"VULTURES ON PARADE"

Who in the world gets excited about seeing dozens of Vultures streaming by?

Our second drama of the day, was the smoke from local fires. Many landmarks were not visible, and we wondered if we could see the migrants in the heavy reddish haze.

 Of course, those of you who know us, know it would be US.  One of our visitors turned up her nose when we even mentioned that it was Vulture counting time. She sees enough of them on her property.  LOL  Oh Well. There are advantages - one being that when you've had a lean year, and not too much has shown its wings on the ridge lately...even a few Vultures are encouraging.



A few of the birds that streamed out from the larger kettles
 coming in from our N.

 We tell people for the duration of Broad-winged season to never miss the opportunity to look into a kettle of Vultures for other migrants, (The Harold Birch Principle)  but during November....Well, never miss waiting out a kettle of Vultures to see which way it will go!!!  They are the most super teaching tool for something actually visible, which demonstrates the kettling and streaming activity of Raptors.  They simply look like BW's on steroids. LOL So what better day for them to show up, during migration than on FILM DAY!!!!  And THEY DID.

Just before I give you Bill's report, let me put in a plug for and a link to POPFIZZ PRODUCTIONS who found a place on their busy calendar to come gather film footage with their talented Host, singer/songwriter, Erick Baker.  Behind the cameras, in production and directing the shoot were Kristen Eubanks and Cody Walters.  Their final product is a PBS show,  TENNESSEE UNCHARTED.

What a privilege to have had them  on our watch, even though trying to incorporate 24 years of hawk-watching into a few takes of film was a bit challenging. Not for Bill whose info is as accurate and off the top of his head as always.  But for the crew, a bit of a lot to take in. We have to take you through all the basics. (Bill has done 1 hour/info packed programs at the Aquarium, to just get interested watchers grounded before coming to the watch in the past.) I felt as if, after giving them the whole bag, our crew were still questioning, "Why Hawk Watch?" Same thing has happened several times this year with new visitors.

That is, UNTIL the Raptors started streaming through.  Red-tail after Red-tail, and Vultures by the dozens.  And I was relieved when I heard the exclamations of, "WOW." That soft, long, drawn out "wwoooooowwww."  You know the one. When all that stuff we throw at you that dizzies your brain, and then you see that first kettle, or a raptor lays over in the wind within 40 feet of you at eye level...That "wwooooooow."  When we put all that "info" to use, getting you on the birds, helping you figure out for yourself what you are seeing, and those birding/hawk-watch terms fit your conversation exactly. That instant - the one you came for...to become a hawk-watcher. When you  have sorted out your first 4 ID's. Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, Red-tailed  and Red-shouldered Hawks.  Sprinkle  in a Sharpie or two, and you are there! Can you relate?  And it happened yesterday!  To a film crew.  They have been christened and officially tagged.  Hawk-watchers of the day. Be sure and click on the links, and find and watch their intriguing show! We will post later when our episode will air, as soon as they notify us. TENNESSEE UNCHARTED's Season III began the first week of November!

Now here's Bill's report:

Nov. 7, 2016 Report: Film Crew and TV's

We've been looking forward to a visit by a film crew from Knoxville, Popfizz Productions, and today was the day. Jimmy and Cynthia Wilkerson joined me on the lookout. It was a sunny day, but several wildfires in the area really cut down on the visibility out over the valley and we could see a layer of smoke all day. 

A little after 10:00 Eric, Kristy and Cody arrived with their film equipment. My biggest fear had been that the hawks wouldn't cooperate,  as we've had some pretty slow days of late. 

Good news is that Cody, the main cameraman, ended up getting some great footage. We saw Sharp-shins, several Red-tails, at least one Red-shouldered, Black Vultures and Turkey Vultures. 

And boy did we see Turkey Vultures! They were the stars of the morning. At 11:20 Cynthia spotted an armada of Turkey Vultures coming over the north ridge and piling up into kettles. They then came streaming down the valley - a truly awesome and inspiring sight! We had groups of 25, 17 and 64 come past from 11:25-11:27. Three minutes later another 68 came past. They were all caught on film as they passed in procession. Everyone on the lookout was impressed by the spectacle. We added a few more smaller groups later on for a final total of 215 Turkey Vultures for the day.

The film crew had departed and the action slowed in the afternoon but we still counted an occasional hawk or group of TV's. Jimmy and Cynthia called it a day at 3:15, and I stayed until 4:00. I was surprised to add 3 Red-tails and a Red-shoulder after they left. The last RT and RS came through extremely high. I thought I'd get to count a Cooper's Hawk, but it dove into the trees across from Ken's house. All in all it was a a very good day.

Final totals:

Black Vulture - 16

Turkey Vulture - 215

Sharp-shin - 2

American Kestrel - 1

Red - shouldered - 3

Red-tailed - 15

Total: 252 raptors counted

Also of note; we heard the first Hermit Thrushes of the year - at least two. Just before leaving I decided to walk up by the privet bush Jimmy broke the tops out of and tried to lure a Hermit out where I could see it. I began making a pishing noise. In a minute 2 Carolina Chickadees flew into the mostly bare sumac nearby. Then two Golden crowned Kinglets came in,  one flying into the privet very near me. They were followed by 2 Tufted Titmice and 3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets. All the Ruby-crowned flew into the privet as I continued pishing, looking to see if there was an owl or snake. At times these little green beauties were perched on branches less than 5 feet from where I stood. Never did get a thrush to show itself, but it somehow seemed fitting to end a day that had been dominated by some of the largest birds by getting extremely close looks at some of the smallest.

Reporting: Bill Haley

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Morning western skies

Erick Baker is performing live in Chattanooga, Friday evening at The Camp House, on MLK Blvd. One of his many songs is one called, " STAY AWHILE."  I thought how appropriate that this is exactly what he and his crew do when filming the show..   Thanks, to all of you for an interesting day, and that you decided to come and "stay awhile" with us on the hill.

And Thank you Lord, for shewing a few raptors our way. LOL AMEN (spell ck doesn't know that southern term - "Shew")

Ck out Bill's schedule on the side bar, and maybe you can visit a few hours and watch kettles of November raptors chase their earlier counterparts into their southern destinations.

as always-

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!!!

Fires rage about 5 miles south of us and fill the valley with smoke.

ps The second drama of the day was all about the fires burning to our South along the Ridge lines.  We had no knowledge at the time that 3 fires had expanded in the Gulch at the base of the hill off Hwy. 111.  Couldn't pull off to get pics of that, but I did stop for these pics of continuing blazes about 5 miles south.  This very hot, dry summer/fall has spurned fires in several states, along many ridges, and has a haze of smoke lying in valleys for miles in every direction.  It reminds me of news footage we have seen in California in the past.  I personally don't remember a time like this on the eastern flyway.  But I think it is necessary to note as a part of the ongoing documentation of the Story of Hawk-watching on Soddy Mtn.   1993 is known here as the year of the Blizzard. This, 2016, forever will be known for us as the Year of the Fires.