Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter: Andy Dickson
Observers: Mike Ceci
Visitors: Kyle Brock from Little Valley made his Ripley debut.
Weather: Clear and cold with an inch of snow still remaining from previous day's lake-effect dusting. 0% clouds all day except for some wisps of cirrus clouds at the end of the flight.
Raptor Observations: Began at Site #1a on Rt 5. Flight developed over our heads at low levels then higher and in greater numbers. Cloudless and sun filled skies made spotting hard all day. The flight moved inland, so we moved to #1b including a shift in the afternoon to roadside NY20 & Forsythe intersection. Our first Merlin and Rough leg came through. A moderate but steady stream of RTs showed all day. TV flight blew up just after 12pm and came through high and low on a meandering mile-wide flight path with a couple kettles in the 70-80 range. It dwindled to just a few wandering TVs by 2:45pm.
Non-raptor Observations: Blue Heron, Raven
Predictions: Increasing probability of rain as day progresses, light winds early from the SE moving to south as the rain hits. Hard to say if a pulse of birds moves ahead of the rain. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Andy Dickson (<adickson3...>) Ripley Hawk Watch information may be found at: www.facebook.com/groups/3193820734258889/
