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

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Never a Bad Day

Like many of the watches farther north of us, the number of hawks seen dimenished greatly. Much to Jimmy's surprise, the lack of lift early in the morning, didn't equate to lower flying hawks.  So either they got up into the deep blue, or there simply weren't as many hawks flying near our location.  With great help, Harold Birch and Bill Holt, we should have seen something moving through above us at visible levels. 

We did manage to have a total of 51 raptors migrating, of which 41 were Broad-wings.  Two beautiful Adult Bald Eagles meandered South at a slower speed than the upper winds have carried them in recent days, so we were able to watch them for a little while.  The sun made their lovely tails and heads simply neon white!  So all in all, though we are getting a bit weary, seeing hawks moving through makes the day a success.  And on any day we weren't hoping for hundreds...51 which included a Kestral, and Eagles...was a great Hawk day.

A few clouds this morning.  Wish we were able to be there a little earlier.  Gotta go!

THINGS ARE LOOKING UP!
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