
OS = osprey,  BE = bald eagle,  NH = northern harrier,  SS = Sharp-shinned,  
CH = Cooper's hawk,  NG = northern goshawk,  RS = red-shouldered, BW = broad-
winged hawk,  SW = Swainson's hawk,  RT = red-tailed,  RL = rough-legged,  GE
= golden eagle,  AK = American kestrel,  ML = merlin,  PG = peregrine falcon, 
UA = unidentified accipiter,   UB = unidentified buteo,  UF = unidentified
falcon,  
UR = unidentified raptor

Cheers,

Todd M. Day
Jeffersonton,  VA
BlkVulture@AOL.com