October 15, 2007
Season Ends
Today is Blog Action Day for the environment, which is a time when thousands of bloggers around the world write about an environmental topic of their choosing. And since this is a raptor blog, I thought I'd mark the day by writing about my recent trip to Hawk Mountain where I observed migrating raptors (see below).
Also, I wanted to say that this will be my final entry for this season's Osprey Cam Web Log.
We'll continue to keep the Gallery open, so feel free to send in your photos throughout the fall and winter. And keep in mind that we expect to turn on the Eagle Cam in late November or early December.
General News
First, some general news. I wanted to thank all those who came out to our Open House on October 6, and I wanted to remind our readers that we will be having our Christmas Open House on December 1 from 10am to 4pm. We will have crafts, entertainment, food and special sale prices on the wonderful nature items in our gift store, so be sure to come out and do some early Christmas shopping.
In addition, don't forget that we offer free guided bird walks at the Refuge on select weekend days during the fall and winter. These walks are led by some of Blackwater's best birders, so you will learn and see a lot. Visit our calendar for upcoming dates. And note that you do not need to call ahead to reserve a spot. Just meet at the Visitor Center before the listed time.
Interesting Websites
A couple interesting website links I wanted to pass along in my last web log entry: First, the Wild Bird Feeding Industry has set up a nice website to help answer questions about putting out food, water and shelter for birds. The site is called Backyard Bird Care, and it offers helpful tips and also activities for kids.
Also, I was just alerted to an Eagle Cam based at a national forest in Oregon; there's an intro at the beginning of this link, but when it ends you can see the cam. I haven't seen any eagles there yet, and sometimes the cam goes down, but it's a nice view.
Be sure to look at the slideshow of the camera installation that they have on the website. When you get to the cam history page, click on the "Project Photos" on the Willamette Pass Eagle Cam button. And if you click on the "More Video" button, you can see a couple short clips of an eaglet in the nest.
And finally, although this has nothing to do with raptors, I just found out that Greenpeace is tracking migrating humpback whales on their way to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary in Antarctica. You can follow the whales (which include females with calves) on their migration using the website's Google Map. They also offer videos, as well as profiles of all the whales. Note that the website data is being intentionally delayed so that Japanese whalers cannot use the information to track the whales.
Hawk Mountain
A couple weeks ago, I had the privilege of going to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Pennsylvania to do some hawk watching. If you've never heard of Hawk Mountain, it's part of the Kittatinny Ridge, which is the southeastern most Appalachian ridge in the Ridge-and-Valley Province, and it's one of the best places to watch hawks and other types of birds on migration down the East Coast.
In the early part of the 1900s, Kittatinny Ridge became a hunters' paradise as the shooters would line up on the mountain to injure and kill thousands of unsuspecting raptors as they migrated south. In 1934, conservationist Rosalie Edge acquired land in Pennsylvania where most of the slaughter was occurring, and a few years later this land became Hawk Mountain Sanctuary -- the first raptor refuge in the world. Today the sanctuary serves as a model organization that promotes raptor conservation and education, not only in North America but also around the world.
The reason why raptors enjoy Hawk Mountain is because the mountain terrain offers thermals and deflective air currents that they can ride. Thermals are warm pockets of air rising upwards, and the raptors ride the thermals up into the sky (like an elevator) and then soar down the valley for long distances, all without having to flap their wings. Then they look for the next thermal to ride up into the sky and continue on for many miles. This is a great way to migrate and save energy at the same time.
In order to see the raptors that are migrating through the valley, you need to do a little hiking. The South Lookout is a short walk from the beautiful Sanctuary Visitor Center, so it is more accessible. But if you want the big raptor counts, you need to go up to the North Lookout or one of the other higher vistas, which is more of a hike. If you visit, be sure to wear sturdy shoes that have good tread because the trails have rocks that you must maneuver around, and you want sure footing.
But once you reach the North Lookout, you will realize that all the rocky effort was worth it. Gazing out over the valley and watching the eagles and ospreys appear (seemingly out of nowhere sometimes) is an inspiring sight. Although these are the same species that I see at home, there is something magical about knowing that I'm seeing these birds on migration -- which is a very different part of their lives that I don't normally observe.
At Hawk Mountain, they have helpful staff members on the lookouts to tell you what species you are seeing. Although eagles and ospreys are rather easy to identify (even in flight), the many species of hawks, falcons, and vultures that appear are a lot harder to ID from a distance, so the staff members provide guidance as to what kinds of birds you're observing.
As luck would have it, the day before I went, they had seen big hawk numbers because a cold front had passed through (prime hawk-watching weather), so our numbers were a little low by the time I arrived. But I did see a couple bald eagles and an osprey, as well as vultures, peregrine falcons and numerous types of hawks. We were also treated to seeing some migrating monarch butterflies, as well.
Sitting on the rocky outcrop and looking out at the beautiful valley, it sets your heart pumping a little faster to hear the official Hawk Mountain counter call out "Bald Eagle!" and then see the majestic raptor coming over the valley with its distinctive white head and tail. Who knows where this eagle came from or where he is going. And who knows how many times he has passed this way during his life. But on this one day, I was able to witness his journey.
If you love seeing beautiful scenery and majestic raptors -- and you don't mind climbing over some rocks -- then be sure to plan a future trip to Hawk Mountain. Visit the Hawk Mountain "Visiting Us" page to find helpful information on planning your first visit.
And be sure to check out their website's Virtual Tour, which has some beautiful 360-degree movies, including this one of the North Lookout.
Thanks to all those who have joined me this season for our 2007 Osprey Cam Web Log. It was a very odd year to say the least (our first with no chicks), but I hope you enjoyed it nevertheless.
See you in March when the ospreys return,
Lisa - webmaster
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