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, November 2, 2017

ANOTHER MERLIN!

Hawks are definitely still moving through in migration.  Don't underestimate what a few hours of looking up can yield! What might be noted is that unlike with Broad-wing  counts, this time of year the numbers can be good in the middle of the day.  Accipiters aren't set on achieving heights, they are just keen on getting where they are going.  They are often moving very fast, often as singles, and at just enough distance to need to know their silhouettes, wing beats, and other Identification attitudes, etc.  No midday lull expected.   And if you are alone on the watch, an awful lot of scanning the sky for long hours. Comfortable weather, midday today.   Great report!

Bill's report for today-

Thursday
November 2, 2017

"Almost complete cloud cover today. The bad news is that I saw only a few hawks. The good news is that I saw a few hawks. It is certainly not a given that you'll see any migrants on such a day.

Weather: Clouds: 100% @ 10:45, 98% @ 12:00, 90% @ 1:00, back to 100% by 2:00 and for the rest of the day. Wind; S 2-10 mph. Temperature: 61F,  gradually increasing to 70F. Barometric pressure: 30.21 gradually decreasing to 30.17. Humidity: 83%-67%. Visibility: 10K- 20K. 

Hawks by the hour:
10:45-11:00 - 0
11:00-12:00 - SS 1
12:00-1:00 - TV 5, SS 2
1:00-2:00 - TV 10, BE 1, SS 1, ML 1
2:00-3:00 - SS 1

Total raptors: 22 (TV 15, BE 1, SS 5, ML 1)

Two sharpies came through at 12:46. I would have never seen one, but it dove on the bird I was watching. Then they both came south. The Merlin flew very fast and low down the valley. Bald Eagle was probably a 3rd year bird. 

Counter: Bill Haley,  10:45-3:00

Reporting: Bill Haley"

Until Bill calls the season he will

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!

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