746 Broad-wings Passed Through Soddy Daisy Skies

Jimmy's post to TN-bird:

"9/20/15, Sunday
SMHW
Hamilton Co., Tn.

Today we had our biggest day for Broad-winged Hawk
totals for 2015 when we tallied 746.

We also had Kaye Fiorello from the Volkswagen plant as a guest counter.
Kaye just happened to walk up on the hawk watch as we were
trying to sort out some Broad-winged specks.  Her first
time up and she got to see (178+271+14+39+80) all within
a ten minute or less time frame.  Some who have been and
sat for hours, have to be asking, WASN'T SHE LUCKY!

Year to date:
1073  Broad-winged Hawks
   1  Red-shouldered Hawk
   5  Osprey
  13  Sharp-shinned Hawks
   6  Cooper's Hawks
   1  Peregrine Falcon
   1  American Kestrel
   3  American Bald Eagles  (1 adult/2 juveniles)
   4  Northern Harriers
   1  Unidentified Buteo  (Bill's Mystery Hawk)


also of note:
*  a Golden Eagle (adult) not countable because it flew
                  the wrong direction, south to north,
                  but a good bird to see from the look-
                  out at any time!

** a Common Raven,  not a raptor, but never seen from
                    our lookout!

Counters today were Bill Haley who has just returned from a
two day visit to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, PA.  On Friday he
was there when 1588 total raptors where recorded of which
1532 were Broad-winged Hawks.
Cynthia & Jimmy Wilkerson were also counters today.

Jimmy Wilkerson
Hixson, Hamilton Co., Tn."

Specks in the sky - notice the wings pushed forward
 

Same birds against clouds - more visible

Although he didn't break down today's stats,  we also had 2 Osprey, 2 Northern Harriers, and an American Kestrel (our first this year) to grace our skies.  And others - 6 Sharp-shinned and 2 Coopers countables - and Red-tailed, Red-shouldered, Vultures that were not.

Winds were out of the North most of the day, and the barometer dropped from 30.02 to 29.95.  We saw our big kettles, totaling 559 BWs from 3:09 to 3:49 - a 40 minute period. They were suddenly noticed,  collecting directly over head, causing us to scurry to be able to count them all.  Initially, when I turned to see them peeling off the top of the kettles, as well as to discover the many scattered about the sky, the sun just blinded me.  We had to have missed some of the early ones. But a cloud finally allowed some relief from the glare and we managed to capture them just as they were reaching a distance almost beyond seeing them.  But we, began as far out to the west as we could see and counted back to where kettles were still forming and BWs were still flying all about in a steady stream across the sky above us.  It was dramatic, and fun.  And what we've been waiting to see!! We compared numbers and were within 5 birds of what the other 2 had seen.  Pretty accurate, I'ld say.

Keep Looking Up!!!
Jimmy and Cynthia Wilkerson