Monthly Stats/ HawkCount Charts

2017 All Wrapped Up!!!

I am posting the Hawkcount Charts all at once for each of the 4 months of the 2017 Fall Season: 

I updated the finals on the sidebars, and need to finalize  the Stat's from the Past page to include this year's numbers.

 
 

These are the Grand Totals for all the Soddy Hawk Counts:

 

FALL SEASONS
1993 - 2017

BW HAWKS
- 64,095 -
ALL RAPTORS
- 86,615 -

 

 

These are the breakdowns in order of when each raptor was first seen:

 

RAPTORS

In order 1st seen
BW 2275
OS 21
BE 21
NH 13
SS 133
AK 9
UF 1
PG 17
CH 20
ML 10
RS 6
RT 34
TV 338
NG 1
BV 29
_________
SEASON FINALS!!!
TOTAL - 2928

 

This year's totals came within 15 birds of the 2004 count, of 2943, and is 25 more than the 2013 count of 2903.  Here are the breakdowns of species and hours on those counts for comparison by numbers only. 

 

            2004      2013       2017

OS          16          10           21

BE           27           25          21

GE          2               1              0

NH          33            4            13

SS           361         50          133        

CH          67          19            20

NG           0               0             1

RS           30            8              6

BW     1997        2660         2275 

RT         154           39            34

AK            15            3               9

ML              7             0             10

PG             8             4              17       

TV            207          78          338      

BV              14            0             29

UN ID           0            2               1           

TOTAL    2943        2903       2928          

HRS           331     129.75      286.75

_____________________________________

 

My closing today will be a spiritual reference rather than a physical one but remains the same -

May you and your families always

 

KEEP LOOKIN UP!!!

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

And may you all have a super opening to the NEW YEAR!

         

 

 

Bill Looks Back

Comparison 1996 and 2017 Nov.-Dec. hawk flights -

 

Continuing my comparison of the 1996 and 2017 late season hawk flights, this post will feature November and December statistics. In my experience, late season hawk flights in southeast Tennessee depend on very cold, icy, snowy conditions to our north. These conditions make it difficult for hawks to procure food. If those conditions don’t exist during November and early December, there is no reason for large numbers of late season migrants to come as far south as Soddy Mountain. They either stay where they are as long as conditions allow, or they migrate a shorter distance, stopping well north of our hawk lookout. I find the following statistics very informative and interesting. They also point out why I grew to love the late season hawk migration. Has a warming climate, both here and in states north of us during November and December contributed to recent poor hawk flights at Soddy Mountain? During most of this period in 2017, temperatures were 10-20 F above the norm in those states north of us, with very little snow. I’ll let the numbers speak for themselves.

 

I realize my format yesterday didn’t come out well on the blog, so will use a little different format this time around. Once again, I focused only on Sharp-shinned and Red-tailed Hawks, as they are the two prominent players in the late season flights. Turkey Vultures, another late season migrant, were not included here. I have included the date, starting temperatures and SS and RT records for each year. I will start with 1996.

 

11/3/96, start temp. 37 F: SS 2, RT 30 (2 dark phase!)

11/4/96, start temp. 47 F: SS 4, RT 23

11/8/96, start temp. 40 F: SS 5, RT 15

11/9/96, start temp. 28 F: SS 3, RT 18

11/10/96, start temp. 27 F: SS 3, RT 21

11/12/96, start temp. 37 F: SS 1, RT 21

11/16/96, start temp. 31 F: SS 4, RT 31

11/17/96, start temp. 41 F: SS 5, RT 12

11/19/96, start temp. 58 F: SS 2, RT 18

11/22/96, start temp. 34 F: SS 8, RT 63

11/23/96, start temp. 34 F: SS 5, RT 24

11/24/96, start temp. 40 F: SS 12, RT 22

11/26/96, start temp. 37 F: SS 0, RT 4

11/27/96, start temp. 38 F: SS 1, RT 8

11/28/96, start temp. 40 F: SS 2, RT 25

11/29/96, start temp. 36 F: SS 0, RT 0

12/2/96, start temp. 36 F: SS 3, RT 33

12/7/96, start temp. 45 F: SS 2, RT 8

12/8/96, start temp. 32 F: SS 2, RT 4

12/9/96, start temp. 31 F: SS 1 RT 11

10/10/96, start temp. 33 F: SS 2, RT 7

 

1996 Total: SS 67, RT 398

 

1996 Nov. Dec. days starting temp. was in 20’s: 2

1996 Nov.-Dec. days starting temp. was in 30’s: 12

1996 Nov.-Dec. days starting temp. was in 40’s: 6

1996 Nov.-Dec. days starting temp. was in 50’s: 1

 

Now we’ll skip forward to the recently-completed fall 2017 statistics.

 

11/2/17, start temp. 72 F: SS 5, RT 0

11/9/17, start temp. 59 F: SS 1, RT 2

11/10/17, start temp. 48 F: SS 0, RT 2

11/11/17, start temp. 40 F: SS 1, RT 5

11/12/17, start temp. 54 F: SS 0, RT 0

11/13/17, start temp. 51 F: SS 0, RT 2

11/14/17, start temp. 50 F: SS 1, RT 4

11/16/17, start temp. 56 F: SS 0, RT 2

11/17/17, start temp. 49 F: SS 0, RT 4

11/19/17, start temp. 49 F: SS 0, RT 2

11/22/17, start temp. 52 F: SS 0, RT 2

11/23/17, start temp. 37 F: SS 0, RT 0

11/30/17, start temp. 41 F: SS 0, RT 0

 

2017 Total:  SS 8, RT 24

 

2017 Nov.-Dec. days starting temp. was in 20’s: 0

2017 Nov.-Dec. days starting temp. was in 30’s: 1

2017 Nov.-Dec. days starting temp. was in 40’s: 5

2017 Nov.-Dec. days starting temp. was in 50’s: 6

2017 Nov.-Dec. days starting temp. was in 60’s: 0

2017 Nov.-Dec. days starting temp. was in 70’s: 1

 

RED-TAILED HAWK: Numbers for the two years are drastically different, as are the starting temperatures. Note that the highest daily RT total of 2017 was 5. The season total was less than 30. On only 3 out of 21 days of coverage in 1996 did we count LESS Red-tailed Hawks than our highest 2017 total, and 4 daily totals exceeded our entire 2017 season total, one more than doubling it!  

 

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: In 1996, Sharp-shinned Hawks were counted on 19 of 21 days, continuing into December. In 2017 they were counted on only 4 of 13 days, with the last one counted on Nov. 14.

 

Is it possible I may have missed major flight days in 2017? Yes. Is it possible we missed major flight days in 1996. Probably. You ALWAYS wonder what is coming past when you aren’t there. I didn’t have as much coverage during this period in 2017 as I would have liked. I still work and can only man the lookout when I have days off. I was there as much as I could be, and I manned the lookout by myself for this entire period. You’ll note a lot of 0 totals when I was there. If good numbers of hawks had been flying, as they did in 1996, I would have definitely  had more hours of coverage, but probably not more days.

 

I welcome any comments about these past few posts that speculate about the link between a warming climate and hawk migration. Any theories expressed here are mine alone, and a result of my 27 years of hawk watching.

 

Reporting: Bill Haley

___________________________________

 

It might also be interesting to take a look at just the last 5 years, and see the latest trend. I love that there are so many ways to look at the numbers. and wonder about how what happens this year or last will affect our environment overall.  Will Hawks loose out if they change their migration patterns?  A long study helps to provide the answers as time goes by. We must always keep asking the questions.

 

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!!!

Did Rising Temps Affect Migration This Year?

Bill compare some stats: A Discussion on the Comparison

"Recently I raised the question of how a warming climate may be affecting the hawk flight at Soddy Mountain, Tennessee, so I have decided to look at a previous year of late-season hawk records. I have data going back a number of years, and I literally at random, I chose my 1996 record book to do a comparison between that year and 2017. I realize every year is different, but the past 2-3 years the post-BW hawk flights have been quite disappointing. The contrasts are eye-opening!

 

I didn’t pay much attention to hours of coverage. Granted this year was much less than 1996. There are 3 reasons for that: 1). I have a much busier schedule now than I did then. 2). I had other counters that helped me in 1996, and there were enough hawks migrating to keep them on the lookout. In contrast, I didn’t see but one fellow hawkwatcher on one day from Oct.-Dec. this year. 3). There were numerous days when I could have stayed on the lookout much longer, but when you’ve been up there for 2-3 hours and not seen a thing, it is hard to justify spending more time gathering negative data.

 

The following stats are a comparison of October 1996 and October 2017. Since Sharp-shinned Hawks and Red-tailed Hawks are the primary migrants in Oct. I focused only on those two species. I did not count any vultures for this comparison. I will also note the starting temperature F for each day, so pay close attention to that. The dates don’t always match up, but you’ll get the picture.

 

10/4/96, start temp. 72 F: SS 2, RT 1                                         10/1/17, start temp. 69 F: 0

10/5/96, start temp. 60 F: SS 25, RT 6                                       10/6/17, start temp. 74 F: 0

10/6/96, start temp. 43 F: SS 24                                                  10/9/17: start temp. 85 F: SS 2

10/12/96, start temp. 40 F: SS 22, RT 5                                     10/10/17, start temp. 85 F: SS 1

10/13/96, start temp 45 F: SS 45, RT 1, (GE 1)                       10/12/17, start temp 65 F: SS 9, RT 1

10/18/96: start temp. 55 F: SS 13, RT 2                                     10/13/17, start temp. 58 F: SS 11

10/19/96: start temp. 35 F: SS 19, RT 1                                     10/14/17, start temp. 72 F: SS 8

10/20/96, start temp. 34 F: SS 46, RT 10                                  10/15/17, start temp. 72 F: SS 59

10/28/96, start temp. 70: SS 25, RT 1                                        10/16/17, start temp. 60 F: SS 4

10/29/17, start temp. 75: SS 10, RT 2, (NH 10)                      10/21/17, start temp. 54 F: 0

10/30/96, start temp. 77: SS 13, RT 3                                        10/22/17, start temp. 73 F: 0

                                                                                                                10/24/17, start temp. 62 F: 0

Total: 244 SS, RT 32                                                                          10/26/17, start temp. 50 F: SS 3, RT 1

                                                                                                                10/31/17, start temp. 59 F: SS 4, RT 2

 

                                                                                                                Total: 100 SS, RT 4

 

November and December 1996 vs. 2017 is even more revealing, and it’ll come soon.      

 

Reporting: Bill Haley"

Are there nests showing early activity this year?  Report them. We would love to know, without disclosing locations.  The warmth definitely had butterflies migrating later in greater numbers than I ever remember, and I know there were later nests of  many songbirds around my yard.  So did the Migratrs which usually make a shift from North to South just not move, or not move as far south this year?  How will food sources affect them if the snows are often or deep? There are lots of questions that can be asked about how the warm weather, and lack of major fronts affect the movement of The Big Buteos, Vultures etc.  We could compare the numbers in Louisiana, Texas and Florida with former years to see if fewer arrived there as well. Lots of ways to look at the stats and learn or ask questions about Hawk migration.  It's how we grow in what we know - to ask the questions and make the comparisons.  I know when I looked at Vulture movement in California, they had the earliest and yet largest movement ever.  We didn't even see that. Did fires push theirs south in spite of the weather? It would require some investigation.  Any takers, college students?  It's worth knowing the truth.

I could shorten our mantra to "Keep Looking" instead of

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!
LOL

2017 Fall Season is Called!

Final Stats and review begin.

"Bill called the season as of his last report and also sent a review of his stats for the post BW numbers. For him, the migration seemed slow, and since weather plays a vital role in the movement of many of all bird species, lack of fronts, and Northern cold or snow with so many days above normal temps...there wasn't the movement he hoped for.  Let his numbers give you a picture.

Although, this is the final report, it is not the final post this year. I still have Totals and charts to post before we wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Here's Bill's last report for 2017 -
Sunday
Dec 10, 2017

This will be the last report for the fall 2017 season. Clear blue skies this afternoon,  but no hoped-for late migrants

 

"Weather: Clouds: 0%. Wind: SSW 2-5 @ 12:30, W 8-12 @ 1:00. Temperature: 41-42F. Barometric pressure: 30.29-30.25. Humidity: 43%. Visibility: 70 K. 

Hawks - 0.

Counter: Bill Haley,  12:30-2:00.

Ten minutes before I planned to leave, two local adult Red-tails put on a show. Circling very close together, suddenly the top bird dove on its mate and they plummeted very close to the treetops on the north ridge. They immediately looped back up into the sky, where a couple of minutes later their white undersides flashed as they executed another aerial tumble. Shortly after that,  the maneuver happened for a third time! This was probably pair - bonding behavior before nesting season, which will start up a short two months from now. 

It was a reminder of how lucky I am to witness pieces of the lives of these magnificent raptors! Every hawk season contains many such treasured moments. 

Now here I am at the ending of my 27th fall hawk watching season, 25 of them at Soddy Mountain. First one was as a casual observer at Signal Point and Grays Mountain, where I was bitten by the "hawk bug". Wanting a lookout I could call my own, Bill's Rock, on Raccoon Mountain fit the bill for one year, but wasn't an optimum situation. Then I found the Soddy Mountain site, which had what I was looking for - an almost 360 degree view on a mountain bluff and unobstructed views of the Tennessee Valley to the east. As they say, "The rest is history".

Good Lord willing, I'll be back next year.

Reporting: Bill Haley"

 

________________________________

 

When Bill analyzed his data, he made these observations:

 

"I went through my October and November data and pulled out some statistics from what proved to be the poorest late season hawk flight I’ve ever experienced.

 

October -  15 days with at least some coverage, 60.00 hours total:

 

Turkey Vulture - 142

Northern Harrier – 5

Osprey – 1

Bald Eagle – 1

Sharp-shinned – 103

Cooper’s – 11

Broad-winged – 3

Red-tailed – 4

American Kestrel – 5

Merlin – 4

Peregrine Falcon – 5

 

Total raptors: 284 (4.72 / Hour)

Take away the TV, which accounted for exactly half of the raptors counted = 142 (2.36 HPH)

 

Best day by far, and my most memorable day of fall 2017, was Sunday, October 15. I’ll always remember it as the No In-Between Day, as there was almost no waiting time between hawk sightings. I didn’t arrive until after church at 12:45, and I was all by myself.  In 4.75 hours, I counted 47.5% of all raptors seen in the entire month of October! If you take out vultures and just count the hawks (74), that day accounted for over half (142) of the total hawks counted in October. That memorable day’s totals follow.

61 Turkey Vultures

2 Northern Harriers

1 Osprey

59 Sharp-shinned Hawks (possibly a 25 year daily record)

3 Cooper’s Hawks

1 Broad-winged Hawk

4 American Kestrels

3 Merlins

1 Peregrine Falcon

 

Total raptors, 10/15/17 = 135.

 

Question: Is climate change a factor? The lowest temperature I recorded on any day in October was 50 degrees F (10/26). The highest temperature recorded was 88 degrees F (10/9 and 10/10).

 

Days starting temperature was in the 50’s: 4

Days starting temperature was in the 60’s: 4

Days starting temperature was in the 70’s: 6

Days starting temperature was in the 80’s: 2

 

Temperatures to the north of Tennessee were generally 10-20 degrees F above normal, with little to no snow reported.

 

November – 14 days with at least some coverage, 38.00 hours total:

 

Turkey Vulture – 196

Black Vulture -  10

Northern Harrier – 3

Bald Eagle – 6

Sharp-shinned Hawk – 8

Northern Goshawk – 1

Red-shouldered Hawk – 4

Red-tailed Hawk – 28

Merlin – 1

 

Total raptors: 257 (6.76 / Hour)

Take away the TV and BV = 51 (1.34 HPH)

 

Again the climate change question.  Lowest temperature recorded was 37 F (11/23). Highest temperature recorded was 70 F (11/2).

 

Days starting temperature was in the 30’s: 1

Days starting temperature was in the 40’s: 5

Days starting temperature was in the 50’s: 6

Days starting temperature was in the 60’s: 1

 

Hard to believe only 28 migrant Red-tailed Hawks were counted the entire month of November, when historically their fall migration peaks in November.

 

Reporting: Bill Haley"

_____________________________________

 

Thanks for supporting us this season!

 

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!

Crossing Into December

-Some of you thought the Migration was over, LOL

Hello!

Bill found that a glitch had not sent 2 of his reports after Thanksgiving, so we are reporting them, along with his latest report from Saturday. He called this morning to say he was headed up to the watch after church services for his last day of the year.  We will put up that last report as soon as he gets it to us.  It's a cold watch this week! In the twenties at night, and not very warm during the day.  Hope the wind isn't blowing on him today.  He is hoping that the snow may have the last of a few migrants on the move during the heat of the day.

He reports that the Vultures he was seeing one of these days are locals.  It might be said that the new locals may be birds which have migrated south, and decided to not go further, but in that they are hanging around for the winter, they aren't migrants.  The same would be true of any other species which just came this far and stopped. But of those birds which have been radio tagged, those birds which only do a "shift" style migration, usually go as far as Louisiana or Florida and pass us by.  It is of course impossible to tell which is occurring unless more birds are tracked, but let it be known, if they aren't showing a migration attitude, they don't get counted! 

I have been wanting to post a note for newer hawk watchers, which explains that this time of year, there have been mating and nesting activities already underway, with some species through out the south.  Many Bald Eagles and Osprey may have eggs to hatchlings already in the nests. I saw a photo report yesterday of a nest with sizable young being fed , here in Tennessee this week.

I am not sure exactly which others that would be true of.  Just sayin'  So maybe that would be something nice to investigate in some down time.  I'll let you know what I find.  The point is, however, it is time to keep eyes open for nests and young, but be sure to keep your distance. 

There are at least 2 reasons to keep a safe watching distance:
1. It is important to not disturb the feeding patterns of parents feeding chicks.  Without proper nutrition, chicks might be sickly or even die.

2. Large birds of prey will defend the area near their nests. We personally know individual birders who have been attacked by them and slightly injured, not because they were stalking a nest, but because they accidentally got too close during other activities. 

If you don't have a lens which is powerful enough to keep a distance, take the best pic you can on a tripod or by supporting your camera against or on something, and crop it.  Now days, pixels are large enough to produce some good crops.  Better yet, make sketches of the birds features and take notes of what you observe at the nests.  We made entire notebooks of info when a combined effort led birders to keep notes on the nesting behavior of Peregrine Falcons at the Chickamauga Dam.  A lot can be learned by just knowing when and how often parents switch out feeding or nesting duties, for instance.  If nothing else, it tells the story, much better than a picture. 

Here are Bill's reports:

Oldest to newest - per Jimmy's request.  He hates reading them "backwards." LOL

Thursday
11-30-17

Spent two hours at the hawk lookout this morning. 100% clouds plus no wind, with a little misty rain thrown in at the end equals no hawks. Didn't  see a single vulture or local hawk.

Weather: Clouds: 80% when I arrived @ 9:15, 95% @ 10:00, 100% by 11:00. Wind : Calm.  Temperature : 49 F - 54 F, Barometric pressure : 30.29-30.18. Humidity: 93% - 86%. Visibility : 25K.

0 hawks.

Counter: Bill Haley,  9:15-11:15.

Reporting : Bill Haley

___________________________________

 

Friday

12-1-17

 

Weather: Clouds : 35%@ 10:30, 25% @ 12:00, 35% @ 1:00. Wind : NE 2-5, changing to E 2-5 @ 1:00. Temperature : 57 F - 64 F. Barometric pressure : 30.20 @ 10:30, slowly decreasing to 30.17 @ 1:00. Humidity: 77% - 56%. Visibility : 35K.

Raptors by hour:

10:30-11:00 - 0

11:00-12:00 - RT 1

12:00-1:00 - RS 1, RT 1

1:00-2:00 - BV 19

TOTAL RAPTORS 22 : (BV 19, RS 1, RT 2)

Cloudless Sulphur butterfly - 1

Counter: Bill Haley,  10:30-2:00

Reporting: Bill Haley

___________________________________

 

Saturday 

12-9-17

 

Weather: Clouds: 0%. Wind: NE 2-5 @ 9:15, NW 4-8 @ 10:00, changing to W 10-15 by 10:30. Temperature: 32 F @ 9:15, 35 F @ 10:00. Barometric pressure: 29.97. Humidity: 51%. Visibility: 70F.

A lot of local vultures, both BV and TV, in the area,  but no migrants. No hawks seen. Saw several groups of Sandhill Cranes, all headed west to the Sequatchie Valley to feed. They were all coming from the Hiwassee Refuge to our east.

Hawks: 0

Sandhill Cranes: 31

Eastern Bluebirds: 14 on wires @ 10:15.

Counter: Bill Haley,  9:15-10:45

Repirting: Bill Haley

_____________________________________
 

Have you noticed the number of butterflies still on the move?  Cold weather will probably set that back for a while? We'll see.

 

Nesting Raptors, and Butterflies in winter--

Now you have 2 more reasons to

 

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!

 

Post Thanksgiving Raptors On The Move!

I have a couple, at least, of posts from Bill from over the holidays, which I need to put here today. But before I transfer his emails, I just wanted to tell you a quick story.

 Jimmy went to the mailbox Saturday. We have placed a couple of lawn seats at the end of the walkway where it joins the drive. Jimmy sat a moment to open the mail and rest before coming on up the hill.  He has a good view of he North sky from there, so he noticed a kettle of vultures forming over our neighbors roof line.  He decided to watch and see where they went. In just a little while he had counted more and more as small groups formed in that same area.

I began to wonder if he was OK, so I went to sit with him. And he told me about the vultures as he opened the mail.  In no time we were seeing more. I watched with him as each new group peeled off the top, heading south and sometimes formed up again as they got just past our SW roofline. But they could be seen streaming south strung out across the southern skies. At one point the skies to the south had a vulture anywhere you looked. Since we seldom see more than 4 or 5 Vultures over our area in a day, it was obvious these were migrants. We stayed until he was tired of looking up, but he had asked for a pen and kept a tally.  So here is our report from the yard. LOL

Saturday
11/25/2017
Wilkerson Home Watch

30% clouds, temps - hi 60's,  slight N winds at ground, faster at cloud level, moving clouds quickly through.

TV - 19, 9, 15, 2, 2, 2, 2 - 53
IM BE - 1
BV - 34, 10, 1 - 45

Total Raptors 99 :)
3:45 to 4:45 p.m.
Jimmy and Cynthia Wilkerson

________________________________

Now for the real counts:
Wednesday

11/22/2017

 

"Weather: Clouds 0%, Wind: ENE 5-10, Temperature : 52 F, Barometric pressure : 30.14, Humidity: 46%, Visibility : 45K.

Hawks by the hour:

1:45-2:00 - 0

2:00-3:00 - RT 2

Counter: Bill Haley,  1:45-3:00

 

Reporting : Bill Haley"

&
Thanksgiving Day
Thursday
11/23/2017

"Weather: Clouds: 65% @ 9:45, 75% @ 11:00, 85% @ 12:00. Wind : E 5-10 @ 9:45, changing to NE 2-5 @ 11:00. Temperature : 37 F @ 10:00, 45 F @ 11:00. Barometric pressure: 30.12. Humidity : 73%.Visibility: 40 - 45K. 

No migrant raptors today. Saw two local Bald Eagles, one local Sharp-shinned Hawk and one local Red-tailed Hawk. On the bright side, while taking a bathroom break in the pines south of the lookout I spotted a bird species that  has never been documented at the lookout. I noticed a couple of small birds dining on pine seeds and they proved to be Pine Siskins!

Sandhill Cranes - 14. 

American Robin - (35) 10:45, (57) 10: 50.
Also saw a Common Checkered Skipper butterfly.

Counter: Bill Haley,  9:45-12:00

Reporting : Bill Haley"

____________________________________

Of course we won't include our home count in the Soddy Lookout Count because we are quite a few miles away.  But what we always say, is you can count from where you are.  Our view on the mountain affords us wonderful views of migrants taking advantage of the updrafts formed along the ridges.  But many migrants don't specifically seek the mountainsides, all the time.  Vultures are one of those species which can be readily seen anywhere along their migration, much as you would see Sandhills for instance. Our experience shows that anyone can enjoy the miracle of migration if you ___

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!

Thanksgiving Week Data

Bill has sent a couple more days. We'll get caught up and now and again after Thanksgiving.  Let me say in advance that I hope everyone has a wonderful time Thursday, good food and family.  I am certain our family has much to be thankful for! 

Bill's reports:
Friday
November 17, 2017

When I saw an eagle in a glide coming straight for the lookout, I wondered if it might be the Golden I have been hoping for. The head was a light color, but was it golden or white? Turned out to be mostly white, on a probable 3rd or 4th year Bald Eagle. Tail was white at the base with a pretty distinct dark terminal band.Still a nice sight as it turned one circle right at the lookout and then sailed on south. I swear it turned its head to look my way!

Weather: Clouds : 10% @ 10:15, increasing to 20% for the rest of the time I was there. Wind: very light, from calm to NE 1-3, Temperature : 49 F - 52 F. Barometric pressure: 30.21. Humidity: 71% - 61%. Visibility: 40K.

Raptors by the hour:

10:15-11:00 - TV 9, RT 2

11:00-12:00 - TV 5, BE 1, RS 1, RT 2

TOTAL RAPTORS: 20 (TV 14, BE 1, RS 1, RT 4)

Counter: Bill Haley,  10:15-12:000

Reporting : Bill Haley

 

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

 

Sunday

November 19, 2017

 

Strong wind out of the NW this afternoon, usually not great for us. Thankfully, I didn't get  skunked! Batteries on my weather radio quit, so weather reports are minimal. Winds were NW 5-10, with some stronger gusts. Clouds were 60% @ 1:00, 30% @ 2:00. Tenperature 49 F. Visibility was 45 K.

Hawks by the hour :

1:00-2:00 - NH 1, RT 1

2:00-3:00 - RT 1

TOTAL HAWKS - 3

All three hawks came through very high.

Counter: Bill Haley,  1:00-3:00

Reporting : Bill Haley

 

 

_____________________________________

 

These 23 birds push us over 2900 Raptors counted for the season.  A couple of good pushes of TV's could get us into the 3000 bird category. 

 

Happy Thanksgiving! Everyone.

 

Take a minute to be thankful for the grand world God made, and the assurances that each season will come and go, and migrations will continue as they have for thousand of years.  I am thankful I got to see its evidence with my own eyes. And all it took was a commitment to

 

KEEP LOOKIN UP!!!

 

Cynthia for All of us on the Hawk Watch Team!

Over the Hill in November

This was the middle week of November, 2017 fall season.  Bill had a number of hours to get to the watch this week, so he has sent several reports since I was able to concentrate on getting them up.  So forgive, please the marathon of info.

Jimmy had a biopsy done on his muscles Thursday of this week, in an attempt to put a name to what's making him so weak.  Several good things have happened, in that we have stopped the rapid decline in weight, he no longer spends half his day in the restroom, he is thinking and speaking more clearly, (thank God), and they have brought the mass of medication he was on to something more manageable, and a little easier to see what was hurting him and what actually helped.

 It turned out he was on Diabetes Meds in addition to several others that he no longer needed, due to his weight loss.  His sugars are basically not an issue at this point.  That is a tremendous blessing, and his blood pressure and heart rates have become far more stable.  I generally don't speak of these things here, but I know many of our readers would like to know.  And I needed to explain why I have been neglectful this week.  He remains unable to walk without tremendous effort, and has fallen more. So it will be very helpful if we can just know a diagnosis.  I hate Statin drugs now, because they seem to have put this whole thing in motion, but his Neurologist seems to think the "disease" part of his problems may have been silently growing before his Rhabdo occurred, thus making the Rhabdo so much worse than it might have been.  Enough of the details, but thank you all for caring and praying and asking about him. 

Now for the real post!

I will just let Bill tell you his results through his own emails and pictures.  It's a blessing that our numbers continue to rise, showing what he always said, that the migration isn't over when the Broad-wings are gone.  In the first note, he recognized an error in addition, adding one more to the previous totals.  I just want to say that, I will always copy paste someone's report, unless we were also doing totals.  So I don't ck for errors. But when Jimmy fills in the charts on Hawkcount.org, it will recognize for us an addition error. But in the past Jimmy has checked and double checked our numbers, both through out the season and at season's end, to be sure of accuracy.  We check his numbers against mine, and we add both forward and backwards, as well as page by page, and month by month.  Just so people may know we make every effort to be accurate when we report to you our final numbers. But it is seldom that the numbers are more than a couple or two off.  The guys have done a great job with numbers down through the years!

Bill's Reports and pics:

"Monday November 13 Correction Note:
Hey, I just realized I had 28 total raptors on Nov. 13, not 27. One of these days I'll learn to count! 25 TV + 2 RT + 1 BE = 28.

Still waiting on that good day, but I just don't think it has gotten nasty enough up north yet For the RT's to move in numbers. Hardly saw any vultures at all today, and certainly no migrants.

Bill

 

 

Tuesday
Nov 14, 2017
Weather: Clouds: 90% @ 11:30, 55% @ 12:00, 35% @ 1:00, 5% $ 2:00. Wind: SE 1-3 @11:30, ENE 1-3 @ 12:00, E SE 2-8 @ 1:00. Temperature: 50 - 56 F. Barometric pressure: 30.33 @ 11:30 gradually falling to 30.23 @ 2:00. Humidity: 63%-57%. Visibility: 40K-50K.


Couldn't really see the bird in my phone view, but I could see the cloud. I got lucky. As this adult Bald Eagle streamed south, it was in a glide from the time I saw it over the north ridge to when it disappeared to the south. By Bill Haley

[Note: We have talked about distant BE's coming in with wings flat as a board. Here we see a different stance, as the Eagle captures the wind beneath it's wings in a look that resembles an M of an Osprey.   Notice the wing size compared to the bird's body. Now imagine that spread out flat. Even less body to wing! CW]

Raptors by hour: 

11:30-12:00 - RT 2

12:00-1:00 - 0

1:00'2:00 - BE 1 (ad), RT 1

2:00-2:30 - 0

TOTAL RAPTORS: 4

 

Found this Common Buckey caterpillar today, Nov. 14, at the hawk lookout.  It was on Narrow - leaved Plantain, it's larval host plant. I never realized how fuzzy this plant's leaves are.

Saw a Sleepy Orange butterfly up there yesterday. by Bill Haley

Counter: Bill Haley, 11:30-2:30

 

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Wednesday

November 15, 2017

 

Walked onto the lookout at 9:45. Set my binoculars on a cell tower to make sure I'd have the proper long focus and began to scan the horizon over the north ridge and in less than 45 seconds, BAM! A female Northern Harrier cresting the ridge. She then dropped low and I got to watch from above as she made her way down the fog covered valley with a good bit of flapping. I can't recall ever being able to watch one from above. They usually gain height and pass high overhead. An omen?

Weather: Clouds : 50% @ 9:45, increasing to 85% by 12:00, and 95% @ 1:00. Light rain @ 1:15. Wind WNW  5-10 @ 9:45, SSW 10-20 for the rest of the day. Temperature: 42 F @ 9:45, 53 F @ 11:00, 56 F @ 12:00 and 1:00. Humidity : 82%-55%. Visibility 55K,  gradually increasing to 20K. 

Raptors by the hour:

9:45-10:00 - NH 1

10:00-11:00 - 0

11:00-12:00 - BW 10, TV 7, RS 1, RT - 3

12:00-1:00 - TV 19,  BE 1, SS 1, RT 1

1:00-1:15 - 0

TOTAL RAPTORS: 44

(BV 10, TV 26, BE 1, NH 1, SS 1, RS 1, RT 4)

 

One of two Red-tails that came through at 11:56 today, Bill Haley
[Note: strong petal shaped wings, as we've discussed in silhouettes CW]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At 11:07 there were 14 Eastern Bluebirds,  7 American Robins.and 4 Cedar Waxwings on the wires in front of me. Many flew to land on or near a large Eastern Red Cedar at the south edge of the lookout and all were feeding on the abundant berries. At 11:20 an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk shot up over the edge of the bluff about 20 feet in front of me. It was hoping to surprise one of the bird's behind me. Instead it was only me that got surprised! The luckless hunter darted into the trees behind the lookout. A gorgeous bird with rufus belly and gun metal blue-gray back. I've seen this local bird numerous times this fall, and suspect it has better luck when I'm not around to distract it.

The sharpie I counted, I thought at first might be the same bird contemplating a second try, but it soared up and passed very high overhead, continuing south.

The Black Vultures were all in one group and all headed south. First ones I've counted this fall.

Bald Eagle was a 4th year bird. White head, very little white on body or under wings, white tail with a dark terminal band.

I was surprised as I neared Chattanooga and the sun was shining. I wonder if all these migrants were in a hurry to get out from under the cloud cover and sprinkles and head a few miles south to sunny skies?

Painted Lady butterfly 1

Counter: Bill Haley,  9:45-1:15

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Thursday

November 16, 2017

This was the most pleasant day this week, but it must have been just as pleasant to our north, because the hawks weren't coming past the lookout.

Weather: Clouds: 40% @ 9:00 (high, thin cirrus and jet contrails), 30% @ 11:00, 30% @ 12:00, 15% @ 1:00. Wind: Calm @ 9:00, ENE 3-5 @ 10:00, NNW 2-5 @ 12:00, NW 5-15 @1:00. Temperature: 65F,  gradually increasing to 61F. Barometric pressure: 30.17 @ 9:00? 30.18 @ 10:00, decreasing to 30.14 @ 1:00. Humidity: 77%-54%. Visibility starting @ 50K, ending @ 65 K.

Hawks by the hour:

9:00-10:00 - 0

10:00-11:00 - RT 1

11:00-12:00 - RT 1

12:00-1:00 - 0

1:00-1:30 - 0

TOTAL HAWKS: 2

Biggest excitement was a 4 - point buck Whitetail Deer that ran past the pole in front of me with its white flag of a tail raised. It then darted into the thick pines nearby. Looked like it had escaped a hunter.

Ladybug beetles starting to swarm on the lookout as night temperatures approach freezing.

Counter: Bill Haley 9:00-1:30

 

Bill Haley - Reporting"

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Jimmy had also noted and shared with me that several sites in the north, report rather large numbers of Golden Eagles this time of year, most of them every year.  Check out the Pennsylvania Hawkcount.org numbers for watches up there and at site a little further south.

 

Alleghany Front, for instance: 11/15/17

In just one day - 50 GE

	BV	TV	OS	BE	NH	SS	CH	NG	RS	BW	RT	RL	GE	AK	ML	PG	UA	UB	UF	UE	UR	MK	SK	Total
	0	3	0	2	0	2	1	0	0	0	25	0	50	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	83

 

We have begun to wonder where those numbers of GEs go?  May be ready for a chapter on

 just that bird.  But, since we see so few here, do they migrate down the coastline?Maybe they just do a shift out of Canada to our North Eastern climes.   Or maybe head west sooner than reaching our area of TN? 

 

 Maybe YOU would like to have a little fun, and do a research quest yourself.

But we need you to Report any Golden Eagles you may see. PLEASE report to the facebook page, with pics if possible. THANKS

 

One more reason to

KEEP LOOKING UP!

 

 

Now At Over 2800 Raptors



Hawk Crew
by Bill Haley

With only 5 Vultures for the day, our 2017 fall season total, inched up to 2803 with Bill's 11/12/17, Sunday afternoon post.  His Monday post puts the count at 2830. LOL  100 more Raptors for the year +_ would put this year right between the records for seasons 2004 and 2013, both at over 2900 Raptors for their seasons.

Those records, for those who don't see it on their phone "sidebars" are on the page link,  STATS FROM THE PAST . On my phone, there is a small arrow at the top of the right side of my phone blog.  Tapping that arrow will bring down a list of pages that provide additional and stationary info relevant to the blog, and Soddy Mountain Hawk Watch in general. On my computer the pages appear both on the left and right sidebars, at different distances down the blog page for easy access. On a computer one can view small running totals for both the season and Grand Totals to the right and left of the main blog page. I don't always catch them up each report but bring them up to date every few days. At the end of our Season, I will try to remember to Blog the Grand Totals as well. 

 I just added the new page, which will continuously reference the research I am finding on WHERE DO HAWKS GO to Winter. I posted links to the first 2 Blogs for easy future reference and will continue to add blog pages or new links as I find them. On all the pages,  I've tried to answer questions we've often heard on the watch, and make quick links to our stats, directions, history,   ID info for distance calls, the Rehab/Release program by Happinest Rehab, and others.  There's quite a few years of collected info there.

Here are Bill's last 2 Reports, for Sunday and Monday:

Sunday
November 12, 2017

 Complete cloud cover about says it all. Not much going on today.

Weather: Clouds 100%, Wind SE 2-10, Temperature: 54-56 F. Barometric pressure : 30.35 - 30.31. Humidity: 77%. Visibility: 30K.

Raptors by the hour:

12:15-1:00 - 0

1:00-2:00 - TV 5

Total raptors: 5

Counter: Bill Haley -  12:15-2:00

Reporting: Bill Haley

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November Day with the pole
Bill Haley

 

Monday

November 13, 2017

 

Weather: Clouds: 85% @ 9:45. 75% @ 10:00, 60% @ 11:00, 40% @ 12:00, 25% @ 1:00. Wind: NNW 10-15 @ 9:45, changing to N 10-15 for the rest of the day. Temperature: 51 - 55F. Barometric pressure: 30.39 @ 9:45, going up to 30.40 @ 12:00 . Humidity: 80% - 55%.

Coldest day on the lookout so far with a brisk 10-15 mph wind in my face all day. Clearing took much of the morning.

Raptors by hour: 

9:45-10:00 - 0

10:00-11:00 - BE 1 (imm)

11:00-12:00 - TV 25, RT 1

12:00-1:00 - RT  1

Total raptors: 27 (TV 25, BE 1, RT 2) 

 

Counter: Bill Haley - 9:45-1:00

Reporting: Bill Haley 

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Remember, these cold and sometimes windy days, still have many Raptors in migration.  Don't even think it's time to put those binocs down!

 

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!

 

 

Northern Goshawk - Need I Say More?

Yep, you are reading it right!  If you had to read it twice to be sure, that's how Bill felt on the call.  He simply had to satisfy himself it was the right call.  That's the way it sometimes is, when you know you are seeing a wonderful spot alone.  You even second guess yourself...but the details bear out and you know! And he knew he had seen a wonderful bird to report.

Jimmy and I had discussed before this year's season, that the sightings for Northern Goshawk completely surrounded our state, so why weren't we getting an  occasional one.  There was one hawk last year that we simply couldn't get our head around, which we always wondered - might it have been?.  So we had actually studied the bird some just in case.  But when I asked, why might we be missing it? Jimmy replied that it might have something to do with the time of year. And he was right.

Was this one so unique or was coverage over the last several years, not being all day, everyday, like during BW season, cheating us out of an occasional Goshawk?  Well, the roll of the dice was truly nice for Bill. And we are excited to report that he was there on a lucky or divinely blessed day! Our last report for one was in 1995!

Here's the report - What other sightings did the Goshawk overshadow in 6 hours? Read it to find out! Wow!!!

Saturday
November 11, 2017


"Very high barometric pressure today. The "heavier" air can sometimes put a damper on the hawk flight.

Weather: Clouds: 25% @ 9:30 (high, thin cirrus), increasing to 50% @ 2:00 and 60% @ 3:00. Wind: N 1-2 @ 9:30, changing  by 10:00 to SE 2-5 and staying there for the rest of the day. Temperature : 40F @ 9:30,  gradually increasing to 60F @ 3:00. Barometric pressure: 30.40 - 30.41 from 9:30 - 11:00, 30.39 @ 12:00, 30.36 @ 1:00, 30.33 @ 2:00, 30.31 @ 2:00. Humidity: 73% - 50%. Visibility : 60 - 65K. 

Raptors by the hour:

9:30-10:00 - 0

10:00-11:00 - 0

11:00-12:00 - TV 34, NH 1, NG 1 

12:00-1:00 - TV 11, RT 1

1:00-2:00 - TV 4, BE 1, RS 1, RT 4

2:00-3:00 - SS 1

3:00-3:30 - 0

TOTAL RAPTORS: 59 

(TV 49, BE 1, NH 1, SS 1, NG 1, RS 1, RT 5)

I struggled with the Northern Goshawk call. It is not a species we usually expect at Soddy Mountain. I first spotted it in the distance and soaring very high, and initially I had it pegged as a sharpie. However, as it came in high over the lookout this bird appeared quite large - bigger and bulkier than a Cooper's Hawk - so large that for awhile I thought it was a Red-shouldered Hawk. It flapped and glided accipiter-like, but so do Red-shoulders at times. I looked close for "windows" in the wings. There were none. The configuration of the wings in a glide was also different than Cooper's, with primaries that dropped back considerably behind the trailing edge of the wings. The tail was long - longer than a Red-shoulder ' s would be,  and wide - wider than Cooper's. The head projected like a Cooper's, but It just didn't have that long "stretched-out" look I associate with a Cooper's Hawk. I wish it could have been closer and the light better, as I couldn't make out any plumage field marks. It just looked all dark. It passed overhead, but high. I'll admit I was puzzled, and just couldn't call it a commonly - seen Cooper's Hawk, so I consulted "Hawks in Flight", "Hawks at a Distance", and "Hawks From Every Angle".  In "Hawks in Flight"  Pete Dunne states, "Rule of thumb: If you initially identify a bird as a buteo,  but the closer it gets you realize it is an accipiter,  think Goshawk."  I'm making the call of Northern Goshawk, based on everything I saw. 

The adult Bald Eagle  at 1:30 was a much easier identification. It sailed down the valley 100 feet under the lookout. It was a real treat to see it from above as it sailed over the countryside below.

The Northern Harrier was an immature. The Red-shouldered Hawk was an adult.

Other notable birds: Seen fairly close over north ridge - Canada Geese (5), followed by one lone Snow Goose. It was striking how much smaller the Snow Goose was. It was having to work hard to keep up. A strange grouping. Wonder what it was doing following the larger Canada's?

Sandhill Cranes: 17 total -first seen this fall.

Monarch butterfly 1

Counter: Bill Haley,  9:30-3:30

Reporting: Bill Haley"

 

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GO BILL!

 

Jimmy told me last night that when he posted the data to Hawkcount.org, he noticed large numbers of Golden Eagles had been posted all along the Eastern Counts.  If you can stand the cold, and sometimes the cold winds, now is an amazing time to go Hawk Watching. But at least check out the Hawkcount site.  It's great fun to see what is being reported by other sites as well.

 

At the very least, where ever you are today and for all of November-

 

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!!

 

 

Monarchs in Record Numbers Overshadow Hawk Migration

Monarch Butterflies are arriving at times later than ever before, say numerous articles coming from South of the Border.  Some say the numbers are records in several counts.  New York recorded 25 in one location on one bush. A record for them.  And the late flight is not over. Keep reading Bill's reports for the 9th and 10th of November, and see if you can pick out the rare report< hint, hint.

If you love butterflies, Check out the wonderful pictures of the skies filled with them as they arrive on wintering grounds by the thousands.  NOvember sightings should be reported. Pictures are a plus.

https://learner.org/jnorth/monarchs/news/fall-2017/110917-monarch-butterfly-overwintering-season-begins

Thursday
November 9 2017
"Clearing this afternoon after several cloudy, rainy days. Turkey Vultures in two groups of 39 and 12 came through between 2:12 and 2:17. Clear weather predicted tomorrow, so I will try to get up to the lookout for awhile if possible.

Weather: Clouds: 35% @ 2:00, 15% @ 3:00. Wind: NE 2-5 @ 2:00, NE 1-2 @ 3:00. Temperature: 59 - 61F. Barometric pressure: 30.12 - 30.11. Humidity: 64% - 55%. Visibility;  50K.

Raptors by the hour:

2:00-3:00: TV 51, SS 1, RS 1, RT 2

3:00-3:15: 0

Total raptors: 55

Counter: Bill Haley,  2:00-3:15

Reporting: Bill Haley"

 

 

Friday

November 10 2017

"I was able to man the lookout for two very short periods today, 9:45-10:15 and 1:15-2:00.

Weather: Clouds: 15% @ 9:45, 35% @ 1:15. Wind NE 5-10. Temperature: 48 F @ 9:45, 57 F @ 1:15. Barometric pressure: 30.31-30.30. Humidity: 63% - 59%. Visibility;  25 K @ 9:45, 35 K @ 1:15.

Raptors by the hour:

9:45-10:00 - RT 1

10:00-10:15 - RT 1

1:15-2:00 - TV 11

Total raptors: 13 (TV 11, RT 2)

Counter: Bill Haley, 9:45-10:15,  1:15-2:00

Reporting : Bill Haley"

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Then we got this email: SUBJECT:

 

-add 1 Monarch today, 11-10-17- "This late date is notable!" ___________________________________   So good to hear that monarchs are setting their own records this year, after recent years of reports of dropping numbers.  It's great news to see the increase in both Monarch arrivals and  finds of eggs laid, on the counts, etc.  other reports.  Go Monarchs!             KEEP LOOKING UP!!!