NOT A CLOUD IN THE SKY

We were greeted immediately, this morning, by Jim Rowell, already on the watch since 8am, I believe it was.  He always likes to be there early. Jim, until recently has been manning a watch he located in Polk Co. TN.  A bald where he found enough open sky to watch, yet he too had less than desirable results on the this summer's hot, dry days. 

But Jim was not the only one greeting us; a lovely very low Broad-wing flew over the parking area, and winged lazily below the treetops, before circling a bit and disappearing into the southern sky, very low...much lower than any other BW we had seen this year.  We hurried to get situated under the canopy, just in time to see more morning hawks fighting to get themselves aloft.  One after another, for about an hour, they came through closely. Early in the day, we had a variety of sightings.  It went something like this:
10:01 BW, 10:27 AK, 10:35 2BW, 10:38 SS, 10:40 BW, 10:46 BW and then the pause until about 11:30.

In spurts through out the day, in total blue skies, we occasionally got on something, mostly blinking in and out of haze, and struggled, with most, to ID.  We had guests today, David Stone and neighbors Danny and Susan Dodd from on the mountain.  David had wanted to come up for some time, and was excited to see how the watch worked.  He was able to get on the hawks, and ID most.  He was already prepared to rule out Vultures, and eager to learn about identifying distant birds. We had great conversation today, and were able to spend some time sharing a little about exactly what we expect to see during migrations counts.  With blue skies, we at least had some time to be a little more instructive than on some days.

We stayed til 6pm.  Our last spurt of hawks came all at once.  I literally was looking at 3 BWs, a Kestrel, a Peregrine,  and Black and Turkey Vultures all at once followed by 2 more BWs. And all of these were after 5 o'clock.

A daily total, today, of only 31 Raptors:
Wednesday, 9-28, 2016

20 Broad-wings
1 Osprey
3 Am Kestrels
3 Peregrine Falcons
3 Sharp-shins
1 Cooper's Hawks
_________________

Grand Total Raptors 1299

Only a few more days that we will be on the watch on a regular basis.  We expect to stay through Sunday, Oct 2.  After that, sporadically as Bill has time, or Jimmy makes appointments.  Only a few more days.  For searching the skies for Broad-wings.

As always, we admonish that you
Keep Looking UP!!!!!

Catching Up!

A number of Red-shouldered Hawks called loudly to one another above the Watch today, as if a family in interaction.  This photo shows the diagnostic "windows" in the outer wings. Multiple bands in the tail, and squared off ends on the wings.  Look at the distinct Curve and elbow on the forewings, the overall darkness of the body and inner wing with a "checkerboard pattern along the back wing.

Our numbers remain sad when it comes to BW hawk kettles/numbers.  This has been a strange year, but not surprising really, with the heat and clear skies.  But when we have such a great promising day as today...well, we were disappointed to not see kettles.  But the numbers of other hawks slipping through were exactly what we expected, and kept us busy searching the skies. 

Jimmy caught up his posts to TN-bird, and in spite of some overlap from my last post, I am including it in it's entirety.  With a note that we are so sad to hear of Mr. Coffey's passing. We must be thankful for the years he kept us in communication through Tn-bird.

Jimmy's post for today:
"SMHW
Hamilton co., TN

Sunday 9-25
Counters Bill Holt and Jimmy & Cynthia Wilkerson.
Not much going on as we tallied 11 Broad-winged Hawks
1 Northern Harrier and 1 Cooper's Hawk.

Monday 9-26
Counters Jim Rowell; Roi & Debbie Shannon and Jimmy
& Cynthia Wilkerson
We almost had more counters than hawks.  We were
rained off the lookout at 12:45.  We counted 6 Broad-
winged Hawks and 1 Northern Harrier

Tuesday 9-27
A warm welcome goes to Bob Ingle from Murfreesboro.
Counters included Jim Rowell; Bill Haley; Ruth Ann
Henry and Jimmy & Cynthia.

Jim Rowell was at the lookout at 8:15.  There was 100%
rainy cloud cover.  Other counters started arriving as
early as 11:30.  We all had high expectations for large
numbers of migrators to pass once the cloud cover changed.
We again had low numbers but a greater diversity which
was a welcomed change.  At 3:52 Jimmy spotted a hawk that
he thought might be a Peregrine Falcon due to it's pointed
wings.  Bill was quick to point out that it looked that
way due to the angle Jimmy was seeing it.  It actually was
another Broad-winged Hawk but, this hawk was followed by
another Broad-winged that was extremely dark in all the
right places to become our first Dark Morphed Broad-winged
Hawk for this season.  This Dark Morph was indeed a special
hawk and helped enhance spirits of all who were present.
The book "HAWKS IN FLIGHT" has the Dark Morph listed only
being seen as one in ever fifty thousands hawks.  We haven't
checked records yet but feel this may be the third possibly
fourth one spotted in our 24 year history.

Tuesday, 9 27, 2016
Hawk totals for today were 10 Broad-winged Hawks; 6 American
Kestrels; 6 Sharp-shinned Hawks; 1 Cooper's Hawk 2 Northern
Harriers; 2 Osprey and a single immature Bald Eagle.  All day
we kept seeing Bald Eagle adults, as many as 7 at one time but,
they were all considered part of our local resident population.

For the season we are at a low of 1279 Broad-winged Hawks being
it is already so late in the season.  Tomorrow could be our
best day for 2016.  Conditions look right except that we will
more than likely have to pull hawks out of a clear blue sky and
the prevailing wind direction predictions all contain some form
of winds from a westerly direction.  West winds are not the best
winds to have for our site.  Several of the hawk watches in upper
Virginia are still counting hawks in the 3 to 4000's.  Quite
possible the big picture for us is not as bleak as I imagine.

Keep Looking Up,
Jimmy Wilkerson
Hixson, Hamilton Co., TN"

a footnote ~

Pelicans against a cloud,  countable.



Pelicans in the blue sky...Can you count 26?

 

Broad-wings are so small that trying to make this example is rather difficult. But the Pelicans were quite large, and still are tiny and blurred out against the blue sky.  Now imagine them moving.  The top pic is when they flew into the cloud, and were of course more easily seen.  We had seen them from much closer.  But in the time it took me to get the camera out, they had climbed into the thermal to quite a height.  This is what we see a lot as BW's rise on thermals. But sometimes, this is what we much count, when we find them already at great heights.





Two Day Report - up to 1269 BW Grand Total

Broad-wing Passing the moon
 

Sunday was sooo super hot.  Intense, and difficult for even the short hours we as watchers put in to it. Jimmy and I were there by 10:30 and stayed the 2 hours until 12:30. 

We needed to leave for an important 6 year old's birthday party.  So our fellow hawk watcher, Bill Holt, offered to fill some time. And though we hated not seeing him in person, were so thankful for his kindness.  He too braved the heat, and showed that hawks just weren't visible, or just weren't there.

Our morning totals:
3 Broad-wings
1 Cooper's Hawk
Then,
Bill's email for the afternoon results:

"9/24/2016 Soddy Mtn Hawk Watch

2:00 8 broad wing

3:30 1 northern harrier

Observations between 1:45 and 4, between 10 to 25% cloud cover. Super hot. Saw 3 BE diving on each other. Lost them before I saw them go south. Lots of TV and BV trying to deceive. 

Sorry to have missed you two. 

Bill"

 

Well those pesky Bald Eagles were out there too. LOL

 

Sunday, 9 24, 2016

Broad-wings 11

Northern Harriers 1

Cooper's Hawk 1

 

Isn't it fun to have Bald Eagles just flying around with the Vultures? 

Today, Jim Rowell arrived early, and was on the watch by 8am. We came later, by 10:15, and Roi and Debbie Shannon also joined us by 11am.  Thunderstorms were predicted in our area by 2pm, but came early. We left at threat of possible lightning, and as we waited for it to pass, were not surprised to see it become a general rain all across the mountain top and valley as well.  So we all went home.  We needed the rest, and the rain.  Looking forward to tomorrow and clean clear skies, cooler temps.

 

Here are the stats:

 

MONDAY, 9 26, 2016

 BW 6

NH  1

 

Our New Grand Total is 1269 BW's

IT IS NOT TOO LATE to get some good kettles of BW's.  One of our best years, the best day was Sept 29th.

______________________________

Our Saturday Day list was probably the most complete of any day yet, so I thought I would put up that list for a general example of what is being seen and heard there during the day:

 

Red-shouldered Hawk

Eastern Bluebird

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Carolina Chickadee

Pileated Woodpecker

Cedar Waxwing

Indigo Bunting

Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Towhee

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Northern Flicker

Tufted Titmouse

American Goldfinch

Brown Thrasher

White-breasted Nuthatch

Turkey Vulture

Red-tailed Hawk

Mourning Dove

Blue Jay

Black Vulture

Bald Eagle

Broad-winged Hawk

Brown Thrasher

Rock Dove

Chimney Swift

Magnolia Warbler

Carolina Wren

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

American Crow 

 

 

Longing for RAIN

Did you ever regret not doing something very simple? Well, I do today. I was so tired yesterday that when our Hawk-watching friends came to help, we not only weren't much fun, I  forgot to take  a picture of everyone. We've been trying to document about everyone, especially if I don't have a picture of them up.  But, we are blessed with people who continue to come out and spend a few hours on the watch.  Yesterday, Jim Rowell was able to come back up for the morning. He was soon joined by eagle eyed Lora McBride,  and later Cyndi and Steve Routledge came and sat out the day.

Thankfully, Bill sent a few pics from the day before.  I'll scatter them down through here.

Jim Rowell
 

Lora messaged me upon arriving home, as we asked her to. She has a small kettle of Broad-wings after 6:00.  We certainly wondered might they be flying a little lower after it cooled a bit, or flying down the Bledsoe/Sequatchie side more than ours.  We still don't have enough data to make a conclusion, but we do know there were some.  If Lora had more time, we would put her to work documenting that side of the ridgeline. LOL

 Cindy and Steve got there in time to just see one kettle of 48 BW's. They were so high and tiny, not sure they both got on them, but because I was counting, I failed to get Lora on them.  She has been there when they were more visible though, so she knows how wonderful it can be to see them kettling.  It's what makes her come back each year. As with many, either to see it once again, or hopeful that you might. 
(spell ck always respells kettling as kittling. Is that really how it's spelled? Wow, would that ever be colloquial.)

Thank you friends for coming! I hated the numbers were low.  And we weren't much fun. But we never tire of, or forget how blessed we are, to have that special company.  And a few helpful eyes scanning the skies.

The sun was brutal, and the hawk-watching slow, but there were birds everywhere. Cindy found a Magnolia Warbler shining out past our seats.  And dozens of butterflies past us every hour.  Monarchs numbers are definitely down. NO doubt about it.  And maybe even dragonflies a bit.  Although we most definitely see the Broad-wings catching food on the wing, probably dragonflies. One day it was seen more often than most. We called that our dragonfly catching day.

Yesterday was the Blinkin' Out day. Over and over someone said, "I've got a bird and it's...where'd it go?"  One minute you could see them, and the next they were no where to be found.  And it happened to all of us.  Even that whole kettle disappeared soon after we counted it never to be seen again.  There is a deep blue haze that some people were thinking was clouds when they were zoomed in onto a bird flying through it. But when they took the binocs down, they realized, there was no cloud to be seen.  Just dusty dark haze.  After a while, I realized, we probably could have seen a lot of Broadies, had it not been for them flying through that haze. That has certainly happened to us in the past.

Good numbers have been seen at watches to the North of us.  I might rain some tomorrow afternoon.  A good rain would clear the air, and set a few down for a later flight.  We still have a week to see more hawks coming through.  Hope it rains a good bit, not just because we need it so badly, but my eyes could use a rest too.  Here's to hoping for a great week.

Bald Eagles were so high yesterday, and playing around that it often took the scope to determine if they were actually Bald Eagles. More than once they looked more like Red-tails or Vultures with their feet hanging to cool them.  Sometimes we presume they go high because of upper winds or the rising thermals. But there is a third possibility. They just might be escaping the ground heat. I bet it's cooler up there!

Owl in the briar patch.  Hoping a hawk will ck it out and fly in low.

Here's Jimmy's post to TN-Bird:

SMHW 9-24-2016
Hamilton Co., TN

79 Broad-winged Hawks
 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
 1 Bald Eagle (adult)

It seems like a family reunion as various counters
from the past continue to show up.  Today Lora
McBride made a return appearance! Also present was
Jim Rowell until he had to leave for the football
game.  A BIG huge welcome to Steve & Cyndi Routledge,
first time visitors.  We only regret we couldn't show
you guys more hawks.

After so many days of 90+ degree heat, we are so looking
forward to Monday and Tuesdays promise of temperatures to
reach only into the upper 70's!

Cynthia & Jimmy Wilkerson
Hixson, Hamilton co., TN

KEEP LOOKIING UP!!!

Tiny and High, Even In The Scope

Jimmy and Bill - Selfie

Well, our Year To Date BW count is 1173.  Sort of low for it being the 23rd.  But everything is passing soooooooo high this year.  We know they are up there, because when we do get on any, they are usually sooooooo tiny.  Roi was scanning skies today with a scope and they were still tiny.  Even then it was all we could do to stay on them until they could be counted.  Not complaining, because we are at least getting hawks every day.  Pretty much through out the day, but sometimes some very slow hours.

When we arrived today, we were so pleased that Jim Rowell was waiting for all of us. He was birding with us in the early years when Roi and Debbie were. And it feels like family reunions this year.  He also stayed all day with us.  Eventually, getting to see several kettles, and lots of Bald Eagles.  He has been counting in Polk Co. for a number of years on a "bald" he's found.  He has seen some good things there, but also often has Ravens to watch. He said the Ravens give the Vultures a very hard time, diving on them when they roost and pulling out their feathers. Wouldn't that be a sight!

Skies varied from blue to scattered clouds to blue at day's end.  And winds went from South to West to NE by days end. The barometer dropped all day and the winds rose.  We could see all kinds of birds being buffeted quite a bit on several occasions.  It's fun to see a hawk almost stopped in it's tracks by the wind. Looks like they put on the brakes. LOL

Although our local Bald Eagles often touched base with the migrants a few times, we were able to distinguish 5 Baldies that were serious about hauling those tail feathers South.  We counted them.  A half dozen other sightings  of Black n Whites were decidedly locals, playing around on the winds or hunting.

A couple of our birds were just miracles that someone saw them.  Probably, Debbie...an Osprey and an American Kestrel.

Bill reminded us that we probably wouldn't see anything as rare today as the American White Pelicans were yesterday.  Probably nothing as beautiful either.  I still am in  awe of how lovely they were.

Next week we see there are some temps expected  to be in the 70's for highs. If you come next week, you may need a sweater in the am.  Hoping this will be like fronts that push more migrants our way.  Overnight temps are expected to be in the 50's.  I will try to post an hourly on Facebook, if my Explorer will stop trying to shut it down.


Today's counts were:

SEPT. 23, 2016

Broad-wings  127
Osprey               1
Sharp-shinned    1
Am. Kestrel        1
Bald Eagles        5
________________

Totals:  135 Raptors

That's the story.

 KEEP LOOKING UP!!!

American White Pelicans!!!

Today was a delightful day, with friends visiting the watch.  Hugh Barger had visited yesterday, when I had just noticed that he was in some pictures from an earlier year. Wondered could he get back up this year, and it's as if he read my mind.  There were wonderful looks at Bald Eagles while he was there.

Today, Jimmy, Bill and I  were joined by Ruth Ann Henry and some friends from her Bird club, whom she had encouraged to meet her there.  We welcomed Jim and Rachel Harwell from Fayetteville, TN. & Joyce and DeWayne Adams of Winchester, TN.  Both couples drove a long way to be with us, as several often do.  And they came well prepared to stay a while.  Such good company. Hope they felt it was worth the trip. 

Earlier, a number of Broad-winged Hawk Kettles had moved through, but only a few while they were there.  But the high-light of their afternoon was a first ever sighting from our 24 years on the watch.



American White Pelicans, extremely high at this point, under a bit of gray cloud. Although they showed up beautifully against the very bright blue of the sky, the camera didn't pick them up as well there.  What a beautiful sight when their white bodies and black wing tips crossed over us at a much lower altitude.  I didn't have the camera up at the time. Took my breath away.

WE HAD 26 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS  fly through from South to Northwest.  Before leaving our airspace they stopped to elevate them selves to great heights on a thermal just above us. So we had a nice long time to watch them as they rose higher and higher before moving on.  The strong N winds were evident as they entered the thermal quite a bit north of us, and by the time they reached its top, they were driven back just over the top of us!  We fully expected them to fly toward the Hiwassee Refuge or upriver where they have been staying for weeks on end each recent winter. But they surprised us by seeming to head toward Bledsoe Co. LOL Wonder if we will hear of sightings there?  An interesting note, is that our friends, Pete and Marge Krampe, who have White Pelicans in the river near their home each winter, have let us know they will visit us soon.  What fun if she tells us how 26 Pelicans flew into the waters in their back yard on Thursday evening.  Wouldn't that be a hoot. 

The clouds were really wonderful today.  It was hot, but the canopies helped immensely, and there were light winds under 10 from the N/NE.  Just as many days this week.  The Barometer started a bit lower today, and dropped to 30.02.  The closer to 29.? the better.  For we have just had great numbers so many times when the Barometric pressure was lower.  Kettles of hawks weren't extremely low, but many times we got most everyone on them.  So that was great. Jim and Rachel have some great hawk-watching experience under their belts, and were great at making ID's.  We all felt like kindred spirits.

Here are the numbers:
Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016

Broad-wings     254
Sharp-shins           3
Coopers Hawks    1
American Kestrel 2 F
_______________
Totals:          259 Raptors

One of those pesky Bald Eagles. LOL ...like never.
(cropped from a much larger picture of deep blue sky)

Also seen, as on many days, those local uncountable Red-tailed, Red-shouldered, Sharp-shinned, Coopers Hawks and Black and Turkey Vultures.  Along with the Beautiful pair of Adult Bald Eagles, flashing their bright white tails and heads all over the sky, multiple times through-out the day. The head and tails contrast nicely and flash white against the sky, visible when their wings aren't.

 

Our best hour today was the 12:00 hour with 137 hawks passing in several kettles or singles. 

The next few days will reveal the bulk of our Broad-wing Count.  We have no expectations of having huge numbers without a front to back them up.   And without daily weather to cause them to need to rise in thermals.  We will just have to wait and see what these days hold.

Just want to say once again that we have to leave early Sunday, however, there may be others who will remain, if it is the only day you can attend.  Please check here or on the Facebook page to find out for sure if no one is able to stay the second half of the day. Of course, you are always welcome to come and sit at any time.  Make it your very own Hawk watch day.  Test your skills at getting onto and Identifying migrants.  It would be satisfying, I am sure.

As always, I am reminding you to -

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!!!!

Jimmy and Cynthia Wilkerson

The Barometer Dropping - Our Best Friend

Gray Hairstreak on my dusty foot..

Jimmy just figured the talley -
Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016
 236 BW's and 1 Sharpie, 1 Cooper's.

That classic BW flash.  Silver Wings, Band in the tail.
 

 Hugh Barger joined Roi, Debbie, Bill, Jimmy and I, knowing it would be a difficult day to get on the hawks. I believe he saw a few, and got good looks at our Bald Eagles which want to fly around like Vultures, lately. 2 Flew south very high, and he wondered why we didn't just count them at least, but we felt pretty sure they were just the same Adult pair which played in every area of the sky today. We must have at least 2 Adult pairs, maybe 3. That's never really occurred before. Someone told Hugh that seeing one in this area was a little rare. They just haven't been to the Hawk watch in fall.
LOL


  Our best kettle of BWs was 33 today.

Forgive the short post, just plain tired. LOL

Soooo many beautiful Butterflies.  Just not enough Monarchs.  Lot's of Gulf Fritilaries and  Sulphurs.   I think I spelled both of those wrong.  Oh well, you know...Sorry. And a variety of wildflowers on the banks.  Wild Ageratum is my fave.

There are times during these blue sky, hot days that we get a little listless, until someone gets on hawks.  Would love to see it cool off just a bit. 

The Barometric pressure has become our best friend..IF it is dropping.  Wishing for a pressure around 30.10 and dropping early in the day tomorrow!

Come if you can...
And always, this time of year...
KEEP LOOKING UP!!!

Hurray for Debbie!

The NE winds carried the expected hawks our way again today, but were we seeing them?  If Debbie hadn't been there, we wouldn't have seen most of them.  Last year, I could get on most, this year, not so much.  In fact, most of us are struggling a lot. 

Yay! It's Debbie. 

We had scattered clouds most of the day, and occasionally saw a series of singles move through. They followed the same N/S paths as yesterday, but were mostly high.  If we got on one, we generally saw more.  So the numbers weren't too bad, and it was steady.  The hours seemed to pass quickly with fun banter, but it was a difficult day in the sun.

Here's the stats:

TUES. 9/20/16

169 BW
1      RS
1      OS
3       SS
__________

TOTAL HAWKS: 174

Viewers: Roi and Debbie Shannon, Bill Haley, Jimmy and Cynthia Wilkerson

Those numbers would go up with some good weather...

Letting you know in advance, Jimmy and I will not be there on Sunday afternoon, the 25th.  Grandson's birthday party. Some things are just more important. LOL

Keep Looking Up!

Like old times, with our first Hawk watch  partners! Love seeing Roi, Debbie and Bill come walking over that hill.
 

Day After a Front Never Disappoints

 On Sunday in between the rain, Bill Haley went up, early for about half an hour, and later for about an hour.  Hoping that between the rains, something would be sliding by.  But, alas, nothing was prepared to battle the front.   So Bill was able to take a shot or two of  the road-side by our parking, where every year the wild flowers make a dramatic show.

BUT AFTER THE FRONT!!!!!!!

In the earliest hour, Jimmy said that we decided to count the clouds, while waiting on Hawks, and there was 1. And it covered the whole sky.  Actually, it was a rising fog over the whole valley and hill. Nothing was flying until 10:16, but then it almost never stopped.  In fact we stayed until almost 6:30, because the hawks never stopped until 6:04.  The Highlight of the day may have been the Merlin that gave us a wonderful show.

 

Bill Haley, Roi and Debbie Shannon, and Jimmy and I seldom had a break through-out the day, as hawks streamed through mostly in singles or small groups.  There were wonderful clouds most of the day, over most of the skies.  I should say that both Bill and Jimmy ran out of space on the page they allowed for listing BW's.  For a Total of 275 for the day.

 

Only once did we have a sizable kettle, which first appeared as the tiniest specks, too small to determine how many were there.  We feared they would rise into the fog and clouds, never to be seen again, but they turned to come toward us, and as they neared spread out, in the most difficult way, so as to make them equally difficult to count as they approached.  Some went on, some stayed behind, some spread out, some circled in wide swoops.  But we finally decided we had 69 at about 2:53. 

 

They often streamed through at extreme heights, so clouds were our salvation today.  That and extra eyes.  Roi and Debbie were always with us in the early years, and came occasionally as they were able over the years. We have spent many hours laughing both on the watch and with them at the Crane Festival and for many years.  We have always called Debbie, Eagle eye, because she has always been able to pick out the tiniest specks.  We probably doubled our count today because  of them.   Love them so much for being there this year when they can.

 

Pictures today are courtesy of Bill Haley:

A kettle of Turkey Vultures

These are the Stats:

Monday, 9/19/2016

BW   275

BE       3

SS      10

CH       1

OS       2

AK      3

ML      1

PG       2

RS       2

-------------------

Tot. Raptors - 299

 

Bald Eagles were our Junk bird today...meaning we saw them often, but they were locals, not migrating, for the most part and we sort of began looking at them as Vultures with White heads and Tails.  We finally sorted out 3, one of which was an immature bird, and counted them.  Gorgeous to see, never-the-less.

 

We wanted to count the Falcon Trifecta....and we had a wonderful start when we began with the hardest of them, the Merlin.  It was a miracle, almost, that we got on the Kestrals, one of which was a  bright reddish female, but they all zipped through.  And then came the Peregrins.  A real treat to see all 3 today.

 

It was a day like we expected,  although we wished to see more in kettles. Just more fun.  But one thing was for certain.  We had none of the sneaky birds dropping in from the east and almost getting by us. Due to the north and NW, NE winds all day, no variable, the migrants today moved through from a generally Northern direction and all moved toward the S and SW.   From midday, Jimmy recorded visibility to by 35 increasing to 45K.  Clear to the Kingston Steam Plant.

 

I can say we couldn't complain to have the real migration underway.

 

It is for certain that we have several more days that we expect to have reason to

 

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!!!

Stay tuned,

Jimmy and Cynthia



Sept 17th Totals...It's Still Early lOOKING BACK AT A DRAFT THAT WAS UNPUBLISHED...LOL

Sherry Turner Teas, David Aborn and Myself - Cynthia Wilkerson

 

From Bill's notebook record:

 

"Today's totals: Saturday, Sept. 17. 2016

Broad - wings - 32

Bald Eagle - 2, (immatures)

9:00-5:00

Hourly:

11:00 - 10 BW

12:00 - 7 BW

1:00 - 8 BW

2:00 - 3 BW

3:00 - 2 BE, 4 BW

Clouds 60-90%, temp. from 75-86 F, wind was ESE to S 5-10 mph, barometric pressure dropped throughout the day from 30.16 to 30.05, visiblity 30-40 K all day.

2 rehabbed immature Broad - winged Hawks released on the lookout this morning.

Bill Haley"

 

Thank you, Bill for keeping tally today.

 

We also had Prairie Warblers early, along with the usual song birds, local Red-tailed and Red-shouldered hawks.  We missed our Red-headed Woodpecker, but had frequent visits from a Pileated Woodpecker, Cedar Waxwing and Hummingbirds. To name a few.

 

Bill sent some fun pictures which I plan to use in upcoming blogs.  He is also the author of the one at the top of the page, which includes myself, with Sherry Teas and David Aborn.  Since I am usually behind the camera, I often don't show up in pics.

 

Still early, but tonight's front makes the next few days look promising.

 

Hey, Y'all come.

 And KEEP LOOKING UP!

 

Jimmy and Cynthia Wilkerson

Sept 17th Totals...It's Still Early

Sherry Turner Teas, David Aborn and Myself - Cynthia Wilkerson

 

From Bill's notebook record:

 

"Today's totals: Saturday, Sept. 17. 2016

Broad - wings - 32

Bald Eagle - 2, (immatures)

9:00-5:00

Hourly:

11:00 - 10 BW

12:00 - 7 BW

1:00 - 8 BW

2:00 - 3 BW

3:00 - 2 BE, 4 BW

Clouds 60-90%, temp. from 75-86 F, wind was ESE to S 5-10 mph, barometric pressure dropped throughout the day from 30.16 to 30.05, visiblity 30-40 K all day.

2 rehabbed immature Broad - winged Hawks released on the lookout this morning.

Bill Haley"

 

Thank you, Bill for keeping tally today.

 

We also had Prairie Warblers early, along with the usual song birds, local Red-tailed and Red-shouldered hawks.  We missed our Red-headed Woodpecker, but had frequent visits from a Pileated Woodpecker, Cedar Waxwing and Hummingbirds. To name a few.

 

Bill sent some fun pictures which I plan to use in upcoming blogs.  He is also the author of the one at the top of the page, which includes myself, with Sherry Teas and David Aborn.  Since I am usually behind the camera, I often don't show up in pics.

 

Still early, but tonight's front makes the next few days look promising.

 

Hey, Y'all come.

 And KEEP LOOKING UP!

 

Jimmy and Cynthia Wilkerson

Beautiful Broad-wings, Free for Flight

Here they come, our stars of the day...The hawks, in the boxes with the towels over the top. LOL

Oh and yes, our star rehab team, HAPPINEST!

Setting the boxes in the best shade available to minimize stress.

The Female BW is larger in body, seen later in a side by side pic. She sports a beautiful buffy shoulder, under throat upper breast area, and across the upper under-wing. Note the striped tail, and lower under-wing.  It is nice to see the dramatic colors of this after first year bird, with it's darker eye,  and well defined outer dark outline around the wings.

 

Here she is in another stance, with the wing dropped.  The lovely colors and striping under the wing might not be visible at all from the distances we often see them. but sometimes, that band that goes around the entire perimeter of the wing often is.  As well as the bands in the tail, when the sun shines through them.

 

 

The light panel in the outer wing sometimes resembles that of a Red-shouldered Hawk, as we have discussed before.  This indicates they are still immature BW's.

 

 

Her Mantle displays her lovely chocolate coloring, and again the banding, in the wings and tail, with the wing window plainly showing the sun shining through.

 

The Bluer eyes of Austin, the Male BW, indicate a younger, first year bird.  His size helps say: male. Smaller by a lot than his counterpart.  The Redder tones in the dark chocolate are a little visible. His breast is clearer.  Not significant to his maleness, just to his being his individual self.  There is a variety  in the plumage, from bird to bird.  They are not carbon copies of one another.  So it is important to look for other features to ID him. 

This photo shows the great difference in size.  Even the female's talons are larger.  Tail longer.

What is always remarkable to us as hawk-watchers, is the relative smallness of these Hawks.  They really aren't as large as we imagine them to be when we spot them way up in the sky. But as Bill Haley said today, "no wonder they sometimes are difficult to see way out there. No wonder they disappear into the blue sky."

A few more pics from the morning, to follow.  I'll give you stats, later on next post, for the day. 

So much thanks to our friends at HAPPINEST Wildlife Rehabilitation & Rescue, Sherry Turner Teas and Alix Parks and friends for bringing us these 2 marvelous birds! And for all the work they do to assure some of these birds are able to survive to fly free,  and hopefully migrate this year!  We will be updating their information and providing links here on the blog soon.

Thanks all who came and look forward to another upcoming event before the season's close!

Help us to KEEP LOOKING UP!!!\
Jimmy and Cynthia

Broad-winged Hawks Released Tomorrow AM!!

TOMORROW IS OUR EVENT! 2 Broad-wings to be released from the site. 10 AM. 
You may stay or leave after the release. At least one of the Rehabbers will be on hand a bit to answer questions.  It isn't necessary, but we do appreciate donations from persons wishing to know how they can help,  that might be made to Alix or Sherry, to continue their work. Alix alone has built additions to her facility on Signal Mountain recently, which provide for better flight training during rehabilitation.  They must be large and able to contain the raptors she works with, while allowing the least amount of human imprinting on these wild birds.  Raptors and Owls must be able to fly down and wing their way to catch food released for them, preferably live food, to assure they are able to see and chase and challenge their prey. Otherwise they can't survive back in the wild.  Alix likes to release Broadies, during the migration, in hopes that they will join other migrants and continue South with them, and not chance them staying here during winter months.  They need to be able to make the flight. We are so excited to have 2 be able to return to have their chance!
                               _________________________________________

Today was a South wind day.  Gusts felt amazingly good, but buffeted the Hawks we saw - so much so, that we once saw 2 Broad-wings and an Eagle pushed north from a position south of us, to a position right above our heads. They managed to get high enough while circling to get out of the lower level winds, it seemed, because they set wings and flew SW.   Later in the day we actually saw a Broad-wing fly NW, a very unusual sight, and almost were unwilling to count him, until he entered a thermal and 2 others joined him from the NE.  They rose to the top, and off they flew into the WSW.  Counted!!! None close enough that our owl might attract them to investigate.

Bill Haley joined us midday, and we were certainly glad to see him.  We all took turns stepping from under the tent to look over it and to the South and West, since you can't see in all directions while sitting under it.  But it was certainly a good thing to have in this ongoing heat. 

Since lower clouds were moving NW, and upper clouds were almost stationary, it was a bit unlikely that early hawks were very high. NO LIFT.  But as the thermals began to spin in the large billowing clouds of the afternoon, we felt like, if there were kettles we should see them. Yet all we saw were a few lone birds zipping past, wings pulled tightly to their sides, or high birds that vanished into blue skies between the clouds.  Wind usually throws up dust into the air, that is not readily visible, until you see a hawk disappear into it.  And at one point, we actually lost 2 Bald Eagles in it.  It was a shame, because since they were moving along one of these almost W to E paths, we needed to stay on them to know if they were just locals headed to the lake for dinner, or if they continued south.  So they didn't get counted.

What did get counted today was:

Sept. 16, 2016
19 Broad-wings
  1 Adult Bald Eagle
  2 Osprey

Numbers are still a bit low, and without a weather front in the next few days, may continue to have hawks spread out over a very large area, migrating one by one, so we have low counts.  However, we have been surprised before.  One thing has remained constant.  When the Barometer is falling, we usually see Raptors flying. 

Bill and I discussed today, how lucky we have been to have had a couple of great seasons. And I commented that one of the things which made out counts higher, was more eyes to the skies.  When we have people looking in every direction at all times during the day, something impossible for 2 or 3 people to do, we miss fewer birds.  So for the people who have helped us in past years...We owe a debt of gratitude. 

We are just glad to be able to report to you this year, what we are able to see.  And proud of our 24 year history.  Starting in 1993.  Through the years there were times when we weren't able to spend as many hours up there, and Bill's dedication with other members of the "count team" pulled out the numbers. We are just glad to be able, and Jimmy wants very much to make it through one more year, 2017 fall count, so we can say it was covered for 25 years.  Wow, where did the time go?  If anyone would like to spend a few years manning the site, please let us know, and we will train you.  Or if you know someone. Please have them contact us.

We came home to an air-conditioner which is not working, so no relief from the heat today. UGH.  Hopefully we can at least get it fixed here, No hope for the watch. LOL

BRING LOTS OF WATER if you come up! And your good humor.

And until then, or if you can't come, then wish us good birding and ...

KEEP LOOKING UP!

Jimmy and Cynthia Wilkerson

A Poppin' Morning - Opening Day

As soon as we got settled, a kettle of Vultures rose over the ridge, with Broad-wings weaving themselves into the boil.  It was like that until after lunch.  We operated on the "Harold Birch Rule" - never miss an opportunity to see what is flying with the Vultures.  In fact, almost every BW we saw rose through the ranks of groups of Vultures. 

But the afternoon was not so hot...no, let me back up. It was dangerously hot...but the hawk watching had almost nil going on.  Ruth Ann Henry joined us after lunch, and watched with us as the clouds just melted into dry air.  Just before she arrived we saw one each of American Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon.

The totals today were encouraging:

September 15, 2016

31 Broad-wings (BW)
  1 American Kestrel (AK)
   1 Peregrine Falcon (PG)

Ruth Ann remarked that even the Vultures were zipping through in tight winged bullet fashion.  I had made the same comment about the Red-tails earlier.  Everything seemed to be traveling with wings pulled in tightly. We call that moving through like a bullet,  especially if they are moving faster than usual.  Some of the earlier birds rose to great heights, and a few "blinked out" in the hazes.  A few of the highest ones vanished into higher clouds.  So while I was focusing on tiny specks, Jimmy just happened to notice a line of bullets zipping by straight over our heads, and much closer in.  So glad he scanned the sky at close range. We would have missed those.

Thanks for an extra set of eyes, Ruth Ann. I felt like we found every hawk we could have.  Even in the afternoon blue skies.  When the hawks weren't available, we had two treats.  One was one of the most beautiful Sun Dogs I have ever seen.  It was initially a laser beam of sunlight to the left of the sun shooting through a rainbow ring of color.  Soon a second appeared on the right.  As we talked, I said that sometimes they would develop another on the top, just as Ruth Ann saw it form.  We were so excited because it was getting to be more remarkable by the minute. As we marveled, she noted that a ring was forming almost entirely around the sun drawing itself through the 3 points of rainbow light holes.  We laughed as we jested, that the only thing that would make it better would be a double ring, by this time almost expecting it to form at command.  It didn't but it stayed around for about 20 minutes.  And was so bright that we had difficulty blocking out the sun to see it.  
 As we were packing up, our second surprise was a singing Prairie Warbler.  Heard only briefly, it was never-the-less close. 

We also had 2 Monarch Butterflies today Hoping those numbers increase. 

Til tomorrow's report....

KEEP LOOKING UP!

Jimmy and Cynthia Wilkerson

First N. Harrier

Bill arrived today at 9, and Jimmy an hour or so later, worked some and then settled into serious hawk watching. They stayed until 4. Long hot 7 hours they said.  Lots of clouds, and NE winds.  The rewards were small...but at least not 0.

September 14, 2016

8 Broad-wings (BW)
1 Northern Harrier (NH)

We are going up tomorrow. 
Make plans if you can to come Saturday at 10 AM to help us release 2 Rehabbed Broad-wing Hawks.

And every day now...

KEEP LOOKING UP!

Jimmy and Cynthia

3 Adult Bald Eagles

Today, we had to get some work finished at the watch, but took breaks and an hour or so after we finished to scan skies before we had to leave.  Nice flight day...sad we couldn't have counted longer.

7 Broad-wings
3 Adult Bald Eagles
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk

Good clouds, but it got very hot midday, and one Broad-wing was soooo high, it was for certain they were going to be out of sight soon.  Early, it was very hazy, and difficult to ID a few things we saw. And as the birds flying by later got so high, I actually saw one bird that has me stumped beyond words.  It looked like a pencil line, it's wings were so thin, and it was flapping more constantly than any hawk. Reminded me of a Tern, long thin wings, dark, not a long neck, no trailing legs.  I actually can't think of a single bird it could have been.  And it seemed to be quite large... like hawk sized large??? Looked like 2 wings with no body.  I will be puzzled for days wondering what it was.

More than once today, I told Jimmy that I was concerned about how long it was taking me to ID stuff.  Gotta get better at it FAST! LOL

Keep Looking UP!!!!

Jimmy and Cynthia Wilkerson

First Reports of 2016 Fall Season!

Jimmy loves to read, and sometimes he loves to read a few pages or paragraphs to me.  I have always loved his voice, so it is a lovely opportunity to hear him in a uniquely expressive way.  Recently, he wished to share the following excerpt with me, for it struck a cord with us both. People through out the ages have marked time by the migration of birds of one kind or another. Seasons were noted by the movement of large numbers of migrating wildlife. In this excerpt, a vision of what is expected when we see rising kettles of raptors, comes clearly to mind. I share it here hoping our regular watchers who have seen this on our watch can relate to the watches of other places and times, and feel the kindred spirit of marking time as the ancients have for all of history.  This is a fictional account, describing the actual event as it occurs over Nazareth: Pg. 712 -713.

  "They camped the first night on the edge of the swamp that filled the middle areas between Mt. Coeur and Nazareth, and in the morning one of the guards wakened the sleepers with the cry, ' The storks are rising!' The pilgrims rushed to view one of the memorable sights of Galilee: five storks from a large flock that had been resting near  the swamp during their migration north had found a current of hot air rising from the land, and these five had already entered it, and were being carried speedily aloft without using their wings at all.  Their huge black bodies were canted upward and their white wings were extended motionless to their fullest extent, so that the rising air swept them aloft in wide spirals.  Their pink bills were thrust straight forward and their long reddish legs trailed after them like rudders.
  `Those storks remaining on the ground understood from the manner in which their fellows soared into the air that an upward current had been found, and with awkward, lumbering jumps they loped across the meadows and projected themselves, wings outspread, into the column of rising air, allowing it to loft them far into the sky toward those highest currents along which they would migrate to Europe. When Volkmar and his son hurried into the morning sunlight they could see a mysterious pillar of more than a hundred storks, apparently motionless yet rising upward, one above the other, until the topmost ones were lost in the sky, and Volkmar quoted from Jeremiah, who had once watched these birds rising over the Galilee: 'Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times.'
   'It's an omen for us,' one of the knights avowed, for as the birds soared aloft, wings and necks and legs extended, they formed a series of supernatural crosses reaching from earth to heaven.
   'An omen of good!' other warriors echoed, and all bared their heads and crossed themselves, but Volkmar, watching the topmost storks start flapping their giant wings as they left the rising current , said to himself: No omen, but a warning. They are flying to Germany and soon they will nest in the chimneys of Gretz. The storks had been sent to warn Volkmar and his family to leave the Galilee and go back to Germany. For many days his thoughts would be tormented  by that column of majestic crosses motionless in the sky."

James A. Michener's THE SOURCE,  in paperback, a Fawcett Crest Book, Fawcett Publications, Inc., Greenwich, Connecticut, pg. 712 of Ch. The Fires Of Ma Coeur. 1965
 (hopefully I have retyped it correctly.)

 We expect to watch once again from Soddy Hawk Watch, the Raptors, on their Southern migration, which take advantage of the rising air currents much as in the paragraphs of Michener's best selling novel, for the next few weeks. And it has always been for us a majestic sight, especially when the birds are able to rise without effort as the rising air of thermals lift them ever upward, until they "peel" off the top of the swirling currents at new and greater heights than when they first enter from below.  Sometimes they will rise hundreds of feet, scarcely moving a wing.   Especially when it is Bald Eagles, whose large wings make the best use of lift from rising air, cutting through the invisible mass like a plane, seemingly held aloft like a miracle. We have become accustomed to such things as planes rising and not falling from the air,  and thus we ignore a bit the amazing physics and science that holds great birds at such heights, that they can not be seen with the naked eye.  In fact we scarcely would know migrants were there, except that the size of Vultures and Eagles makes them more easily seen, or because of the mere size of the kettles of  hawks that rise into the columns of thermaling air, makes seeing them possible, a phenomenon that never ceases to amaze. 

We have often talked here about the passing of weather fronts- Hawks are most often seen before or especially, after a weather front.  The front which passed through on Saturday night was not the kind of "rain all day" front that backs up hawks, but it was the kind of front that cooled the air, and changed the direction of the wind, and brings the barometric pressures into a range which alerts raptors to be on the move.  We had worked all day Saturday, Jimmy and I, clearing the watch site and beginning a tent style toilet location, clearing away poison ivy and cutting grasses, and cutting back the pines along the bank. We were exhausted.  We decided we absolutely had to rest Sunday in spite of knowing there would probably be passing hawks after the front. The first real numbers of the season.

We even said to one another, Maybe Bill or someone will get up after church and send a report.  And so they did!  Here is  that report  - THE OPENING REPORT OF FALL 2016:  (Thank you, Bill!)

Jimmy;

 

After church yesterday I decided to go up and spend some time on the lookout. Since there had been a front come through during the night, I was hopeful something would show up. Good news is that it did. I was there from 12:45 to 5:15. Also had some visitors: Larry and Susan Bowers (friends of Ruth Ann Henry), from Estill Springs, TN, came up for their first time ever. They were there from about 2:00-3:15. Clay Seneker also came up and was there from 2:00-3:50.

 

Following is the weather info and my sightings for Sept. 11, 2016:

 

12:45: temp. 80, humidity 68%, baro. 30.17, clouds 65%, visib. 50K, wind NNE 3-5

1:00: temp. 82, hum. 52%, baro. 30.16

2:00: temp. 83, hum. 45%, baro. 30.14, clouds 50%

3:00: temp. 85, hum. 42%, baro. 30.12, clouds 45%

4:00: temp. 86, hum. 39%, baro. 30.09, wind E 2-5

 

Broad-winged Hawk (1) 12:58, (7) 1:05, (1) 1:45, (1) 3:50, (1) 3:59, (1) 4:15, (1) 4:30, (1) 4:57 (all following normal flight path SW, except for one going more N-S.)

-          Actions of Broadwings at 3:50 and 3:59 suggested they were probably catching dragonflies. They were still quite high, so the dragonflies themselves could not be seen. This behavior was typical of what we sometimes see in the late afternoon.

-          I was quite surprised to find a group of 7 BW at 1:05, and hoped I’d see more, but all the rest were singles.

 

Bald Eagle (imm.) (1) 2:07 straight north-south flight path. Watched it all the way south.

 

Total: Broad-wing 14, Bald Eagle 1

 

Also seen:  (3) Red-tailed Hawks (locals – one immature seen several times).

(1)     Cooper’s Hawk – flying wrong direction (local).

(2)     Monarch butterflies, both very high, heading south.

 

I may get up there sometime during this week, but am definitely planning on spending time up there Sept. 17-23.

 

Reporting: Bill Haley

 

 

Please spread the word about the Double release of rehabbed Broad-wing Hawks, on Saturday morning, September 17, at 10:00.  Sherry and Alix will answer questions, and give us a good brief education on the work needed to help these birds, and features unique to their age; as well as providing great ops of picture taking.  Click here for a link to the info: Double Release of Broad-wing Hawks

 

Check the sidebar for our page on previously released hawks. And Alix Parks work.  We will be putting up info on Sherry's work as well.  Rehab/Release

 

Jimmy and I will be up on Watch formally on Thursday, Sept 15th.

 

Join us if you can, and come prepared to

 

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!!!

 

Jimmy and Cynthia Wilkerson