Add a few Gold-crowned Kinglets to Your Hawkwatching

"Soddy Mountain hawk totals
 Mon., Nov. 19, 2018

Coverage: 0930-1400 = 4.50 hrs.

Counter: Bill Haley

Weather: Clouds 5% @ 0930, 10% 1000 till 1200, 20% @ 1200, 75% @ 1300, 95% when I had to leave due to rain @ 1400. Wind SE 2-5 mph @ 0930, changing to SSW 2-8 @ 1100, and gradually increasing to SSW 10-20. Temperature 45-64 F. Barometric pressure started 30.17 and gradually went down to 30.09.

Humidity 86%-53%.

Raptors by hour:

0900: 0

1000: 0

1100: TV 20, SS 1, CH 1

1200:TV 9, BE 2 (both 2nd yr.), SS 1, RT 1

1300: SS 1

 

Raptor totals:

 

11/19/2018 

Turkey Vulture 29

Sharp-shinned 3

Cooper's 1

Red-tailed 1

_______________ 

  Raptor Total = 34

Typically, SW or W winds produce poor hawk flights at Soddy Mountain, especially when they are strong, like the latter part of today. Steadily increasing clouds didn't help. Rain ended the day @ 1400.

You may remember my experiments on "hawk bait" back during the Broad-winged flight in September. My peanut butter and dill pickle sandwiches had remarkable success pulling in Bald Eagles and Broad-wings to count. I didn't have much to make sandwiches from today, so it was the old standard. I decided I'd eat my sandwich after I saw the first hawks. Before I could finish it, here came two 2nd year Bald Eagles 5 minutes apart, the first of which had more white, upper and lower, than any this year. Also 5 Turkey Vultures and a Red-tail. Wish I'd had another peanut butter and dill pickle sandwich!

 

Other sightings:  

American Robin 218, Cedar Waxwing 142. Had 2-3 Golden-crowned Kinglets in pines 10 feet away at edge of bluff.

Reporting: William G. Haley, Jr."

 

The Rain this year, continues to cut into the counting time. But this week continues to be productive. There have been days Jimmy and I sat with others and never saw a single hawk.  Bill continues to have countable migrants. 

 

Missing the watch this year, and the good company.  Jimmy has not felt well, so he may not have Hawk-count caught up, but when he does, I will try and post a link or a copy of the recent totals. They verify my numbers, since their computers post updated numbers.

 

Tomorrow is expected to be sunny with winds out of the north. Low mph winds.  Might produce a good flight. 

Good Luck Bill.

 

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!