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

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

It's 2015 Hawk Watch time

So many people are asking us when we will be going to the hawk watch.  I am sorry to say that due to some health issues for us both, we cannot spend the amount of time we did last year manning the watch.  But in the second half of the month, during prime time, we have scheduled in advance some time there:

TOS is posting Sept. 19th & 20th - the weekend,
  and Sept. 26th and 27th, the following weekend. 

If you plan to come, on other dates, call Jimmy and see if we will be there, we may be able to come up even though we haven't posted it.  His phone # is 423-305-2766. When you call him, you may request my number for texting, both for reports or requests for dates that we can bird with you.

Each week we will try to look ahead at the weather and post one or more planned days or hours. Before then.  So, if you are wanting to make a trip over, we may be able to at least spend several hours with you.

However, anyone who has come and wishes to come regardless of whether we are there, especially those who have watched with us for years...PLEASE feel free to go on any day, and e-mail, or call us with your stats.  If you are able, keep hourly records with weather updates, but if not, just your numbers and kinds of raptors seen will be greatly appreciated.  If the gentleman who lives in the house on the hill inquires, please tell him you are hawk-watchers, covering for us, and you will be very respectful of the site.  He will not mind. 

We genuinely wish there were Hawk watchers who were willing and able to come along side and man the site eventually, especially as we become less able to do it - not for the lack of loving it, but for health issues. If you are interested, please let us know.

Last year was a special and incredible year...and we crossed the awesome 50,000 Broadwing landmark.  This year, there are no records to set or break, just good old fashioned, see all the birds we can see, fun. 

And we are looking forward to seeing some of you again this year.  So sorry not to make it easy by saying we will be there every day.  It just is not possible. 

BTW...even a fifteen minute watch counts.  So if you only have a few minutes to drop by, just let us know what you saw when you followed our slogan to -

Keep Looking UP!

Cynthia and Jimmy
Happy Hawking
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