Help On the Hawk Watch a Precious Thing

Bill Haley, I am so proud that our watchers old and new are supporting you this year! It's harder to scan empty skies than a sky full of hawks sometimes, when you are alone.  Data is data.  Our dry weather has to be affecting flights, or maybe the food sources.  Here's his report for

 Tuesday, Sept/24/2019:
Soddy Mountain, TN hawk report, Tues., Sept. 24, 2019

Time on lookout: 0930-1630 = 7.0 hr.

Counter: Bill Haley, 0930-1630

Visitors:

Cheryl Finley 1045-1500

Lenny Kafka 1230-1500

Ruth Ann Henry 1230-16:30

Weather report:

0930: Clouds 20%, wind E 2-5, visib. 35K, temp. 68F. 1000 Clouds 30%, wind E 2-8, temp. 71F. 1100 Clouds 50%. 1200 Clouds 60%, wind NE 2-8, temp. 79F. 1300 Clouds 50%, temp. 82F. 1400 Clouds 35%, wind NE 5-10, temp. 86F.

1500  Clouds 20%, wind NNW 5-10, temp. 87F. 1600 Clouds 2%, wind 5-10, temp. 89.

Raptors by hour:

0930-1000: BW 1

1000-1100: OS 1, BW 2

1100-1200: BW 1

1200-1300: BW 1

1300-1400: BW 4

1400-1500: SS 1

1500-1600: BW 5

1600-1630: 0

TOTAL: 

OS 1

 SS 1

 BW 14

____________

16 total raptors  

I welcomed a new hawkwatcher on the lookout today, Cheryl Finley. Cheryl heard about the hawk lookout at the last Chattanooga TOS meeting and decided to come up and see what hawkwatching is all about. She has been birding about four years. Cheryl likes to travel and set a goal of visiting all 50 states. When she was considering visiting Nebraska the only thing she could find to do was attend the Sandhill Crane Festival, so she did....and she became a birder! She now has a life list of over 150 species. 

I really hoped to be able to show her a kettle of Broad-wings, but unfortunately it just didn't happen. I'm not sure what is going on with the BW migration at Soddy Mountain so far this fall. Hopefully they'll show up soon. It is the slowest start ever. 

Cheryl did spot an adult Bald Eagle, which was joined by another one - probably the same pair we've seen daily. We watched them soar together for quite awhile - a beautiful sight. Later on I loved her reply when I jokingly told her she needed to find a kettle. She said, "Well I found an eagle, so I have POTENTIAL!" Yes, Cheryl, you DEFINITELY have potential. It was nice to make a new birding friend and she fit right in. I hope to see her up there again.

A little later Lenny Kafka and Ruth Ann Henry arrived at the same time to help us scan the skies. Again, not many Broad-wings, but the local Red-tails were active, as were the Turkey and Black Vultures. 

I was saddened to learn that Leigh Ann, his wife if 38 years, passed away a couple of months ago after a lengthy bout with cancer. She was always a "firecracker" and will be missed by everyone who knew her from the Soddy Mountain hawkwatch.

Bill Haley

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My heart breaks for Lenny. Leigh Ann has come up at least once almost every year.  We will miss her greatly!

 

Don't despair guys...

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!