Visitors To The Hawkwatch See the 80,000 Broad-winged Hawk added to the Count!!

We are questioned a lot after news articles, or TV reports about the Hawkwatch. Can I come up to see the hawkwatch? The answer is a resounding yes. During Hawkwatch seasons, it is even expected. There is a tremendous amount of interest in what it is like to be a hawkwatcher. Lately birdwatching in general is becoming attractive to younger people. From kids to young adults. the HOBBY has gotten a boost in interest across all of the US. SO, YES is the answer. But there are quite a number of things which must be understood. It is not glamorous. It's either Hot or Cold some days, rainy some days. and inconvenient every day. At our watch there are no facilities, there is no cover, and there is a bluff edge. Children are welcome, but care must be taken. Someone coming to bring their family for a half hour or so, no need for being prepared necessarily. But, if you really want to experience the hawk watch, you first need chairs. Blankets would work for kids, but there are ants and bugs... like any picnic scene, it's nature after all. Sunscreen is a must even for a little while. Water and possibly snacks are crucial. And for the best experience, at least one pair of binoculars helps. Kids who are just learning, will ususally have Turkey Vultures, Red-tails, and Bald Eagles that are possiblities and large enough to see without binoculars. And there is an infrequent opportunity with many other individual hawks to come in close enough for watchers to view them. But a lot of hawk watching is done through the binoculars and they are often quite small even then. However, on the unique day that a kettle of BWs comes in close, it will be a mesmerizing very exciting experience. Once seen it's something you will always hope to see again and again. So people sit for hours in hopes of that kettle. Yet, over time, it is just as awesome to see each and every species which passes over, and you are willing to scan the sky for hours to do that. If YOU are a Hawkwatcher at heart. Here's todays report, including exactly one family,and especially 1 of those children who just loves watching birds...who came up to see what hawk watching was all ablout. Welcome to the Longbrook family! and to Karin Britton! and a shout out to Jim Rowell, a long time watcher and and Hawkcounter on our watch. Thanks for another pair of eyes! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Here's the report: I realized after the post that we hit the nail on the head. They saw the 18 BWs needed to reach and grand total of 80,000 BWs for the 34 years of counting! Yay!

Highest BW Count So Far

Tuesday Sept 22 26, was a cloud dotted sky day for most of the morning in the valley. So we hoped it would be the same for Bill on the lookout. I was not surprised to see he had success finding a nice number. Here's the report:

Another Day With a Good Variety!

Monday, 9 21 26, and I have been slammed busy today, so I am almost learning with the reader just how the day went. Bill has been hit with thunder storms in the afternoons, so staying on the hill, is not an option with lightning possible. Here's the report:

Sunday and the Hawk Migration Association With Tami

On Sunday Sept 19, 2026 Bill was only able to come up to sit with Tami, who was already there, for a short while; so the report gets to be a little different today. Tami is our reporter, and I get to tell a bit about her. First of all, she more than doubled our count so far, with 143 BWS as a count. She's not a magician, the environment was just good for hawks to be showing up. LOL Tami once counted in SC with a group who used the page form from, what was then, the Hawk Migration Association of North America or HMANA. Today I am posting her pdf in two parts from screenshots I took of it. And her lovely story of how the day went, which she emailed over with the form. Although we report to the Hawk Migration Association, now the HMA, we have never used their sheets, simply because all the guys adopted Bill's notation pattern which they all kept in a spiral notebook. Many of the hawks listed on the HMA report sheets are western species and were always highly unlikeley for us to see, But they were versatile if you were a traveling watcher. Also, in discussing the hawks from the west in teaching sessions for any who might wish to visit a western sight, like Corpus Christi, TX. A very desirable site, because it is the funneling area for all the hawks crossing our border to sights further south. The counters there are an incredible bunch with skills beyond amazing, to capture the 100s of thousands they see. But we appreciate Tami adding to her life's work in the same form she always has. It makes storing records easier, that's for sure. I want to thank Tami for her involvement over the years, especially the coverage of hours when Bill has not been able to be there, and her support when ever she is able to come all the way from across the river to be there! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> (This version of Blogger doesn't allow me to make new paragraphs, so I have to do something to note a new one. Thus the arrows.) Anyway, with this discussion, I am able to make my annual nod to the HMA tools for storing the records from all the lookouts which participate in recording and sending their stats. We are one of them, but there are sites from Canada and Mexico and further south, which also share data, which I love to see. Those stats are recorded at HAWKCOUNT.ORG. This is where Jimmy records the data Bill, Tami and Niclole send, which makes a permanent record which anyone who visits the site can see. That site allows us to compare data with other sites across the North American continent. Now, we don't compare to sites like places where the rivers of hawks flow through. But we can compare to the other smaller sites, mostly North of us, with similar numbers to ours. Because it takes all the hawks passing little sites across the nation, and then some not counted in between, to make the magnanimous numbers flowing through places like Corpus Christi. I could talk all day about the experiences from the data at all these sites, but for now I want the focus to be on how we partner with them to make the numbers count. One last note I want to make before posting Tami's sweet note and the bits from my screenshots, is that Bill from early on sent our records to HMANA, but at that time the data was sent via mail, not entered directly into a website as it is now. It was recorded somewhere, but we don't know where. But now you CAN look back either on our site or on Hawkcount.org for many years of data using our search vehicles. Therefore, all the years of the hawk watch under Bill's direction and when we were primarily the ones up there too, are available to the public. Here is a slightly different form of report showing the mechanics of things as recorded:

EVENT DAY, 2 BWs RELEASED

Yesterday, on Saturday September 19, 2026, Alix Parks and Wayne brought 2 Broad-winged Hawks to release in time for the migration. In hopes they will join a small kettle coming in from the North. We have done this before on a couple of occasions, and are always blessed when Alix comes. Her organization is Happinest Raptor Rescue, and their facilities continue to grow and provide them plenty of work to do. With all that growth there is plenty of need, for the tools to bring back good health and a long life to the birds she rescues. Public gatherings are probably her greatest asset to sharing the work and the need to a public audience. We are always happy to help them when we can in that regard. A nice crowd gathered, many new faces, who are now aware there is a count, and a rescue which have been decicated to the well being of migrating raptors and hawks in general for many years. Thanks to all who came and especially to Wayne who helped us by cutting down the trees blocking our view. Here's the report:tap to view

Adding a Little Variety on September 18th

Wow!! I am posting this on Saturday, after the tremendous turnout for the Raptor release with Wayne and Alix from HAPPINEST RAPTOR REHAB. We have featured them in years past and have the greatest reguard for their work. Big Shout Out to Wayne for cutting down our trees blocking the view over the bluff! What an amazing gift! More on that later. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Friday's report is awesome for its variety. Great to add Osprey, Coopers Hawk, and American Kestral. But the BW numbers were up as well. Here's the report:

Slow Day, 9-17, 26 Thursday

Playing catch up. Couple of busy days for me. So short and sweet- Here's the report. THX Bill.