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 17, 2013

Update for the Week 9/17

Jimmy posted the following to TNBird, to update through Sunday.  A little more info there than I have listed so far.  Add to it the 191 BW's from Moday Sept. 16 (see yesterday's post)  And you can catch up for the week. Therefore I am copying his post to here. Sorry we can't be on the hill today.(Tuesday.) But we expect to fill our chairs Thursday.    Need a break from the sun anyway.

If you go up, sit awhile and email, or comment below on what you saw while you were there. Non raptor species also accepted.
Happy Hawking!
___________________________________________________________________
Soddy Mtn. Hawk Watch
Hamilton co.
near Chattanooga, Tn.

We began out first weeks watch on Tuesday Sept. 10, 2013 I saw: 1- Broad-winged Hawk (6.25 hours) Jimmy Wilkerson
Wednesday Sept. 11 we saw: 1- Broad-winged Hawk (4.25 hours) Jimmy & Cynthia
Thursday Sept. 12 we saw: 3- Broad-winged Hawks and 2- Sharp-shinned Hawks (3.50 hours) Harold Birch, Jimmy & Cynthia
Friday Sept. 13 nothing seen; (0.50 hours) coverage due to Doctor appointments I later was informed Phil & Carolyn Snow stopped by for 20 minutes but no one was there.
Saturday Sept.14 we saw: 170 Broad-winged Hawks; 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks; 2 American Kestrels; 1 peregrine Falcon and 1 Ad. Bald Eagle (8.00 hours)
Saturday Sept. 15 was also a Chattanooga Chapter field trip in which Andrew Theus joined regular counters Bill Holt and Jimmy & Cynthia
Sunday Sept. 16 we saw: 117 Broad-winged Hawks; 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk; 2 Osprey and a 4th year Bald Eagle (5.50 hours) Ruth Ann Henry and Charles Murrray
joined Jimmy and Cynthia.

Directions: from downtown Chattanooga take Hwy. 27 for approximately 20 miles. At Soddy Lake park the road will split with 27 going toward Dayton. Hwy 111 also splits left here going toward Dunlap. Take Hwy. 111. At the top of the mountain (1st. exit) which is Jones Gap Road exit, turn left and cross over the bridge, in 2.1 miles Jones Gap will make an unexpected left turn, make that left turn, continue for .2 miles to the dead end. We are up the hill on flat ground. note: if you had continued on you would then be on Burchard Road. Do not continue on Burchard Road!

Jimmy Wilkerson
Hixson, Tn.
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