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

Friday, September 28, 2018

The Skies Opened Up to MIgrating Hawks

"Just as they hoped, the hawks did not fail.  Tomorrow might also be a great hawk watching day."

Soddy Mountain hawk totals
Fri. , Sept. 28, 2018

It was a good day to be on the Soddy Mountain hawk lookout! Hundreds of Broad-wings and the best species diversity of the fall followed four days of rain. The clouds were very slow to clear out, which probably kept our numbers down a bit. The Broad-wings enjoyed playing hide-and-seek in the low clouds all day, routinely disappearing into the clouds. Sometimes they would appear suddenly streaming out of cloud to join others we were watching.

Coverage: 0700-1700

Counters: Bill Haley,  Jim Rowell

Weather: (all times EST)
0700: Clouds 100%, wind calm, temp. 68 F, hum. 90%, baro. 30.11, visib.  15K.
0800: Clouds 100%, wind NE 1-2, temp. 66 F, hum. 87%, baro. 30.14, visib.  10K.
0900: Clouds 100%, wind E 2-5, temp. 67 F, hum. 84%, baro. 30.15, visib. 8K.
1000: Clouds 99%, wind NE 1-3, temp. 69 F, hum. 81%, baro. 30.15, visib.  25K.
1100: Clouds 90%, wind NE 1-5, temp. 70 F, hum. 76%, baro. 30.15, visib. 45K. 
1200: Clouds 85%, wind E 2-5, temp. 72 F., baro.  30.16, visib. 45K.
1300; Clouds 80%, wind E 2-8, temp. 75 F.
1400: Clouds 80%, wind E 3-5, temp. 76 F, hum.  64%, baro. 30.14, visib. 50K.
1500: Clouds 85%, wind E 2-3, temp. 76 F, hum. 64%, baro. 30.11, visib. 60K.
1600: Clouds 65%, wind E 2-4, temp. 79 F, 
hum. 54%, baro. 30.10, visib. 65K.

Hawks by hour:
0700: 0
0800: 0
0900: BW 4
1000: ML 1, BW 40
1100: BW 156, PG 1
1200: BE 2 (1 ad, 1 imm.), BW 205, ML 2, PG 1
1300: SS 1, BW 168, PG 2
1400: OS 1, BE 1 (ad.), SS 1, BW 82, AK 1
1500: NH 1, OS 1, BE 1 (ad.), BW 127
1600: BW 40

Totals
9/28/18
 NH 1
 OS 2
 BE 4
 SS 2
 BW 822
 AK 1
 ML 3
 PG 4
____________
[ Raptor Total 839  ]
 

Monarch butterflies: 16

Reporting: William G. Haley, Jr."
 
Tomorrow is possibly another good day.
 
KEEP LOOKING UP!!!!!
 
 
 
 
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