Smoke From Fires has Limited the View

Bill's reports for Sunday and Monday.  I missed Sunday's e-mail earlier, somehow. Jimmy said it showed up on his computer, but for some reason not on mine when I opened the emails.  So I am including them both here:

Nov. 13, 2016 report:

Arrived at the lookout at 10:45. Thanks to the smoke from nearby wildfires, the visibility was the worst of the fall - only about 2K. One fire is only about a mile south of the lookout, the larger fire is in the North Chickamauga Creek gorge 5 miles south. The whole Tennessee River Valley is filled with smoke. In downtown Chattanooga where I live, you couldn't see Lookout or Signal Mountains, so I knew it would be bad. I just didn't know how bad.

I was encouraged as I approached the lookout because the fires were to the south and it seemed more clear to the north. Not clear exactly - but more than it was further south. Uh, oh! Wind was from the southeast when I arrived, which meant the smoke would be coming my way. It was clear, but a "muddy" clear. Looking to the north ridge, I wasn't at all sure I would even be able to see an approaching hawk. The sky was a white blank until you got about the height of the pole top when you could finally make out some blue. Temperature was 54  and the pressure was high, 30.30.

I was thinking of two questions: 

1). Would a migrating hawk actually come into this smoke-filled area? 

2). Might Red-tails actually be attracted to areas of wildfires, drawn by the prospect of small mammal prey displaced by the blazes?

I hoped today might provide answers.

A Red-tail flew south at 11:12, and then another at 11:15. These were both fairly low, but I watched them go all the way south before counting them. I found that I had to scan high for any approaching hawks, as the smoke was getting worse by the minute and I don't think I could have seen more than 200 yards past the north ridge. This technique only worked for one RT that came through high at 11:30. I'd also counted a Cooper's Hawk at 11:22 that came in low over the ridge.

By 12:00 the smoke was much worse - I could barely see Fred and cell 1. Visibility was down to 1K. As the hour progressed I noted some groups of Black and Turkey Vultures going north - possibly looking for less smoky hunting territories. The north ridge was getting blurry and Fred was almost completely gone by 12:30. No more hawks were seen. I called it a day at 1:00 - the first time I've ever been smoked off the lookout.

Totals: Red-tail 3, Cooper's Hawk 1

At 12:50 I saw one Double-crested Cormorant fly south.

Reporting: Bill Haley

 

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Today is Monday, November 14, and the smoke in Chattanooga is terrible! I understand from folks all the way down in Ringgold and Lafayette, GA that it is bad there too.  I will be off work on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 17-18. Plans are to try to do some hawkwatching. This may be dependent on the amount of smoke from area wildfires. If visibility is significantly impaired it may not be worth the effort.  My fear is that if the fires continue to rage, we may have to write off the latter half of November this year, which would be a shame since it is one of my favorite parts of the migration season.

 

I hope everyone is praying for some rainfall. The last good soaking rain we got in this area was early June!  We are now over 18 inches below our average, which is a very sizeable amount. I think there is a slim 30% chance of rain this weekend. Get out and do a rain dance!

 

Bill Haley

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Thanks Bill,...I even worry a bit about where the fires might pop up next...would not like anyone getting back in there and becoming blocked by an unexpected fire.   Bill is so right...visibility was so bad today you couldn't even see the lake from the dam looking north, and couldn't see the next bridge looking south.  Plus the air  quality being so close to the fires isn't worth being up there.  Better safe...Praying for rain...

 

If it rains a good soaking rain, it might be worth the trip, if the fires have slowed the migration in anyway.  For now..it's wait and see.

 

Tonight...we will try to get a glimpse of the Super Moon.  Should be gorgeous about 3 am to 6am. If the smoke allows.  Just another reason to

 

Keep Looking UP!!!!

 

Stay safe all.. hope the fires don't' affect anyone in a bad way.

 

Jimmy and Cynthia