Next To Last Day

Starr Kline has been a great cheer leader, adding our watch event to the TOS
CHATTANOOGA CHAT  every year. Thanks Starr.

As many of you who have been following us know, we set up a group of days to invite the public to come join us for the Broad-winged Hawk Migration.  We choose the BW migration time for a couple of reasons. It is usually the best time for larger numbers of hawks to be seen at once. That is, when the conditions are right.  It's a bit misleading to would-be hawk watchers who are new to the prospect, because when we are seeing the great numbers like last year, some would expect to see them like that every year, and for us, it just isn't so.  But, at least, the interested hawk loving birders can have a time to come spend time with us and expect us to be there, or new hawk watchers can come up and let us share knowledge on how to ID these birds at a distance.  We can't fit everyone's calendar, but we can at least offer the time we have available.

If you have read earlier posts, you may also know that several of us have some physical/medical issues that will prevent us from continuing the arduousness of spending so many days on the watch in the future.  We were hoping to find some persons who might be interested. There have been a few who are now retiring who might be able to spend a few days counting, and it might go back to a situation like we began with many years ago, where we have a lot of learners in the next few years, which is good too.  As of right now, we are considering a lot of options for the future of he hawk watch, and I don't think it will become non-existent. It is just a passion for so many. But some changes will occur in the future years.   Enough of that for now. Jimmy is planning to make our 25th year, next year, the last "consecutive day" watch for us. Maybe, consecutive weekends, or one major week for everyone to come??? We'll see.

 For now,  Jimmy posted to TN Bird our next to last day's stats, so I am using his post for the data.*  I like for you all to see the many ways we try to get the word out.  We count on you to help us expand it into information highways that suit you most.

Jimmy is thinking of doing a bit more about getting the records somewhere that they can be archived for hawk watchers anywhere to access in the future.  One option is E-bird.  That will take some time. So we can only give it mention here.  Until then, stats will continue to be here.  The only place I know of that the records are in one place for all to view. I will get this year's results brought up to date at the end of the season, and add them to our stats page. On that page you will find 2 charts which caught up data from the past,  and 2 which are for 2014 and 2015 as single line charts.  After a few years I will make a 3rd long chart to combine several years of data.  The data you see on that page, is the cumulative data, and is combined from the stats held and compiled by individuals of our hawk watching "team" over the years.  Primarily, that would be Jimmy, Bill, and Harold. But many of our other watchers have contributed on days they were there, and we were not. This year has been our reunion year, for almost all the tribe has come up at least for a day this year.  What fun to see them all. The one notable exception was Harold who has a back injury, and was not able.  We certainly missed him.  We have a deep appreciation for these people who have become friends and comrades through all these years!

Thanks to Bill Haley for the pics today!
Bill, George, Cynthia, Jimmy and Clay

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*SMHW
Hamilton co., TN

This was the next to last day for Fall Broad-winged Hawk Migration
at our lookout.  There is only a trickle of hawks still passing
the lookout.  Late in the day we did have a grouping of 9 Broad-
winged Hawks pass over.
October 1, 2016
Seen today were:
 15 Broad-wings
   2 Northern Harriers
   1 Adult Bald Eagle
   1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
   1 Red-tailed Hawk - our first Red-tailed Hawk for this season.
 _________________
(Total Raptors: 20)

Red-tails, in our area, don't usually start to migrate until
November.  This hawk was very high and sailed across the sky from
north to south and never flapped as it disappeared from sight.

Counters/visitors today were:  George Parsley from Dalton who made
a return visit after 10 years.  Starr Klein who came up for the first
time this season; Clay Seneker; Bill Haley and Jimmy & Cynthia.

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