RADARHAWKWATCH

RADAR HAWKWATCH, SPRING 1998

We along the Gulf Coast and especially in Texas have been avidly following radar migration through fall 1997 and now spring 1998 in terms of hawk
migration. Frank S. Peace of Houston has spent many long hours recording and analyzing thousands of hours of images to help gain a better
understanding of the role of radar in monitoring and tracking migration
patterns of raptors. More information on Frank's work and samples of some of the images that have been recorded on NEXRAD can be found on the Audubon Outdoor Club of Corpus Christi, Texas web site at www.electrotex.com/aoc/ .

Frank just posted the following report tonight to the TexBirds and BirdHawknewsgroups; it is forwarded for your information and enjoyment (and also posted to the AOC web site). Of considerable significance to me is the direct correlation that appears in the ratio of hawks according to site,
when comparing fall 97 flights to spring 98 flights. In terms of Corpus
Christi, the spring estimations by Frank via NEXRAD radar (backed by
verification of ground observers whenever possible) of more than 800,000
broadwing hawks closely matches our 840,000+ raptor flight recorded by
ground observers in fall 1997. Ratios of other sites also appear close.

The following data has been interpreted from radar information recorded at the Natl Weather Service offices at Corpus Christi, Houston, Lake Charles,
and Austin/San Antonio. A threshold of 20 dbz was applied to eliminate
small flocks of other birds. The approximate area occupied by the kettles
of Broad-wings was calculated and 1000 Broadwings were counted for each
square nautical mile of area occupied. The resulting number has varying
accuracy and should be regarded as an "index number " for the local area.

Corpus Christi (KCRP)

Date            Hours                    B-Ws
3/27/98         6.37                        0
3/28/98         6.52                    75440
3/29/98         6.05                    46810
3/30/98         8.67                    14330
3/31/98         5.98                        0
4/01/98         6.55                     2420
4/02/98         8.50                    69340
4/03/98         4.08                    93120
4/04/98         4.42                   105590
4/05/98         8.83                   102540
4/06/98         8.00                    90140
4/07/98         7.34                   130460
4/08/98         7.00                    20730
4/09/98         1.78                    63520
4/10/98          0.0                        0
TOTALS         90.09                   814440

Houston (KHGX)

Date            Hours                   B-Ws
3/27/98         0.0                         0
3/28/98         7.85                        0.
3/29/98         8.18                        0
3/30/98         5.92                        0.
3/31/98         0.0                         0.
4/01/98         8.55                    17430
4/02/98         8.23                        0
4/03/98         7.87                    23060
4/04/98         7.85                    22300
4/05/98         8.83                     4960
4/06/98         7.52                        0
4/07/98         7.68                     7600
4/08/98         8.75                     8750
4/09/98         5.25                    14110
4/10/98         6.87                    27590
TOTALS         99.35                   125800

Lake Charles (KLCH)

3/27/98         8.75                        0
3/28/98         8.0                     11125
3/29/98         8.35                        0
3/30/98         7.87                        0
3/31/98         8.10                     1550
4/01/98         8.47                     2170
4/02/98         3.07                        0
4/03/98         8.27                     5370
4/04/98         3.92                        0
4/05/98         8.57                        0
4/06/98         7.03                        0
4/07/98         6.57                        0
4/08/98         8.40                        0
4/09/98         8.15                        0
4/10/98         2.62                        0
TOTALS        106.14                    20215

Austin/San Antonio (KEWX)

3/27/98         7.35                        0
3/28/98         7.67                        0
3/29/98         7.17                    19110
3/30/98         0.0                         0
3/31/98         7.23                        0
4/01/98         0.0                         0
4/02/98         6.53                        0
4/03/98         8.02                        0
4/04/98         8.67                        0
4/05/98         8.18                        0
4/06/98         6.08                        0
4/07/98         3.27                        0
4/08/98         0.0                         0
4/09/98         2.93                        0
4/10/98         11.90                       0
TOTALS          85.00                   19110

Respectfully submitted, Frank S. Peace 06/04/98
fspeace@WT.net

Patty Waits Beasley, KA5DPW Corpus Christi, Texas
E-Mail: pbeasley@electrotex.com

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