Fall Raptor Rapture: Watching Hawks by the Hundreds, or Thousands
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
By Brian Kluepfel
The Hudson Valley is full of surprises. One that isn’t obvious to the casual viewer is the migration of thousands of raptors over the great river each autumn.
Taking advantage of thermals and convenient geography, a cornucopia of birds of prey, including broad-winged hawks, ospreys, red-shouldered hawks, black vultures and turkey vultures all pass over Nyack on their way to wintering grounds.
This spectacle is best viewed from Hook Mountain, a convenient hike up from Rockland Lake Golf Course through lovely oak, maple and beech hardwoods flaming with fall colors. You may see hawks zip by at eye level as you’re staring down the funnel of the Tappan Zee. (Even if no birds appear, the view from up there is a treat.)
You may see kettles of raptors high above, almost invisible to the naked eye, but more obvious to the trained eye of Drew Panko and Trudy Battaly, who’ve maintained this perfect perch for more than 50 years. With spotting scopes, binoculars and other aids, these expert spotters can tell the initiates – folks like me – exactly what they’re seeing.
For example, I can tell you that when I first scaled the mountain on Sept. 17, 2015, we saw 44 sharp-shinned hawks and seven broad-wings. Had we gone just the day before, we’d have seen 1,399 broad-wings! The number of migratory raptors is simply incredible and goes unnoticed by many Hudson Valley residents. Who knew this great migration took place right in front, or just above, our eyes?
You simply never know what you might see up on Hook. Last year accounted for a record number of golden eagles, turkey vultures and Cooper’s hawks. The year before, 2020, was a big year for American kestrels. In addition to raptors, you’ll see other migrating avians like goldfinches, warblers and the incessant winter preparations of jays, cardinals and the like.
Those with good camaras are in a good spot to get awesome shots of photogenic falcons and preening peregrines.
Saw Mill River Audubon is sponsoring a trip to Hook Mountain this Sunday, Oct. 16. You can sign up on at www.sawmillriveraudubon.org or feel free to go any other day through November to talk to hawk spotters and enjoy the breathtaking views of the Hudson below and New York City afar.
If you’re available weekdays, and not raptured-out (or perhaps still enraptured), Saw Mill River Audubon will also be going to another hawking hotspot, Fire Island, on Thursday, Oct. 20. Meet up at 8:45 a.m. in Parking Lot 5 of Robert Moses State Park, which has a nice viewing platform.
Some basic information on the mysteries and wonder of raptor migration can be found at https://hawkwatch.org/learn/factsheets/item/813-raptor-migration.
Last weekend was a notable annual birding day, World Migratory Bird Day. There are actually two of these days – the second Saturday in May and the second Saturday in October.
I try not to get caught up in the zealousness of Hallmark Holidays or Audubon-designated “big days,” because for me they are all big days. Every day that I wake up, in fact, is a big day. That being said, I did make an effort to tour my complex and Mariandale Retreat Center on Saturday and came up with a list including pine warblers, palm warblers, eastern phoebes, northern cardinals, blue jays, immature bald eagles, ospreys, American crows as well as mourning doves, tufted titmice, and house sparrows nibbling on breadcrumbs on our porch. And I added in some double-crested cormorants spotted on river rocks from Metro-North later in the day.
Now is the time to bask in the waning daylight of autumn, sweep out the chimney for the coming winter and prep your birdfeeders for those feathered friends who choose not to migrate. Remember that you can get a variety of bird seed to cater to every avian need from Saw Mill River Audubon, and your purchase helps support its programs and maintain its various wildlife sanctuaries throughout Westchester.
Every day is a good birding day. Get out there!
Brian is a correspondent for the Lonely Planet travel series and contributes to BirdWatching Magazine, which will feature his article on Newfoundland in November. He lives and birds in Ossining.
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