A Little Windy These Days

We've watched the Huricane scenarios before. But this one is specifically coming in around S.Carolina, and is expected to run up along Apalachia. That has to have an effect this week.

Oh My...1 Raptor All Day!

Tuesday before the Hurricane hit SW Florida. That had to be a long day. But the winds were the major player yesterday and will be again today. So did the Birds skeedadle west of us, or sit down up north? That is the question. They certainly didn't fly low in the skies over Soddy Mtn. Here's the report.

A Day We've Wished For, A Dream Come True!

We are now Officially over 75,000 Broad-wings as an all time grand total of them seen over the 29 years. Tuesday's count pushed us over, and that's not the most exciting news!

Bill and Rick were blessed with an amazing morning. So excited for Rick, it's a blessing since he has put in a lot of time with Bill lately. But also thankful for Bill to get to see this after so many years of us all talking about it. With a cold front still pushing birds from the N, and a hurricane coming in from the south, there might be one more day for good numbers. Let's hope.

Cold Front Coming South with the Hawks

Cooler weather doesn't mean that thermals quit rising to the stratosphere, or that hawks can't fly beyond the blue. But it does mean that kettles can be seen lower than on hot days a lot of the time. Some cloud back ground really always helps. And cold weather has pushed nearly every Broad-wing out of the north. They know that nature is telling them to get where they are going. No storms has meant they haven't had much to dodge in our area, and haven't sat out the rain and winds. They just fly on that broad front you hear us talk about. Yesterday, Bill was blessed to see what a little rain could do to cause the birds to gather a bit a little north of us. They like company, and Kettling: Not a record day by any means. Just a rewarding one for all the hours Bill and others have put in. Here's the report:

Check us out over on facebook at the Soddy Mountain Hawk Watch page. Wonder if this little guy who was released on Saturday, joined the kettle yesterday? Nice to think he might have. God give him all the strength he will need. Susan Schott releasing a bird rehabbed by Alix Parks, a member of the Happinest Team.

Have a great Birding Day! Jimmy and Cynthia

A Few More Hawks Sunday Included a New Species for the Year

Rain in the morning, but the skies opened up enough to bring some raptors into view. Need some kettles, big ones. Low enough to see with a few clouds behind. A trip to Nashville all day makes this report rather late, but I will try to get up Monday's early in the day tomorrow. Bill birded alone on Sunday. He was the only one close enough to know if there were clearing skies. But a good report.

Thank you Charles Murray for helping today!

Exciting Day For Broad-wings and Hawk Watchers

Two Broad-winged Hawks were released today! Thanks to Alix Parks, David Aborn and Wayne Robertson for bringing them up to release. There will be great pictures below after the post. There are 2 parts to today's post, thanks to Tami King for keeping the numbers after Bill left at noon. I reserve the right to correct this post after Jimmy does the final ck. LOL My Computer keeps me afraid it is going to crash any moment, so I hurry. Sorry. Here are the reports:

More Eyes, Thanks Guys!!!

Looking into blue skies, is so tough if there is just one of you. And a little tough if there are a lot of you. But more eyes see more parts of the skies and up the odds of seeing something. I know there was a lot of laughter and fun there today as well. Great job to the watchers today. But partly cloudy skies tomorrow, might mean a great number of kettles seen as well. With cool fronts moving in, it is not too late to have high hopes for a few great kettles tomorrow. Let's hope. Also, Be there and be early for the BW release event with Alix and David at 11. Come early to park and get settled, There will be great opps for photos and close looks at a gorgeous bird. So proud to know this bird was helped along to live and thrive, possibly with a great future and adventures to tell. Here's today's report:

Don't Forget Saturday at 11 ---BW Release with Alix Parks and David Aborn

Thrursday with wind and Blue Skies. Expecting Blue skies on Friday too, But Saturday is supposed to be a banner day. Adding Northern Harrier and Merlins to the list today! Here's Thursday's report:

For Direcctions to the Watch site: on your phone click 'HAWK WATCH UPDATES" BESIDE THE ARROWS AT THE TOP OF YOUR PAGE. On a computer, scroll down to the hawk in a white box, on the left blue side bar, under the word "Home".

No Fronts to Back Up Hawks or Cool Weather to Bring Them Down to View!

Sad that the Hawks are so hard to see... Sorry guys. Maybe tomorrow. We can hope.

Any Day Now...& Great Help on the Watch!!!

Harold Birch, our long time watch team member was able to get to the watch yesterday. Jiommy had planned to go, but later, until my son had car trouble, and we were a little afraid to leave him stranded til we knew more. So Jimmy is opting for another day. I hear there are some wonderful plans for great things on the weekend. I will get them posted below. Exciting News!!!! Here's their report:

Just a Cloud Here and There

Lately, I have thought, when I am birding off the deck, I sure could use just a Cloud here and there. As it turns out, I have yet to get one of my Broad-wings from the deck in anything but blue sky. But they are sooooooo hard to see. Yesterday they were what we call, blinking in and out of the blue. It is hard to know if you are counting the same bird circling in a funnel of air, or if you have several birds in a close kettle. But yesterday, was a day, that I counted 9 birds in about 10 minutes, all the time had to check the sky. I really feel for the ones who are able to be on the watch and scan the vast area at the watch all day for hours, when there are no breaks from this scenario.

Sunday is Jimmy's First Day Back In Forever

Bill took a break Sunday. Tami King and Jimmy covered in his stead, and Tami submitted the report. It was fitting that she keeps her records on the Hawk Migration Association sheets as she did in SC when she was a counter there, because this is Intenationa Hawk Migration Association Week. I am putting in her report sheet, here to see what it looks like. Thanks so very much to Tami for being up lately. I really hated I couldn't be up with them to see her. She is such a joy to know. I am sure she may have been as tired as Jimmy. It was somewhat tough on Jimmy, he will admit, being up for the first time in so very long. Wish they had been rewarded with some banner kettles. But there have been no fronts to back up hawks, and the thermals and lift are taking birds very high into the skies. What they have been seeing lately, are very tiny views of BWs zipping through like little bullets. Watchers are lucky to get on those birds in big bright skies. Clouds or not. It's a lot of sky to cover with so few eyes. So congrats to them, yesterday for 33 BWs. And Tami saw 25 early in the day. Awesome job! Here's Tami's report page, and the Blog report:

As I looked up off the deck from home, for only a short while, I saw one high bulleting BW, and one very close one, not in any hurry. Beginning to think this is a local BW, hunting dragonflies, and not ready to migrate yet, because I see one so often. But we see them low and slow on the Hawk watch as well. We will just keep hoping that cooler air aloft will come and push a kettle or two down. Fingers crossed. KEEP LOOKING UP!!!

It's Saturday, It's Saturday and International Hawk Migration Week!

_______________ Today, I was taking a rest after hauling and placing mulch and lookup up to see vultures. Following the Harold Birch rule, to never discount the possibility of a haek being among them, I grabbed my binoc, and was rewarded with a single followed by 8 bulleting BWs. They dropped from very blue skies from extremely high. And they never moved a wing. The road the whole way with wings tightly pulled into the bullet position. Gone in an instant, then a large bird crossed through my lens. I dropped the binocs just in time to see a BW chasing a dragon fly. I watch a bit longer as more dragonflies, monarchs and Vultures passed through. But my most beautiful sighting was the last one. A REd-tailed Hawk flying north, circled a time or two, before heading North. Thing was...he was almost totally white underneath. I saw the dark commas clearly and a very pink tail. A tiny dark feather here and there, but nothing to look remotely like a bellly band. I never saw his back, but as he passed where the sun could shine through it's wings looked almost transparent. Beautiful. But nice to have a few BWs too. Jimmy and Tami will be on the watch tomorrow..Sunday. At least as long as Jimmy can handle it. Wish them luck. What a great day to KEEP LOOKING UP!!!

Sharp-Shins Join the Count/ Friday Blue Sky Day

Half Day on Thursday Indicates BWs On The Way

Here's Thursday's report:.....

Migrants In Small Numbers

September 14... Bill had help Wednesday: Rick Williams and Jacob Wessels. Thanks to Jacob Wessels who provided some excellent pictures. One of a BW missing feathers, a rather significant amount of feathers, in fact. Thanks to both Rick and Jacob for coming to help!!

Tuesday Was a BLUE SKY Day!!!

My computer froze yesterday, so I am catching up this morning, and not directing traffic to the blog just yet. Also, I have the same issue as last year that the text will only run on. In an attempt to just get the numbers up, until I can get situated, I am just posting Bill's emails as is, even though the sentences run together. At least the numbers are recorded here. Jimmy is posting to Hawk Count. So the numbers will be there, and I am putting Bill's emails on the facebook page. As soon as I can convert to photos to post, I can get it up in a more readable version. But hawks are flying, as always. Sure as the sun rises in the morning, migration is on! Here's Bill's report:////"Soddy Mountain, TN Hawk Report--- Tues., Sept. 13, 2022 Duration: 0900-1500 = 6.0 hours-- Counter: Bill Haley--- Weather: Clear from 0900-1300, 10% at 1400, increasing to 30% clouds at 1500. Temp. 57-79F. Winds were variable, growing stronger after 1300: NNE 0900, NNW 1000, SSW 1100, WSW 1200, WNW 1300, W 1400. Visibility was 50-60 K all day.--- Raptors by the hour:... 0900-1000 - 0... 1000-1100 - 0... 1100- 1200 - BW 5... 1200-1300 - BW 1... 1300-1400 - BW 1... 1400-1500 - BW 1... --------------- Total 8 Broad-winged Hawks.... Blue skies most of the day made hawk spotting difficult. Westerly winds are not a favorable direction at Soddy Mountain.... Reporting; William (Bill) Haley"... Jimmy hopes to get up there some, at the end of September, for a few hours. The cool weather is encouraging...As always we wish you great birding... KEEP LOOKING UP!!!!

Hawks on the First Clear Day

On the first official day Bill reported not seeing hawks. Tami King went up in spite of the weather, to help, but rain ran them off the hill mid afternoon. BUT Our official first report with hawks for 2022: Bill's Email For Monday Soddy Mountain, TN Hawk Report Mon. Sept 12, 2022 Duration: 1030-1500 = 4.5 hrs. Counter: Bill Haley Weather: 1030 clouds 80%, wind NNW 2-8, temp. 68F, visibility 45K. 1200 clouds 40%, temp. 70, wind WNW 5-8, visibility 60K, 1300 clouds 30%, temp. 75. 1400 clouds 20%, temp. 78. Raptors by hour: 1030-1100 - 0 1100-1200 - BE 1, CH 1 1200-1300 - BE 1, OS 1, BW 5 1300-1400 - BW 1 1400-1500 - 0 BE 2, OS 1, CH 1, BW 6 = 10 total raptors Bald Eagles were both adults. Reporting: William (Bill) Haley Keep Looking Up!!!!

FALL SEASON 2022 IS NOW OPEN

Bill Haley officially opened the Hawk Watch on Sunday 9-11, but rain liimited the amount of time he could stay. Midday, He and TamI kING had a break in weather but recorded no migrationg Hawks. Monday, is now a beautiful day, and we hope to have a hawk report this evening, hopefully with hawks. The posts are sometimes a day or so behind on the blog to give the counters to get us a report. So for now, Jimmy and I just wish everyone a great migration season. as always: KEEP LOOKING UP!!!