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.

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk
Falconer Mr. Johnson's Red-tail

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

3 Adult Bald Eagles

Today, we had to get some work finished at the watch, but took breaks and an hour or so after we finished to scan skies before we had to leave.  Nice flight day...sad we couldn't have counted longer.

7 Broad-wings
3 Adult Bald Eagles
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk

Good clouds, but it got very hot midday, and one Broad-wing was soooo high, it was for certain they were going to be out of sight soon.  Early, it was very hazy, and difficult to ID a few things we saw. And as the birds flying by later got so high, I actually saw one bird that has me stumped beyond words.  It looked like a pencil line, it's wings were so thin, and it was flapping more constantly than any hawk. Reminded me of a Tern, long thin wings, dark, not a long neck, no trailing legs.  I actually can't think of a single bird it could have been.  And it seemed to be quite large... like hawk sized large??? Looked like 2 wings with no body.  I will be puzzled for days wondering what it was.

More than once today, I told Jimmy that I was concerned about how long it was taking me to ID stuff.  Gotta get better at it FAST! LOL

Keep Looking UP!!!!

Jimmy and Cynthia Wilkerson
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