Kettles over Mahogany Rock

This past weekend is historically the peak migration time frame for Broad-winged hawks over Mahogany Rock in Alleghany County, NC.  So…BRDC staff and volunteers spent Saturday through Monday looking up! We were not disappointed.

Saturday was cloudy and cold and sitting (or standing) looking up into the sky for 7 hours is not for everyone. For those who love it though, the chance to see the mass migration of Broad-winged hawks is worth it. Unfortunately, we were only presented with around 13 Broad-winged hawks along with a couple of other raptors. With the predicted improvement in the weather for Sunday, everyone left looking forward to the sunshine, warmth, and another chance!

Sunday was indeed a better day with 1,413 Broad-winged hawks showing up over a couple of hours. Several large kettles circled above us (only visible with binoculars as they were so high) before souring away to Central and South America. Monday however was spectacular!

There were a couple of 300-600 bird kettles early in the day but around 12:30 pm, they showed up in mass! In a matter of minutes around 1,900 Broad-wings came up over the tree line and just kept coming; some coming down low enough for identification with the unaided eye! By the end of the day, we had 3,140 Broad-winged hawks recorded for the Hawk Migration Hawk Watch data bank.

Huge kettle over Mahogany Rock (photo credit Allen Boynton)

Along with the Broad-wings, Bald eagle, Merlin, Peregrin falcon, Osprey, Red-tailed and Red-shouldered hawks, American kestrel, Copper’s hawk, and Sharp-shinned hawks were seen.

Official Count for September

Many thanks to the many counters and observers this weekend! Special thanks to Allen Boynton, Harrol Blevins, and Bill English for your time, dedication, and expertise!

7th Graders Discover Hawk Migration

Jim Keighton of Blue Ridge Birders hosted BRDC and 19 Grayson Highlands seventh graders for a day of counting migrating hawks.

Jim has been monitoring the migration from Mahogany Rock Overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway since 1986. The day did not disappoint with hundreds of hawks and several eagles being spotted. Broad-winged hawks were the most numerous with large groups or kettles flying over periodically throughout the day.

The students enjoyed spending the day with local birding experts and the treasure trove of knowledge they carry. By participating in this citizen science project the students learned how to count and record data, how to identify species, how to use binoculars and spotting scopes, learned about migration patterns and techniques, but most importantly they were introduced to phenomenal bird migration happening right in their backyards. 

Mahogany Rock Hawk Watch

On September 23, thirty seventh graders from Grayson County Public Schools attended the Mahogany Rock Hawk Watch to experience the niche dedication of Hawk Counters and the mass migration of Broad-winged Hawks. Jim Keighton from the Blue Ridge Birders has been recording the migration of birds of prey for nearly twenty years! Each fall Jim sets up his swivel chair and interpretive displays along the parkway and begins scanning the sky. Not only does he diligently track the migration but he also takes the time to educate the passerby about the migration occurring overhead. 

These seventh graders got to enjoy the migration of eagles, falcons and broad-winged hawks while spending the day with local birding experts and the treasure trove of knowledge they carry. By participating in this citizen science project the students learned how to count and record data, how to identify species, how to use binoculars and spotting scopes, learned about migration patterns and techniques, but most importantly they were introduced to phenomenal bird migration happening right in their backyards. 

Many thanks to Jim Keighton and his long standing stewardship of the bird populations of the Blue Ridge.

Hawk Watching with Galax High School

Mahogany Rock Hawk Watch with Galax HS Biology Students. On September 24th, BRDC hosted this year’s final Avian Adventures program at Mahogany Rock Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Teachers Emily Brown and Sam Starkey brought 12 kids for a day of hawk observations and discussions on migration.BRDC guides William Roberts and Scott Jackson-Ricketts began the program with a focus on a map, compass and questions about migratory patterns and the dynamics of energy saving flight techniques.

As the sun’s warmth was dissipating the fog and heating up the valley, we talked about thermals, which are columns of rising air caused by this heating up process.

For more in depth information on this phenomenon see:

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/HawkPrimer.html.

William and Scott also brought a box of raptor wings, talons and skulls (courtesy of the Carolina Raptor Center and William), giving the kids an opportunity to study up close the details and differences.

From the great horned owl to an Eastern screech owl, red-tailed hawk to a sharp-shinned hawk, we passed the parts around while referring to our hand-out guides, reminding everyone that shape and silhouette would be our key identification tools for the day…along with behavioral distinctions.

Wrapping up the primer session, we set up scopes, distributed binoculars and field guides and began to scan the skies.

We were not disappointed, and in fact, had a very good day.

Starting out slowly, with small numbers of broadwing hawks popping up over the ridge, eventually kettles (groups of birds that rise within the thermals) began to appear off in the distance.

Interspersed with the expected broadwings we also observed a couple of sharp-shinned hawks, a red-tailed hawk or two, one osprey high overhead, resident ravens, and both turkey and black vultures.

The culture of hawk-watching began as a protest and replacement for hawk gunning, a sport that has fortunately died out in the USA.

All over the world, but especially in North America, folks gather in the spring and fall to observe and count migrating hawks.

Carefully collecting the necessary data, including day, time, temperature, wind and other weather related information, hawk watching has grown from just a pleasurable past time to a serious effort to assess population trends and changing behavioral patterns.

BRDC would like to thank Jim Keighton and Blue Ridge Birders for their work as station monitors of Mahogany Rock, and for sharing the hand-outs, maps and space.

We also would like to thank the Matthews Foundation for their ongoing support through Avian Adventures.

Scott Jackson-Ricketts

President, BRDC