Soddy Mountain Hawk Watch: 2074 Broad-winged Hawks in One Day!

SITE DESCRIPTION

SITE DESCRIPTION:
"The Soddy Mountain hawk lookout is located in southeast Tennessee on the eastern face of Walden's Ridge (the Cumberland Escarpment) in Hamilton County, a short distance north of the town of Soddy-Daisy, TN. It lies at the eastern terminus of Jones Gap Road atop a bluff overloooking Hwy. 111 and the beautiful Tennessee River Valley to the east. The hawk lookout location is state-owned land, and there are currently no restroom or eating facilities nearby. Hawk watchers are advised to bring their own folding lawn chair, sunscreen, a hat, and drinking water, as well as binoculars and a field guide. Caution should be used at all times, especially if children are present, as there is no fence to prevent a fall off the nearby 75 foot bluff. The hawk lookout proper is level ground." *

No Shelter is available, and parking is on a level below the lookout grounds. The climb to the watch site is up a steep bank about 8' high. Other helpful tools might include an umbrella or spotting scope, although on a good day, you might not find time to use either.*

Courtesy of William G. (Bill) Haley, compiler and author of the brochure, Soddy Mountain Hawk Lookout, produced for TOS.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

2074 Broad-winged Hawks in One Day!

Red-tailed Hawk ready for release after Rehab

9-22-2012 Saturday's Chattanooga TOS Field Trip:

Toals for 9-22 only

2074 Broad-winged Hawks
4 Sharp-shinned Hawks
3 Cooper's Hawks
*** 1 Golden Eagle *** (first in about 6 to 8 years)
8 Bald Eagles ( 7 adults, 1 Immature)
2 American Kestrels
1 Merlin

My sincere appologies to those I kept an additional 25 minutes trying to

see just 3 more BW's to exceed 1800 birds. When I got home to check my

addition, I discovered I had not included one complete column of figures

for the 3 o'clock hour thereby missing 273 birds...As we left the hawk watch

I thought we had 1801 for the Broad-winged Hawk total. J.

Visitors/counters today were:

Harold Birch

Bill Holt

David & Brenda Ross...you gotta love David's enthusiasm and uncanny ability

to get on the hawks even when they were specks.

Gary & Pixie Lanham

Ruth Ann Henry

Charles "Mr. Hooded Crane" Murray

Alix Parks & Wayne Robertson

Starr Klein

Tom & Hilda Chapman

Jimmy & Cynthia Wilkerson

Thanks to all the Eagle Eyed Help! Such a blessing to have so many friends with us to see this wonderful Hawk viewing day. Doesn't top our best day but was amazing considering how many hawks we have already seen this year.
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Sunday 9/23/12

798 Broad-winged Hawks
1 American Kestral
1 Bald Eagle

Counters/visitors:
Starr Klein, Linda Kelly, Lou Ann Nashville (our star guest, female Red-tailed hawk from Nashville), Alix Parks, Wayne Robertson, Jennifer Rydell.

Today was such a treat, because after the hawks had gotten too high to see, and the blue skies became boring, Alix Parks and Wayne Robertson realeased a rehabilitaed Red-tailed Hawk from their facility. Here is a sample of Pictures to come:

Showing her Claws.

Lovely "Lou Ann" from Nashville, TN

3 comments:

Soddy Mountain Hawk WatchSeptember 23, 2012 at 6:04 PM
I was able to stroke the feathers of this magnificent Red-tail just before it was released. Alix asked if I would like to release her, but I opted for taking pics. What a thrill to be so close to such a beautiful creature. We heard the Blue Jays and he crows fussing because she was near. Our sincerest hopes are for her to survive. Good Luck Lovely One!
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BillSeptember 24, 2012 at 8:54 PM
Site is looking nice. Thanks for the great job Cynthia.
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