Hook Mountain Hawk Watch

(Updated 01/24/2010. Refresh page for most recent.)

2009 Count

2009 Season Summary

2009 Updates

2008 Count

2009 Hawk Watch Luncheon:
Our great hawk watchers!	Regional Totals, 2009

Broad-winged Hawks and Weather Patterns Animation by Arthur Green

New Videos:

Bald Eagles

Golden Eagle

Rough-legged Hawk

SPECIES TRENDS

American Kestrel: Cause for Concern	Broad-winged Hawk	Northern Harrier
Merlin: Good News	Red-tailed Hawk	ct: Falcons at FIRE
Peregrine: More Now	Red-shouldered Hawk	Since 1971

First sighting
of a
Rough-legged Hawk
at the
Hook Mountain
Hawk Watch
since 1991!

Dark phase
Nov 2, 2009

Up Close and Personal

How Close?

Action Videos at Hook!

This year's Copperhead

Hook on the Radio (start 9:45)

NEHW Hawk ID

Bald Eagle:
NEW RECORD!

new BE videos
new GE video

This season, to November 19	125!
Previous Record, 2008:	82
Average since 1971:	26.6
Average last 10 years:	63.5

2009 UPDATES: Oct 24: Year of the BE Oct 9: Good Season Sep 20: BW Season

HOOK MOUNTAIN
2009 SEASON SUMMARY
2009 Count

IN BRIEF:

We have 2 new records this year – Bald Eagle and Turkey Vulture.
A Rough-legged Hawk made an appearance for the 1^st time since 1991.
We counted 10,450 hawks, the highest since 1999, including 6800 BWs.
We counted only 154 AK this year – another dismal low, and our 2^nd year less than 200.

The Year of the Bald Eagle

This was definitely the Year of the Bald Eagle. Wow, did we break the record! We counted 125 Bald Eagles this year! That is 43 more than our previous record of 82 in 2008. Prior to then, our high was 77 BEs in 2001. It is truly amazing to see the recovery of this once-endangered species.

Record Turkey Vultures

We also counted a record number of Turkey Vultures this year, totaling 696. Our previous record was 557 in 2006, so this is a substantial increase: 139 more TVs than 2006, and 468 more than last year! Thanks to all of you who took the extra effort to watch those TVs disappear and not circle back.

First Rough-legged Hawk since 1991!

The Rough-legged Hawk (dark phase) seen on Nov 2, 2009 was the 20^th on record at Hook. The year record is 3 in both 1975 and 1977. Rough-legged Hawk is the third rarest species at Hook, after our one Swallow-tailed Kite last year and two Swainson’s Hawks, one each in two successive years, 1991 and 1992. After Rough-leg, the next rarest species at Hook is Golden Eagle. We have counted 162 GEs since 1971, eight times the number of Rough-legs. So,

having a Rough-leg fly over Hook this year is indeed a special event!

(2 new videos - GE on Hook and a light phase RL on winter territory )

Broad-winged Hawk: 2 days with more than 2000

The Broadwing count of 6,803 is our best since 2001, with more than 2000 BWs counted on two separate days and more than 1000 counted on a third day. (See The Best Broadwing Hawks in 7 Years.) Many of the BWs were in kettles that passed right over Hook, with beautiful views. Some BWs were not as close. Thanks to all those watchers who helped pick them out of the clear blue sky. Your keen observation skills are essential to our count.

Other Species

Counts for two other species were above the average of the last 5 years: 37 Black Vultures, and 36 Peregrine Falcons. Species below the average of the last 5 years were: 82 Northern Harriers, 154 American Kestrels, 36 Merlins, and 5 Golden Eagles.

Northern Harriers: well below average (see graph)

At 31% below the 10 year average and 40% below the average since 1985, the Northern Harrier count of 82 is the 5^th lowest count at Hook. The four lower counts were: 69 in 1992, 70 in 1996, 71 in 1991, and 76 in 2004. (Video: NH at Hook)

American Kestrel: Cause for Concern!

American Kestrel continues to be a species with cause for concern. (See graph ) The count of 154 this year is basically the same as the rock bottom AK count last year of 152. These are the only two years since 1971 with a count under 200. Our Kestrel count dropped below 300 in 2003 and, with the exception of 2007, has been less than 300 ever since. These last two years look dismally like a continuing decrease in Kestrels, with annual totals less than 200. See Kestrel Trends at Fire Island for possible causes for this decline. We can only hope that our next few years at Hook will show that these very low counts are a turning point as Kestrel populations recover.

The two Big G's

As for our two Big G’s – Goldens and Gos; seeing these species is always a thrill! There were 5 Golden Eagles - a little less than the average for the last five years, and 5 Northern Goshawks - at the average for the last five years, but definitely better than last year's count of 1. The Golden average is weighted by the very unusual high count of 20 in 2006, the only year with double digits.

Thank You Counters

Special thanks to those who submitted the data sheets. You make Hook Mountain a hawk watch! Thanks also to all those who helped find the hawks and count them. We need your eyes!

We watch hawks for the thrill of seeing these magnificent raptors. We count hawks to accomplish raptor conservation. Thank you!

Trudy
Trudy Battaly, compiler

HOOK MOUNTAIN UPDATE, October 24, 2009
2009 Count

YEAR of the BALD EAGLES - a Record Year! 101 by Oct. 23rd!

We have not only broken the Bald Eagle record of 82 last year, but we have counted 101 Bald Eagles, as of Oct 24^th! That is certainly more than I ever expected, just a few years ago. Wow, has the BE recovered from its endangered state back in the 1960’s! We have counted BEs on 35 of the 48 days of coverage (73%), with 7 BEs on three different days this year: Sep 16, Oct 6, and Oct 11. And, there may still be big Bald Eagle days yet to come this season. Last year our highest count was 10 on Nov 17.

2009	307.5	28	459	257	101	63	1520	147	3	39	6803	75	0	0	149	30	25	11	9710	Red: higher than ave
Date	HRS	BV	TV	OS	BE	NH	SS	CH	NG	RS	BW	RT	RL	GE	AK	ML	PG	UR	TOTAL	Blue: lower than ave
10/24	307.7	9	179	250	56	101	1903	188	2	40	3148	56	0	2	247	47	17	42	6279	5yr Ave to 10/24

Other Species Above the 5 Year Average: Black Vulture and Turkey Vulture

Other species above the 5 year average include Black Vulture and Turkey Vulture. Our TV record is 557 in 2006. With 459 already, and November still to come, we might still count another 99. During the time period from Oct 24 to Nov 22, we only counted 57 TVs last year and 40 in 2007. But we counted a whopping 444 for the same period in 2006. We will all have to stay tuned to see if 2009 also becomes the Year of the TV.

NORTHERN GOSHAWK - We have 3 Goshawks to Oct 24! Keep watching those skies so we can count more!

Species Below the 5 Year Average: Harrier, Kestrel, and Merlin

Unfortunately 2009 does not appear to be a good year for three species: Northern Harriers, American Kestrels, and Merlins. Harriers are 38% below their 5-year average, Kestrels 40%, and Merlins 37%.

The most worrisome is the Kestrel, which has been in a steady decline since 1971, and a strong decline since 1999. This year’s total of 149 to Oct 24 is just 3 less than our total for 2008, so it almost seems as if there is some improvement. But the 2008 count of 152 was our lowest ever! Historical averages for Kestrels are: 489/yr since 1971, 461/yr since 1985, and 353/yr since 1999. See HM trends and interpretive analysis at FI.

Be sure to come up to Hook to help us count. Our mission is conservation of raptors. We keep the count to monitor population trends of raptors. Celebrate our counters!

Trudy Battaly, compiler

HOOK MOUNTAIN UPDATE, October 9, 2009
2009 Count

BALD EAGLES - almost a Record Year!

We are almost there! As of October 8, we have 80 Bald Eagles for the season. The yearly record, set last year, is 82. So, we should have a new record before the end of this next week. With today's rain, it will probably be tomorrow or Sunday.

BROAD-WINGED HAWKS - a very good year

We are up to 6796 Broad-winged Hawks for the year, the best since 2001. See our Broad-winged Hawk Report. See also: video 9/09

NORTHERN HARRIERS - a low year

Twenty years ago we would never have guessed that by October 8th we would have more Bald Eagles than Northern Harriers for the season. Yet, this year we have only 44 Harriers, only a little more than half the number of Bald Eagles, and 41% less than our average of the last five years to this date.

AMERICAN KESTRELS - still low numbers

Our Kestrel numbers continue to be low. At only 120 American Kestrels so far this year, we are only 55% of the average of 220 to this date for the last five years. See HM trends and interpretive analysis at FI.

NORTHERN GOSHAWK - first of the year counted on Oct. 8. We are still waiting for the first Golden Eagle.

Be sure to come up to Hook to help us count. Our mission is conservation of raptors. We keep the count to monitor population trends of raptors. Celebrate our counters!

Trudy Battaly, compiler

2009: The best Broad-winged Hawks in 7 Years

2074 BWs on 9/20!
2071 BWs on 9/19!
1411 BWs on 9/15!

The Broad-winged Hawks (BW) are flying over and around Hook Mountain! Tuesday, 9/15, was a big day with 1411 BWs, but Saturday, 9/19, was even bigger, AND Sunday, 9/20 was bigger yet, by 3 hawks, logging in at 2074 BWs. We counted 2071 BWs in one day, and 2074 on the next!! That brings our total for this year to 6658 BWs, the best BW count we have had in 7 years. And, we can still get more, with another week or so before the end of the BW season. For the year to year trends for BW, see Hook Mountain Broad-winged Hawks: 1971 – 2008.

Celebrate our counters!

Click for BW video

Comparison to average of last five years
Our total count so far is noted in the first row of the table below, along with the average cumulative totals since 2004 for dates up to 9/20. These are on the last line, in blue. See also, 2009 count.

46 Bald Eagles
You can see that, in addition to more BWs this year, we also have more Bald Eagles (BE): 46 BEs is substantially more than we have counted to this date in other years. Last year was a record year for Bald Eagles, with a year total of 82. At our present rate, we could break that record again this year.

2009	137.3	0	6	128	46	23	512	25	0	6	6658	7	0	0	67	8	3	5	7494
Date	HRS	BV	TV	OS	BE	NH	SS	CH	NG	RS	BW	RT	RL	GE	AK	ML	PG	UR	TOTAL
9/20	118.3	0	0	117	24	32	556	36	0.2	4	2283	2	0	0.2	108	13	2	10	3187

Other species
Osprey and Red-shouldered Hawk are slightly higher than average.

All other September species are below the average of the last 5 years.
The Kestrel and Merlin counts are about 60% of their average. While this has been the pattern for Kestrels in the last few years, I am surprised that the Merlins are also low. But, the season is still early for both those species, so let's hope that their numbers improve. The Sharp-shinned Hawk count is only slightly below average.

Celebrate Our Counters

Hawk watching is great fun everywhere you watch. At Hook, we watch hawks with a view of the Tappan Zee Bridge and the Empire State Building to our south, the Bear Mountain Tower to the north, and the mighty Hudson River below us. We are fortunate to have volunteers who are devoted to the hawks. They spot the hawks, identify them, count them, and keep careful records. While having fun watching these magnificent raptors in action, they contribute to the better understanding of raptor population trends. We celebrate our counters, with special thanks for every data sheet they submit. And we thank all the hawk watchers who help us spot the hawks and accomplish our part of the raptor conservation mission. If you have helped us count, thank you! If you have never been up to Hook, come join us! We can use your eyes!

Copperhead
at Hook

Sep 19, 2009

It was a treat for our dedicated hawk counters to see this beautifully marked Copperhead after seeing more than 2000 Broad-winged Hawks.

What a day!

Red-tailed Hawk at Hook Mountain, photo by Trudy Battaly

Season Update, 10/15/08

The migration season at Hook is bringing its ample supply of thrilling experiences watching the beautiful raptors soar and glide over and along side the mountain. And, of course, there are those moments when they interact with each other, and dive down on the owl! Hook Mountain is definitely the place to feel that dynamic raptor heartbeat.

To see a summary of the count for this season, click on Hawk Counts on the menu bar above, and select This Year.

As of October 14, we have counted 4675 hawks, including 2544 Broad-winged Hawks and 1420 Sharp-shinned Hawks. On Sep 8 Carol Weiss counted our first ever Swallowtail Kite! What a neat addition to our count!

Species that are Above Average
Several species have numbers above the average of our last 4 years, including Turkey Vultures, Red-shouldered Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, and Golden Eagles. Interestingly, these are species we expect to see migrating during the latter half of the season. It gets you wondering if the migration is earlier this year.

Red-shouldered Hawks
At 23 Red-shouldered Hawks (RS), we have counted almost twice the average of the last 4 years. But, it is still early for RS, so this may change.

The all-time yearly record for RS was 194 in 1999. In the last 4 years, we have had a total of 13 double digit days for RS beginning on Oct 16, with the daily max of 31 on Oct 27, 2006, and the yearly max of 145 in 2006. So, let’s watch for those RSs and hope we can break some records this year.

Some vultures and Red-tailed Hawks have started moving, so we need to watch as these species pass. It is tempting to ignore them because there are still so many hanging around.

Red-shouldered Hawk flies past us and behind the trees. Photo by Trudy Battaly.

Golden Eagles
Our Golden Eagle count is already up to 2, thanks to Carol and Danielle for spotting them. See the forum for Danielle’s description of the Golden that passed by last Saturday.

Species that are Below Average
The counts for Osprey (OS), Northern Harrier (NH), and American Kestrel (AK) are 25% or more below the 4 year average. The NH numbers are low at FIRE also, so this likely represents a cyclical low. But the OS count at FIRE is well above average, so it is possible that the OS shifted flight paths this year.

American Kestrels
The Kestrel count continues to be low. We had two double digit days this year, thanks to Steve, but last year we had 11 double digit days. With most Kestrels through by this time of the season, we can only accept that this is another low year for AK.

Bald Eagles
We see Bald Eagles almost every day at Hook, this year averaging 1.2 a day. Many of them are not actually migrating, but instead are flying around the area, using the Hudson River and Rockland Lake for hunting. We are about 10% below the count of recent years. I have noticed that many of the BE that I have seen this year are adults. Have you noticed that also? Perhaps the age distribution of the population is beginning to stabilize after the population crash of the 60s.

Thanks to our Counters
Thanks to all of you who have helped us with the count this year. Keeping the numbers is the only way we can compare this year to other years and other places, and look for trends. Your efforts provide a significant way for us to help these magnificent raptors!

Thank you all, and may you all soar with the eagles!

Trudy

Slow motion Red-tailed Hawk on swoop to owl. (Click for normal speed.)

The new season is beginning!

The Hook Mountain Fall 2008 season begins on Sunday, Aug 31. The forecast is for NW winds - perfect for a flight of hawks, and Hook Mountain is the perfect place to be. Why? Because you get very close to the hawks! Check out this link: How Close? Then join us up on the mountain. Directions.

The path up the mountain from Rte. 9W has been named Paddy's Path. Paddy French helped us with the watch for many years. If you come to our luncheon at the end of the season, you might be lucky enough to sit near him and get to hear some of his wonderful stories about his days on Hook. Stiles Summit is named for Stiles Thomas who started the Hook Mountain Hawk Watch in 1971. Stiles still climbs the mountain to count for us. Thank you Stiles for bringing this wonderful place to our attention. It is a place where you can enjoy the excitement of hawks as they migrate or swoop at the owl, a place where you can enjoy the company of other hawk watchers and naturalists who cherish its natural beauty, and a place where you can occasionally share a few isolated moments during quiet days, just you and the hawks.

Join us. You will love it.

Summary of the Fall 2007 season

We counted 6165 hawks n 2007. Each year has its own unique character. The Black Vultures continue to creep up in numbers, with a record 46 this year. Black Vultures are increasing throughout the Northeast.

This year we did well with Osprey, Northern Harrier, Northern Goshawk, and American Kestrels. While not records, our counts for these species were above the average for the last several years. This is especially good to see for the Kestrels, which have been declining in the Northeast in recent years. Our count of 332 Kestrels is the highest since 2002. Our Northern Goshawk count of 10 is the highest since the 11 counted in 2001, and is at the average since 1985.

We have two unusual sightings this year. On Sep 26 Steve Sachs photographed an albino Redtail, and on Sep 28 Alan Wells photographed a Copperhead. Neat sightings! These are both firsts, at least in recent years.

Join the fun! Directions.

*Photos by Steve Sachs - great stuff!*	Cooper's Hawk Video Fall 2008 Count: SK!! Record BE, 82! Fall 2007 Count: Record BV, 46! Fall 2006 Count: Record GE, 20! Fall 2005 Count: Record CH, 278! Fall 2004 Count: Record CH, 185
	We are an all volunteer group of hawk watchers, and we need your help! Please contact Trudy if you can take the count for a day. If you would like to learn, we will pair you up with one of our watchers.

Records (coming soon)	Hawk Watchers	Report forms: excel, pdf
Important Bird Area	Directions	Hook Mountain State Park