Soddy Mountain Hawk Watch: Hawk Watch Friends

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.

Hawk Watch Friends

HOME

Jimmy Wilkerson

Jimmy Wilkerson and "Hawkman" Bill Haley

Harold Birch, Bill Haley, and Jimmy Wilkerson

Bill Holt watches as Jimmy records data. Our right hand man this year!

Friends - and me, Cynthia - I am behind the camera.

Owl has been with us from the beginning. Sometimes the hawks
will fly in low to try to drive owl from the territory. Occasionally
it allows us to have a great look at a hawk, up close.

Jim Rowell, one of our early helpers.

In the early years, Roi and Debbie Shannon spent many hours as regular watchers on our site. We have all laughed and loved one another for a lot of years.

Also, through the years we have had a great many regular visitors from the TOS community, and from Audubon, and other hiking or outdoor clubs. Some of our visitors have come due to postings on TNbird, and many have come up from Georgia and Alabama, and a few have come from Kentucky, North Carolina, and South Carolina. We look forward to expanding interest for hawk watchers who visit our area from any walk of life. Welcome, and bring your binoculars and a chair. We would like you to sit a while!
Keep looking UP!!!