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Mt. Pisgah, NC Hawk Watch -- 09/17/00



	WELCOME TO THE MOUNT PISGAH, NC HAWK WATCH REPORT -- FALL 2000
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Today's Date: 17 Sept. 2000
Hours of coverage today: 8:30 - 5:30 (9 hours)
RECORDS SET TODAY:  One-day total, one-hour total
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Species		     Today     Season Total
              
Black Vulture...........0.............5		
Turkey Vulture .........0.............0 			 
Osprey .................1.............6					
Bald Eagle..............0.............3 				
Northern Harrier .......0.............1	
Sharp-shinned H. .......3.............6	
Cooper's H. ............0.............4
Red-shouldered H. ......0.............1	
Broad-winged H. .....1046..........1225
Red-tailed H. ..........0.............4
American Kestrel .......1............11
Merlin .................0.............0
Peregrine Falcon .......0.............0
unidentified raptors ...0.............3

TOTALS...............1051..........1269

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Note that only birds showing definite migratory movements are counted. 
Many local raptors and vultures observed at the site are not mentioned
in this report.
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Today's counts were made by: (in order of appearance) Bill Sanderson,
Athena Anderson, Bob and SuAnna Dickinson, Bob Tuttle, Greg Townsend

Today's weather: Couldn't have been more perfect!  Light SE winds most
of the day with high cirrus cloud cover.  Those sneaky birds had no
place to hide this day! 

Comments:  The "Wave" arrived in style, providing us with our first
1,000-bird day!  Broad-wings began trickling through at about 10 am. 
Between 11 am  and noon the kettles started forming up and gliding past,
one after the other in rapid succession.  When the hour was over, a
total of 926 had passed the overlook (a new one-hour record for this
site); most were easily seen without binocs.  Thanks and congratulations
to fledgling hawk-counter Athena Anderson who helped with the counting
this morning.  Wish you had been there, Ray! 

Other migrants noted today:  There were a few warblers and vireos
hanging around the overlook, but noteworthy were the FIVE Black-billed
Cuckoos singing simultaneously around the watch site when I arrived at
8:30.  A total of 7 Monarchs were observed.

The outlook for tomorrow:  If the weather holds, tomorrow could be
another outstanding day.

Next scheduled coverage:  Monday (18 Sept) 10am to noon (this is not
definite).
			  Thursday (21 Sept) all day, weather permitting.
			  Saturday and Sunday (23,24 Sept) all day.

RAPTOR DAY -- 23 September 9 am to 6 pm
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Reported By:
	Bill Sanderson, Site Coordinator
	Asheville, NC
	nctigers@bellsouth.net
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Site Description:
	The Mount Pisgah Hawk Watch, begun in 1995, is located at the Mills
River Valley overlook, mile 404.6 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  At an
elevation of 4085 feet, it is approx. three miles north of Mount Pisgah,
and approx. 11 miles south of the city of Asheville, NC.  The watch site
is staffed by volunteer counters on an irregular basis throughout the
fall migration season; most often on weekday afternoons and weekends,
weather permitting.  The site is handicapped friendly, and
gas/food/lodging are available at the Pisgah Inn complex, approx. three
miles south on the Parkway.  Visitors are always welcomed, and new
volunteer watchers are always needed.  Contact Bill Sanderson
(nctigers@bellsouth.net) for more information.  
	
	The Mount Pisgah Hawk Watch is an unfunded volunteer effort.  
All data obtained are submitted to the Hawk Migration Association of
North America (HMANA).  Other fall hawk watch sites in this region
include the Caesar's Head State Park Hawk Watch in upstate South
Carolina, the Mahogany Rock Hawk Watch on the Blue Ridge Parkway near
Sparta, NC and the Pilot Mountain State Park Hawk Watch in Surry County,
NC.
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I am the Eagle, I live in high country,
	In rocky cathedrals that reach to the sky.
I am the Hawk, and there's blood on my feathers
	But time is still turning, they soon will be dry.
All those who see me, and all who believe in me, 
	Share in the freedom I feel when I fly!
				John Denver
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