Just a Falcon Kind Of Day

His Chair - by Bill Haley

Clouds and rain early in the day gave way to a little scattered sunshine around noon. I live 27 miles from the lookout, but decided to give it a try, hoping for the same conditions on Soddy Mountain. It might provide an opening for some hawks to fly. I really wasn't sure what I would find up there, because the weather forecast was still predicting another wave of rain later in the day. As it turned out, I'm glad I made the commitment.

First hawk of the day was a Peregrine Falcon at 1:20. It originally came straight toward the lookout, but veered away and went down the valley. Nice start!

Only 12 minutes later, another falcon, smaller, crested the north ridge, then darted below the tree line and I lost it in the foliage. Luckily it popped above the horizon briefly,  but dipped down once again, and almost immediately shot above the horizon a third time. It was rapidly coming my way and this time when it zipped down the slope of the ridge I was able to follow it as it flew down the valley under the lookout. It was dark brown and I could easily see the dark and light banded tail of the Merlin - either a female or an immature.

Wow! A Peregrine and a Merlin for my first two birds! A Sharp-shin came past at 1:42. It was looking like a great day. 

Despite me staying until 4:30, I didn't see another migrant hawk. All the excitement took place in 22 minutes! After 2:00 the lookout was shaded by thick clouds coming in from the west. It was the same to the north. The only sunshine was out to the east over the valley. I spent a lot of time scanning that way, hoping to see something in the sunny areas,  but no luck.

 

Weather:

Clouds: 85% @ 1:00, 75% @ 2:00, 80% through 4:30. Wind: S 5-10 mph @ 1:00, SW 2-5 @ 2:00, S 2-8 through 4:30. Temperature: 85F- 87F. Barometric pressure: 30.08 @ 1:00 falling to 30.03 @ 4:00. Humidity: 81%-76%. Visibility; 20K @ 1:00, 25K @ 2:00? 40K @ 4:00.

10/10/17

SS -1

PG - 1

ML - 1

Hawk totals: 3

Counter: Bill Haley,  1:00-4:30.

Reporting: Bill Haley

Keep Looking UP!!!