SITE DESCRIPTION

SITE DESCRIPTION:
"The Soddy Mountain hawk lookout is located in southeast Tennessee on the eastern face of Walden's Ridge (the Cumberland Escarpment) in Hamilton County, a short distance north of the town of Soddy-Daisy, TN. It lies at the eastern terminus of Jones Gap Road atop a bluff overloooking Hwy. 111 and the beautiful Tennessee River Valley to the east. The hawk lookout location is state-owned land, and there are currently no restroom or eating facilities nearby. Hawk watchers are advised to bring their own folding lawn chair, sunscreen, a hat, and drinking water, as well as binoculars and a field guide. Caution should be used at all times, especially if children are present, as there is no fence to prevent a fall off the nearby 75 foot bluff. The hawk lookout proper is level ground." *

No Shelter is available, and parking is on a level below the lookout grounds. The climb to the watch site is up a steep bank about 8' high. Other helpful tools might include an umbrella or spotting scope, although on a good day, you might not find time to use either.*

Courtesy of William G. (Bill) Haley, compiler and author of the brochure, Soddy Mountain Hawk Lookout, produced for TOS.

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk
Falconer Mr. Johnson's Red-tail

Thursday, October 12, 2017

October 11th Already!

Bill Haley

Weather:
Clouds: 85% @ 11:30, 65% @ 12:00, 50% @ 1:00, 40% @ 2:00, 30% @ 4:00. Wind: West all day, 2-5 mph @ 11:30, 5-10 mph @ 1:00, 8-12 mph @ 2:00, 10-15 mph @ 4:00. Temperature: 78F @11:30, gradually increasing to 85F @ 4:00. Barometric pressure: 30.09 gradually decreasing to 30.04. Humidity: 91%, decreasing to 67%. Visibility: 25 - 40K. 

Hawks by hour:
11:30-12:00 - 0
12:00-1:00 0
1:00-2:00 - SS (1)
2:00-3:00 - CH (1)
3:00-4:00 - SS (1)
4:00-4:15 - 0
 
 
 

Wednesday
October 11, 2017
Total hawks: SS (2), CH (1)

Had to wait for clouds to break this morning, like last two days. A sunny day with temperatures and humidity forecast lower for tomorrow with passage of a very weak cold front. We'll see if it brings hawks. The unseasonably warm temperatures have made for poor hawk flights.
Peregrine Falcon sighted near brow of North ridge @ 3:15. Unfortunately it flew ENE and never passed lookout. I watched it disappear in the distance, all the while hoping it would turn back south, but it never did. Uncountable bird. Shortly after that, a Sharpie crested the ridge, but dropped below treeline and was lost in the clutter and never found. I couldn't catch a break!
Saw a small bird dart into a nearby brush pile.  My first Winter Wren of the fall.
Monarch butterfly: 29
Counter: Bill Haley, 11:30-4:15
Reporting: Bill Haley


Keep Looking UP!!!
 
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