Bill Reports

Sunday October 12, Bill Haley sat on the hill for 2 hours in the afternoon, until the storms set in.  He counted monarchs and Blue Jays which are now in full migration, but also had 1 Sharp-shinned as well.  Thanks Bill, for the coverage.  One note I wanted to make here, is that on days he has arrived early, by at least 8 am, he has also counted numerous migrating warblers and songbirds.  The hill is a great place some mornings for more than hawk viewing. 

These next few days are the kinds of days that set the hawks down North of us.  Storms moving from the SW across the entire state stop the SW movement of birds.  I imagine that when this breaks, there should be a strong movement of raptors, although not in kettles, most likely.

It isn't too late to Keep Looking Up!!!!


Bill's email:
"

I went up on the mountain from 1:30-3:30 Sunday, Oct. 12. 95% clouds when I arrived. 90% at 2pm and 100% and very murky at 3pm. Baro started at 30.07, and ended at 30.01. Temp ranged from 75-77. Visibility was 5K, 7K and 4K. It didn’t really look promising, but I thought maybe I’d get lucky and see something migrating – and I did.

 

Monarch – 5

 

Blue Jay – 14 (all in one flock heading south)

 

Sharp-shined Hawk – 1

 

The Sharp-shin was seen at 3:17 low over Fred and heading straight towards the lookout, gaining altitude as he came. Classic quick flap, flap, flap, glide pattern. Some sharpies take forever getting south. Not this one! It did what you wish all of them would do – it was moving south with a purpose. It never bothered to circle at all – just pumped for all it was worth, passing a couple hundred feet above the lookout out over the valley. I followed it almost all the way south. While I was watching it I heard the first boom of thunder behind me, decided the hawkwatching was probably over for the day and began to put things up. I stayed for a few more minutes, and by the time I got to the highway it was raining. I was happy to claim this classic migrant sharpy as my only hawk of the afternoon. It certainly made it worth the trip.

 

I have to work this coming weekend, but am looking forward to hopefully experiencing at least a few more good flight days in October and November.

 

Bill"

I include Bill's email, for a couple of reasons.  It indicates the kinds of information that is being kept in conjunction with the "NUMBERS".  The counts are important, but so are the stats.  Over the years we tell our visitors and fellow hawk watchers to be aware of the weather and environment to know when to come to the Lookout.  We can know this over years of keeping the data and making the comparisons. Jimmy looked back at the observations of Hawk Watchers into the early 50's, and the same things were being reported then as now: such as large pushes of BW's often congregate after a front which has produced a couple of days of rain, plus N/NE winds of 5-15 MPH.  Years of data back up that statement. 

Secondly, I want to note that the watchers share their data.  It is so they may be able to go back and compare notes. Now, not all watchers have all  the shared data.  But Bill, Jimmy and Harold have consistently shared their notes for years...and the cumulative results are included on the charts we place on this site.  Not one person's reports, but as many as will report with vital and experience.

Thirdly, it is often a good double check.  I initially put up that Bill had seen a single BW, but what his email says is one Sharp Shinned.  Such doubling of records helps to make corrections as well.  It's like a backup system for accuracy.

Cool weather will increase the drive for all other migrating hawks and raptors over the next two months. ck out the stats charts on The Stats Page.