Big Variety Ahead of the Storms!

Bill says these are the days he longs for in Fall. Just ahead of storms last night, 38 Raptors decided to skoot by the watch. We crossed the 1400 mark on total Raptors seen this season. And the big number is today's numbers put us slap dab on top of 105,000 hawks for an all time total thus far, over the 30 yrs. As we have said before, it doesn't compare to some sights but is a super bit of data for Tennessee. Here is Thursday's report:(click on the report to make it larger)

A DAY TO RIVAL SATURDAY

Topping Saturday's 24 Raptors with 27, Wednesday was a great day for Raptors. Here's Wednesday's report:

It Snowed In the Mountains! Wow!

I am not sure how snow last night affected the hawks that might be moving our way, but I am surprised Bill saw anything. Here's Tuesday report:

Poor Conditions Sunday and Monday

Weather was 100% overcast yesterday, Oct. 15. There was a big meeting at church from 1200-1430, so with the poor flight weather, I decided not to go to the lookout. 0 raptors Bill

Great Day In October!

As we inch ever nearer to breaking our all time record of 105,000 birds, Saturday's post brought our digits into the 104,900's. We are now 70 birds away. Bill records his first double digit day for Sharpies, and at least rivals an all time daily high for Merlins. Great Day! Here's his wonderful 2 page story of the day: Saturday Oct 14, '23 Click on the post to view larger.

Thursday - Friday when Rains Began About Lunch

Today we are editing in a Thursday report and keeping Friday's half day on the same report. A few hawks in the afternoon on Thursday, a few in the am on Friday before the rains. Here are the reports: Thursday_

A short day on the hill, Friday. ( Resolved - We are lacking a report for Thursday, cking with Bill to see if he sent one or was also rained out. We will post to this story as an edit if we find we should have had one. Otherwise,) Here is Friday the 13th's report:

No Countable Hawks

For the time Bill had, it was a strike out. The weather was a crazy mix of fighting systems. A wanna be subtropical storm cuming across Florida bringing rains skirting south of us, and a huge dipping trough dragging rains across west of us left migrants with a not so nice path to make their way south. It was probably a rest day for some. But certainly for any who might otherwise have crossed Bill's path. Here's the Wednesday report:

Did Anyone Say Bald Eagles?

Wow! Super nice day. Tuesday's report:

Uht Oh. Skunked...

Well, not really. The clouds closing in to almost full cover throughout the day in the valley had me wondering if Bill even went up. Not expecting birds, not really skunked. LOL Here's the report for Sunday as the first week of October begins the second:

Our First Harrier of '23

Sunday was a very windy day in the valley. So probably worse at times on the mountain. Not many clouds either, and boy was it cold suddenly in the night. Bill was lucky to pick up the Harrier. Here's the report:

Counting the First Red-Tailed Hawk this season

Man it got cold overnight! Way more than I expected, and I was not ready for 40 degrees at all. That should spur some Hawks to move. LOL Sunday has potential, but Bill will arrive after Church. Saturday's report:

Some Thoughts From Bill on A Rain Out Day

Putting in the hours brings the stories and data, and rewards. It is difficult perhaps for people to find the time these days, and like us, health just keeps getting in the way. I am so slow at getting just the easy stuff done, that I can't get caught up. But the major reason Jimmy and I can't be with Bill more is the lack of bathroom facilities, and I don't have the ability to drag it with me and set it up and take it down, and keep it clean the way I used to. So alas, we understand when people can't spend a lot of time on the watch. But fronts usually bring on a push for migrants, especially a rain out like Friday. I hope Bill has a great weekend, even though Today, Saturday is predicted to be entirely blue skies all day long. But the birds he hopes to see often fly in at a good viewing range as weather cools. So if you are able to spend a little time Saturday or Sunday, chances are good. Here are Bill's thoughts:

A Pergrine Story

Tomorrow will be clouds, maybe rain. So did the incoming front push a few things through? Here's the report for Thursday:

A Change In Weather Is Coming

We are expecting the night temps to get into a slightly lower than normal pattern in a few days. It is beginning to look a bit like fall these days. Lots of leaves dropping. There has been so little rain. But the winds are shifting, and raptors continue to drive their way south. Here's Bill's report:

Blue Sky of Doom, AGAIN

Accipiters are great, but pointy-winged falcons are better. LOL Good looks at a Peregrine can be hard to come by, because they are often counted with wings tucked in a hard glide, riding the wind like a racing a ghost down the valley. Well They bullet through tiny and pretty high. Yesterday was a 5 species day. Today only 3. Here's Tuesday's report:

The Raptor Parade Begins!

I am calling October the beginning of the Raptor Parade, because more species begin showing them selves on a regular basis at our watch. The variety makes IDing the birds more fun. And sometimes a little tricky. Bill says it's his favorite time to count. THE POST BW season is here. Here's the report:

Tough Afternoon but Not Skunked

After church on Sunday, a few hours of watching produced only one migrant:

Hi Barometer Strikes Again

Last week when Hazel Bazemore had a top 5 day with over a quarter million hawks passing through, they reported that the Barometer just kept falling. Sherwood above us on their short stint in the mountains near Pigeon Forge had extremely high hawks, but always noticed the borometer was falling by the evening hours, and they stayed to get the late lowering kettles. We have also done that a time or two, because the barometer was falling. So Bill states a high Barometer and blue skies made for a few nearly impossible days. Here's the report for Saturday: (note the following was edited for error from 11 to 12 hour for BW numbers of 5.)