Annual hawk migration is upon us

Every September, a great river of life soars overhead, as thousands of hawks move past us on their way to the south.

Some of the species, such as the northern harrier and sharp-shinned hawk, will settle down to spend the winter with us here in Central Virginia. However, the real stars of this autumn spectacle of flight are the broad-wings, and they will fly on to Central or South America to keep their appointment with an endless summer.

It is the broad-wings that congregate in spectacular numbers, sometimes filling the sky and streaking overhead by the hundreds. Traditionally, the broadwing migration is centered over the mountains of the state.

Listed below are the three major hawk-watching sites along the ridges in Virginia, along with the total number of broadwing hawks observed during the 2008 season.

-Snickers Gap. Virginia 7 at the county line between Loudon and Clark; 5,822

-Rockfish Gap. U.S. 250, Afton Mountain; 14,439

-Harvey’s Knob. MilePost 95, Blue Ridge Parkway; 6,252

I was at Harvey’s Knob on Saturday and while we did not see a large number of hawks, we did have a nice variety and most of the birds flew fairly low.

We finished the day with 61 broadwing hawks, two kestrels, four osprey, six sharp-shins, a red-tail and four bald eagles.

It is always difficult to predict exactly what day the hawks will be moving. I have spent all afternoon during prime season watching the sky and seen fewer than a dozen birds. I have also observed more than a thousand hawks spiraling upward at one time, simply covering a whole section of the sky as they swirl within a thermal.

Last year the single-day high counts were:

-Snickers Gap: Sept. 19, 1,889

-Rockfish Gap: Sept. 19, 5,015

-Harvey’s Knob: Sept. 17, 3,604

The best conditions for hawk movement include a day with winds out of the north or northeast. The sky should be partly clear with big cumulus clouds. These clouds produce the warm updrafts of air sought by the birds to assist in their long-distance flight.

It is more difficult to spot the hawks if they are moving across a clear sky. Often broadwings fly at high altitudes and can only be seen when they pause to “kettle up” within a thermal.

Visitors are welcome at all of the hawk-watching sites. If this is a new activity for you, simply mention to one of the hawk-watching crew that you are interested in learning more. One of the volunteers will be happy to help you improve your skills as you scan the sky. You will need to bring your binoculars, a chair and sunscreen.

News and notes

The Lynchburg Bird Club will sponsor a field trip Sept. 19 through various sites in Amherst County. Meet at 7 a.m. in the Amelon Square Shopping Center in Madison Heights. For more information, call (434) 821-1136.

Dalmas, a naturalist, writes a weekly column for The News & Advance. Readers may e-mail her.