Observation start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 7.75 hours
Official Counter: Andy Dickson
Observers: John Antonevich, Keith Stock
Weather: Overnight showers cleared by the beginning of the watch. Cloudy most of the day. Gentle SSW winds early then stronger in the afternoon with breezes along the lake having slightly more westerly influfence. Occasional clearing inland along the escarpment allowed some brief thermals to briefly disrupt the otherwise consistent flight path over site #1A near the lake shore. At 3:40PM the winds made a 150 degree shift to N which ended the flight.
Raptor Observations: A good showing of BWs and BEs. The UA was a stocky accipiter or possibly a large female CH but it is late in the season to call a Goshawk without another set of eyes. The flight was extremely high much of the time. The 1PM hour produced a big TV push.
Non-raptor Observations: Passerines were moving early. 4 local OS came upwind together, circled the watch closely, then pushed further upwind.
Predictions: Mixed sun and clouds with westerly winds. A flight is likely but the number of birds in the pipeline is a conundrum. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Andrew J. Dickson (<adickson3...>) Ripley Hawk Watch information may be found at: www.facebook.com/groups/3193820734258889/
