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

Saturday, April 4, 2020

Broad-winged Hawks Making A Showing!

Bill called us from the watch this morning to share he was seeing his very first BW of the day.  They are moving north, and are easier to see than on many of the Fall days when they moved south.

Bill hated to lose the counts for the midday hours, so he will go up all day on Sunday.

Today's report: Blog #320 :)

"Soddy Mountain, TN Hawk Report
Sat., April 4, 2020
Hrs. of coverage: 1000-1115, 1645-1745
= 2.25 hours

Weather: 
1000 wind E 3-5, clouds 75%, temp. 64F, visib. 55K. 1100 wind ESE 5-10, clouds 50%, temp. 68F.
1645-1745 wind NE 5-8, clouds 40%, temp. 77F, visib 60K.

Hawks by hour:
1000-1100: OS 1, BW 5
1100-1115: SS 1
1645-1700: BW 1
1700-1745: OS 1, SS 1, BW 2

Totals: OS 2, SS 2, BW 8 = 12 total

The first five Broad-wings of the day came low down the ridge, a couple only clearing the pole and wires by 20-30 feet. When I went back to the lookout this afternoon, they were higher. One was a true "speck bird", flying so high I thought it would disappear in a cloud!

I am certain many hawks were missed in the middle of the day. Unfortunately I had a NABA butterfly count scheduled today too. It was a day of counting hawks early and late, with 4 hours of butterflies sandwiched in between. It is tough when two citizen science projects coincide!

Plan to spend much of the day there tomorrow, weather permitting.

Reporting: William G. (Bill) Haley"

How cool is this that Bill has time to spend some spring Migration hours where he is able to encourage us in more ways than one to

KEEP LOOKING UP!!!
C
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