The 2018 fall hawk migration count at Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch recorded a total of 29,000 raptors, which is a little more than our 10-year average of 23,828. Our small group of volunteer counters put in 488 hours (avg = 523) of effort between Aug 15 to Nov 30. This year we were challenged with plenty of bad weather resulting in 29 days with 0-4 hours of coverage due to rain or fog. Hurricane Florence, which came through at the start of peak Broad-wing week, delayed but did not reduce the Broad-wing count. We also had 11 days that were uncovered due to lack of volunteer counters. Thus, we had 40 days out of 108 total (37%) with little to no count.
Among our common migrants, another new season record was set for BALD EAGLE with 368 (previous record = 329 last year, 10-yr avg = 231). The Bald Eagle season record has been broken in each of the past three years. Our OSPREY count of 224 was a little lower than the 263 average. Our NORTHERN HARRIER count of 68 was near the 65 average. Our SHARP-SHINNED HAWK count of 2,188 was a little higher than the 1,737 average, and our COOPER’S HAWK count set a new season record of 455, beating the previous record of 407 in 2014 (avg = 301). We had a very good RED-SHOULDERED HAWK count of 105 (avg = 82). Our BROAD-WINGED HAWK count of 23,589 was near the 21,348 average. Our RED-TAILED HAWK count of 1,429 was twice the average of 703. Our AMERICAN KESTREL count of 289 was our third highest season count ever (avg = 216). We set a new season record for MERLIN with 85, beating the previous record of 53 last year (avg = 39), and our PEREGRINE FALCON count of 55 was our second highest season count ever (avg = 34).
Among our uncommon raptors, the MISSISSIPPI KITE season count of 10 crushed the previous record of 5 in 2016 (only 27 have ever been recorded, 18 in the last 3 years). We were lucky to have observed a light-morph juvenile Swainson’s Hawk on November 14, only the sixth ever recorded. Our NORTHERN GOSHAWK count of 18 is a new season high, breaking our previous record of 13 in 2014 (avg = 7). Finally, our GOLDEN EAGLE count of 26 (our third highest on record) was above the average of 19.
In addition to the new season records above, several other new records have been set! September 18 was an epic day where, in addition to nearly 4,000 Broad-wings, we ended up breaking three single-day records: a) the BALD EAGLE single-day record was crushed with 83 (prior record was 32 on 9/3/17), b) the MERLIN single-day record was crushed with 21 (prior record was 10 on 10/15/05), and c) the single day record for total number of raptor species was broken with 14 species (prior record was 12 achieved 7 times). September 26 had 10,154 BROAD-WINGS, which is our third highest single-day count ever (the highest was 11,783 on 9/16/86) and had 12 PEREGRINE FALCONS, which is our second highest single-day count ever (the highest was 17 on 10/8/2014).
In terms of non-raptor species, a number of interesting migrants this season included: 31 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 9 Sandhill Crane, 19 Snow Goose, 1 Greater White-fronted Goose, 28 Ring-billed Gull, 6 Bonapart’s Gull, 18 Herring Gull, 57 Common Loon, 57 Tundra Swan, and 1 Bank Swallow. Migrating fall warbler species included: Cape May, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, Magnolia, Bay-breasted, Black-and-white, Tennessee, Northern Parula, Blackburnian, Blackpoll, Yellow-rumped. Other notable migrants this season included: 106 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, 1,669 Chimney Swift, 175 Barn Swallow, 4,412 Tree Swallow, 67 Red-headed Woodpecker, 137 Common Nighthawk, 284 Double-crested Cormorant, 773 Northern Flicker, 1,420 Blue Jay, 3,938 American Robin, 256 Pine Siskin. Finally, we were happy to see that our Monarch Butterfly season count of 3,680 was up again this year for the third year in a row.
Finally I’d like to thank the following volunteer counters who contributed this season: Rose Thomas, Gabriel Mapel, Dave Hunter, John Rowlett, Brenda Tekin, Ezra Staengl (his first season!), David Shoch, Diane Lepkowski, Bob Epperson, Dave Fischer, John Spahr, and Allen Larner.
Vic Laubach – Coordinator