First Hawk Watch Report of Our 25th Year

Thus it begins!!! Our 25th year of Hawk Watching at Soddy-Daisy Hawk Watch. Jim Rowell was our first Volunteer on the spot. Go Jim!!!! A quarter century of data and fellowship! WOW.

Hawk Watch - Operation Soddy Daisy Flight 25 - is underway!

Here's Bill Haley's first two email's. We already had guests!!!! From Kentucky, no less.

Thursday Sept. 7
BW 1
 

"Jim Rowell kicked off the Fall 2017 hawkwatching season at Soddy Mountain, TN on Thursday, Sept. 7. He manned the lookout from 8:00-3:00. He reported one migrant Broad-winged Hawk, seen at 2:37. There were a few clouds and temperatures from mid-50's to low 70 ' s. "

Thank you JIM!

 

Friday Sept. 8
BW  3
 

"Jim Rowell was on the lookout from 8:00 to 3:00. I was there from 10:30-5:00. It was clear all day, with NE winds of 2-5 mph, switching to easterly and growing a little stronger after noon. Visibility was outstanding, over 60 km, and you could see the smokestacks at Kingston Steam Plant all day.

Only 3 migrating hawks, all Broad-wings, counted today. I spotted the first one over the north ridge brow at 11:10. The adult bird slowly circled it's way to the southwest, giving us some nice looks.

Second bird was spotted by Jim to the left of the pole at 1:20.

I found the third bird thanks to the "Harold principle". Shortly after Jim left I noticed 7-8 Turkey Vultures. Soon they were joined by several more, forming a 17 TV kettle. Harold Birch always says if there us nothing else in the sky, watch vultures and they might lead you to a hawk. I kept my eyes on the TV's and sure enough, they were joined by a smaller hawk. After circling with the vultures, it finally set it's wings and sailed on towards the SW.

We had our first visitors of the fall, Doug McCoy, a professional photographer from Burnside, KY and Pam Gibson, from Stearns, KY. They learned of our lookout from Cynthia Wilkerson's blog, and decided to come down and check it out when it said I'd be there today. They got to see Jim's Broad-wing and a local Red-tail.

Doug spent a lot more time photographing a large Green Lynx Spider on white boneset blooms and, for me at least, the star of the day, a White-M Hairstreak on another boneset only a foot away from it. The White-M was only the second one I've ever seen! When it flew the top wings were an incredible metallic blue. 3 inches away was a pretty little Red-banded Hairstreak. We both got great photos of them all.

Turns out Pam works at Cumberland Falls State Park, which is only 15-20 miles away from my butterfly count circle in Williamsburg, KY. We'd been wondering how to get some Kentucky folks involved in the count and she knows some good butterfly people up there. (Small world sometimes.)

Bill Haley reporting"

I put up this same report on the Facebook page , as is here today. Like us on Facebook for up to date on info about when we will be there.   In the future we may link you directly to the Blog for the numbers and story of the count.

http://soddymountainhawkwatch.blogspot.com/

Thanks to Bill and Jim for today's report!

Folks, please come. Even if Jimmy and I can't be there but limited time. It's such a blessing to anyone who is on the watch.

It's early still for numbers, but who knows how the storms will affect the counts this year. It's an important documentation. More on that this weekend as Hurricane Irma makes some decisions for us.

 

All our dear friends, Our team is looking forward to the time they spend with you as we all -

 

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!