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Mt. Pisgah, NC Hawkwatch -- 09/28/00



	WELCOME TO THE MOUNT PISGAH, NC HAWK WATCH REPORT -- FALL 2000
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Today's Date: 28 Sept 2000
Hours of coverage today: 9-12 (3 hours)

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Species		     Today     Season Total
              
Black Vulture		
Turkey Vulture  			 
Osprey 						
Bald Eagle 				
Northern Harrier 	
Sharp-shinned H. 	
Cooper's H. 
Red-shouldered H.	
Broad-winged H. .......14
Red-tailed H. ..........2
American Kestrel 
Merlin 
Peregrine Falcon 
unidentified raptors 

TOTALS    (Sorry...I'm in a bit of a hurry.  Totals will have to wait
until tomorrow)

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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: Elaine Keen

Today's weather: Clear with cool NW winds.

Comments: Thanks to Elaine for working the morning shift.  The afternoon
was not covered due to a traffic accident.  Ray "Iron Man" Sharpton's
car was struck by a motorcycle that went out of control in a turn on the
Parkway about 2 miles from the watch site.  Ray is fine, but his car may
be totaled.  The biker sustained only minor injuries (and hopefully a
very large citation from Parkway rangers!) Thanks to hawk watch
volunteer Beverly Hudson who stopped to help Ray and the biker. Ray's
wife Sandy drove up to help, too.
Ray says in his email to me that after he finishes the paperwork
regarding the wreck he plans to work the watch site tomorrow evening. 
Is that dedication or what? 
I saw 40 BW's over Asheville High today during lunch.   

Other migrants noted today: n/a

The outlook for tomorrow: Excellent.  Continued clear to partly cloudy. 
Birds should continue moving through the weekend.

Next scheduled coverage:  Friday afternoon  (4-6 at least)
			  Saturday Morning (9-12:30 at least)
			  Saturday afternoon and Sunday will probably be covered but I have
no definite commitments yet.
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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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