Catching Up On October

Bill has been manning the hawk watch way more than we knew. But he has had A LOT going on, so we are so proud he was able to find some time to write it up and we are happy to share his stats with you.  Perhaps he will have some more from November before it's over. And since he is the only one able to get up there...what a blessing to have these numbers.  I am going to wait on Jimmy to update the stats on the side bar. He will double check our totals by comparing them to his book and give me correct feedback.  Best to do it once.

Here's his email:  (thank you Bill!)

Oct. 13, 2015: Arrive 2:45, Left 4:25 = 2.0 hrs.

2:00 clouds 3%, visib. 75K, wind SW 2-10, with gusts up to 25MPH, temp. 78F, hum. 29%, baro. 29.83

3:00 clouds 2%, wind W 5-15, temp. 78F, hum. 35%, baro. 29.81

4:00 temp. 78F, hum. 32%, baro. 29.81, clear

Sharp-shinned hawk – 3

            *****

Monarch butterfly 27

(5) swallows @3:59, probably Barn

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Oct. 14, 2015: Arrive 12:15, left 2:15 = 2.0 hrs.

12:15: clear, wind NE 3-12, visib. 70K, temp. 68F, hum. 46%, baro. 30.04

1:00: temp. 71f, hum. 39%, baro. 30.04

2:00: temp. 73F, wind NNW 2-10, hum. 36%, baro. 30.02

 
Sharp-shinned hawk – 2

Coopers hawk – 1

Merlin – 1

The Merlin came in over the top of Fred, and continued low over the valley, traveling very fast and heading south. It dove on a Turkey Vulture that was unlucky to be in the vicinity as the Merlin zoomed down the valley. This bird was in a huge hurry. (Best bird of the day by far!)

     *****

Monarch butterfly - 3

2 swallows, probably Barn
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Oct. 15, 2015: Arrive 2:45, left 5:30 = 2.75 hrs.

2:45: clear, wind SE 2-5, visib. 55K, temp. 74F, hum. 35%, baro. 30.14

3:00 temp. 76F, hum. 33%, baro. 30.12

4:00: wind S 1-5, temp. 77F, hum. 32%, baro. 30.10

5:00: temp. 77f, hum. 30%, baro. 30.09, wind calm

 

Bald Eagle – 1 (Ad.)

Sharp-shinned hawk – 7
 

     *****

 Got great looks at a House Wren near Jimmy and Cynthia’s “deluxe” restroom. I heard movement in the bushes neaby, pished softly a couple of times and the House Wren popped up in to the dead pine to my right and proceeded to jump from one limb to another, coming within 2 feet of me a couple of times. Possibly my best look ever at a House Wren!

After sitting in the hospital all day long with my mother, who fell and broke her hip the evening before, my sister came down to give me a break and I immediately headed up to the hawk lookout. I’d hoped to spend the whole day up there, but was happy to at least get in 2 ¾ hours.

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Oct. 16, 2015: Arrive 9:00, left 10:30 = 1.5 hrs.

9:00: Clouds 80%, wind N 5-10, visib. 50K, temp. 58F, hum. 90%, baro. 30.14

10:00: wind NNW 5-15, clouds 75%, temp. 64%, hum. 60%, baro. 30.21

 Sharp-shinned hawk – 9

Cooper’s Hawk – 1
 

     ******

 Blue Jay – 116 (flocks of 29, 47, 24, 5 and 11.) All but last flock seen in the 9:00 hour. It seems like Blue Jay migration is largely an early morning affair in October. Migrant Blue Jays never make any sounds and they are all heading south.

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Oct. 17, 2015: Arrive 8:30, left 10:00 = 1.5 hrs.

8:30: clear, wind N 10-15, visib. 65K, temp. 42F, hum. 89%, baro. 30.31

9:00: temp. 48F, hum. 76%, baro. 30.32

0 hawks! Possibly high barometric pressure?

      *****

Monarch – 3

Blue Jay – 19

Immature Red-shouldered Hawk on lower black phone cable @ 9:57, 5 E. Bluebirds on wires above it. Saw House Wren in bushes in front of me.

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Oct. 23, 2015: Arrive 12:15, left 1:15 = 1.0 hr.

12:15: clouds 25%, wind NE 1-5, visib. 35K, temp. 66F, hum. 65%, baro. 30.24 

Sharp-shinned hawk – 4

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Oct. 24, 2015: Arrive 9:30, left 12:30 = 2.0 hrs.

9:30: clouds 95%, wind calm, visib. 30K, temp. 61F, hum. 93%, baro. 30.16

10:00: clouds 100%, wind NE 1-3, temp. 64F, hum. 87%, baro. 30.18

11:00: clouds 100%, wind calm, temp. 66F, hum. 81%, baro. 30.20

12:00: clouds 100%, wind S 1-3, temp. 68F, hum. 73%, baro. 30.21

 

0 hawks! I had the day off and looked forward to some good hawkwatching, but skies were 100% overcast and the hawks weren’t flying. I didn’t even see a single vulture in the sky the whole time I was there. The bad weather was a disappointment
     ******

Bird List: Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1^st of the fall), Solitary Vireo, Pine Warbler, Palm Warbler, White-br. Nuthatch, N. Cardinal, Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, N. Flicker, Carolina Chickadee, E. Phoebe, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, E. Towhee, E. Bluebird (16 on the wires at same time), Com. Grackle, Am Crow, Blue Jay, N. Mockingbird.

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Oct. 30, 2015: Arrive 1:15, left 2:30 = 1.5 hrs.

1:15: clear, wind ENE 1-3, visib. 80K, temp. 61F, hum. 39%, baro. 30.13

2:00: temp. 61F, hum. 37%, baro. 30.12

 

Bald Eagle – 1 (Ad.)

Red-tail – 2 (1 Ad., 1 Imm.)

Red-shouldered Hawk 1

     ******

 

Monarch butterfly 2
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Nov. 10, 2015: Arrive 10:45, left 3:45 = 5.0 hrs.

10:45: clouds 50%, wind NE 3-8, visib. 80K, temp. 59F, hum. 70%, baro. 30.15

11:00 clouds 35%, temp. 60F, hum. 66%, baro. 30.16

12:00: clouds 10%, wind W 2-5, temp. 62F, hum. 60%, baro. 30.14

1:00: clear, temp. 64F, hum. 56%, baro. 30.12

2:00: clear, wind NNW 1-4, temp. 66F, hum. 50%, baro. 30.08

3:00: temp. 69f, hum. 41%, baro. 30.07

 

Turkey Vulture – 104   Groups of (6) 11:12, (4) 12:55, (48) 3:07, (19) 3:10, (11) 3:14, (12) 3:31, (5) 3:34. The 48 was the first sizeable TV kettle of the fall.

Bald Eagle – 2 (1 imm., 3^rd yr., 1 ad.)

Sharp-shinned hawk – 4

Cooper’s hawk – 2

Red-tail – 4

Red-shoulder – 1 (ad.)

     *****

 

Palm warbler

Sandhill Crane – 4 (first of the fall)

 

Ladybugs starting to swarm!

 

 

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Jimmy will have oral surgery this week, so we know he won't get up for a bit for sure. The colder weather has us minding our greenhouse and me trying to get two large raised beds underway before the hard freezes keep us from getting some plants in the ground.

 

We look forward to Any reports that come in.  I posted on Facebook, that Charles Murray called to say he'd seen Migrant Turkey Vultures near Hiwassee, in response to a request I made to report them on days he was counting in his area.  Since he is seeing them NE of us, chances are good migrants could come our way.  Seeing them on the move there, means we should see them on the move here. And you can see that Bill certainly did.

 

Even from the house we find that we

 

Keep Looking Up!!!

 

'Til next report,

Cynthia  and Jimmy Wikerson