[BIRDHAWK] Backyard Hawk Watch
Geoff Graff (ggraff@erols.com)
Mon, 19 Oct 1998 21:02:08 -0400
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
od 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
(site manned, it depends on the weather, 9am-6pm)
SPECIES 10/19 SEASON 1997
Turkey Vulture 12 122 362
Black Vulture 0 15* 13
Golden Eagle 0 1 (imm. - 10/12) 3
Bald Eagle 1 16* (7 ad. & 9 imm.) 9
N. Harrier 4 43* 25
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10 163* 106
Cooper's Hawk 9 90* new record* 82
N. Goshawk 0 0 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 4 27 51
Broad-winged Hawk 0 11,779* 4,324
Red-tailed Hawk 3 52 339
Rough-legged Hawk 0 2 13
Osprey 1 48* 20
Am. Kestrel 6 61* 23
Merlin 1 10* 7
Peregrine Falcon 0 3* 2
Swainson's Hawk 0 1 (imm. light phrase - 9/16) n/a
Unidentified Accipiter 0 2 4
Unidentified Buteo 0 2 3
Unidentified Falcon 0 1 0
Unidentified Raptor 0 0 0
Total: 51 12,438* 5,338
Weather: Alot of clouds all morning with wind from SW to SWW and to W.
Cloud breaking up after 4pm.
Raptor Migration Highlight: A nice morning for hawk flights with a good
view of imm. 1st winter Bald Eagle.
Non-Raptor Migration Highlight: Two Great Blue Herons, several
Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets and a 2 Monarch Butterflies
flyby.
Note: Juncos are back! 15 "Slate-colored" Junco and 3 Am. Tree Sparrow
feeding on new grass seeds on formally swimming pool area.
Questions or comments on this report to Kevin Graff at
ggraff@erols.com
Kevin Graff
Baltimore, MD
ggraff@erols.com