Last Report for October 2019

Bill squeezed in some time after the rains to pick up some last of the month numbers, and luckily so, since one was a Merlin! Yay. Thanks for coming by, Jayne and Gary!


(Two reports this page - Sunday and Tuesday)

"Soddy Mountain, TN Hawk Report

Sun., Oct. 20, 2019

 

Time on lookout: 1300-1700 = 3 hrs.

Counter: Bill Haley 1300-1700

Visitors: Jayne Trapnell and Gary Gilpatrick 1400-1700

 

Weather: 1300 Clouds 100%, wind calm, visibl. 50K, temp. 70 F. 1400 Clouds 99%, wind E 2-1, temp. 72 F. 1500 Clouds 85%, temp. 74. 1600 Clouds 35%, wind SE 2-5, temp. 77 F.

 

Raptors by hour:

1300-1400: 0

1400-1500: SS 1, CH 1

1500-1600: SS 1

1600-1700: SS 1, CH 1

 

3 SS

2 CH

____________ 

5 Total raptors

 

Other sightings: Tree Swallow (2), Monarch 1, Long-tailed Skipper 1

 

Reporting: William G. (Bill) Haley"

 

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"Soddy Mountain, TN Hawk Report

Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019

 

Time on lookout: 1100-1400 = 3 hours

Counter: Bill Haley

 

Weather:

1100 Clouds 30%, Wind SE 2-5, visib. 30K, temp. 71 F.

1200 Wind NE 2-5, visib. 25K (several brush piles burning in valley reduced visibility and made it quite hazy), temp. 74 F.

1300: clouds 50%, wind ESE 2-5, visib. 35K, temp. 77 F.

 

Raptors by hour:

1100-1200: 0

12:00-1300: TV 9,  SS 6, CH 2, ML 1

1300-1400: 0

 

TV 9

SS 6

CH 2

ML 1

________________ 

18 Total Raptors

 

Comments:

All the Turkey Vulture and hawk movement took place between 1200 and 1300. After that the clouds thickened and all that was seen were local Red-tails and vultures. Counted the first migrant TV’s of the fall. They all came through in one group, sailing south.

 

The Merlin, seen at 1335, caught a dragonfly or butterfly over the north ridge, then circled over the valley while eating it. As soon as it was finished with its meal, it flew rapidly over the lookout, headed SW.

 

Ladybugs are starting to swarm. Small numbers today, so not a nuisance yet.

 

One Monarch seen, sailing very high. At first I thought it was a soaring hawk!

 

This will be my final report for October. I’ll leave for Ohio two days from now and won’t be back until Nov. 4. Looks like it might be Sat., Nov. 9 before I’ll get a chance to man the lookout again.

 

Reporting: William G. (Bill) Haley"

 ....................................................................................
 

Tanya Jordan sent us some phone pics of a very light, nearly completely white Red-tailed Hawk, which she witnessed out over Hwy 111, near Jones Gap Road or just past it, I think.  Although she got several pics, they were still a bit too far out to make a just call on exactly why the bird was so white.  Was it a Krider's like she first hoped. Was it leucistic as she thought it must be since it didn't quite fit most of the possible calls exactly, or might it have been a partial albino, or a juvenile light morph, maybe a very light adult light morph.  It lacked markings to fit the one or two other possibles, but she was disappointed I am sure that we couldn't get it into the record.

But of course, we cannot count it, because we count migrants, not just sightings. For anyone who might be new to the blog, or may never had known, we don't count the locals, or birds which don't demonstrate a true migration behavior. We also cannot count a bird that seems not to be a local, but doesn't move obviously on south. If it's sticking around a day or so, we don't know which day it migrates...so these do not get counted. Also we cannot count birds seen nearby, but not from the watch.  We can talk about them, and put them in the Blog. They are part of the story. So Bill often mentions what locals he's seen.  So as remarkable as her lovely white Red-tail was, it can only receive an honorable mention, for being a local sighting.  And I love a super fascinating story!  HOW COOL!!! Tanya. Thanks for sharing it.  Sorry we can't count it. Loved seeing your pictures too, even if they can't ID it. You tried, good for you! Beautiful Bird. Wish I could have seen it in person. I too would have been so excited.

 

And Tanya's story is why I say-

 

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!!

c