What scientific measure is used to determine the end of Broadwing season?

Is it because the number of birds in a kettle are getting smaller?

NO!

It's because Baron takes a break!

A job well done.  Take a well deserved rest and go to Kiptopeke and watch hawks fly over.....

Perhaps noteworthy, on this day at about 12:15, the Broadwings in the air on the East side began flapping and headed toward the West side.  Prior to this, we had several hundred birds and after less than 80, I believe.  I looked around weather stations for a possible explanation and the Montvale station was the only one to monitor solar radiation:

Sausage Gravy Day!

An annual event at Harvey's Knob by Barry Kinzie, an early and ageless hawkwatcher who is in the fiber of this place.  A great turnout with a cooking assist from grillerman Austin:

Kettles formed early, low and out and gradually got higher and higher and then back down.

Here's an early immature Bald Eagle:

Then the WOW bird:

And then a late immature:

The Diddles got full more than once

and a good time was had by all!

Rainy Day 9/21/13 After a Foggy Day

So far this year, we have more hawks than Hawk Mountain and more than Waggoner's Gap - in fact, more than the two of them combined!  Some sort of weather phenomenon directed them this way and Dr. Holt is undoubtedly working on the detailed explanation.

Meanwhile, we had fog yesterday and rain today and tomorrow is looking good with backed-up Broadwings and Northwest winds.  PLUS! We have sausage gravy for the lift off.  What a great combination!

In celebration, I have two photos that David B. took this Spring (They will be on the main site as soon as I have room):

Aren't they great!

The day after..............

...was a bit lower, as it had to be, after all.

But we had a lot of folks, questionable weather:

Quite a few Kettles and this Eagle:

But best of all was Eunice working on her overhead gnash:

Really Big Day!!!! Over 8,000 Birds!

Broadwings lifted off early and a-plenty today with Baron's counter catching on fire!

You can't photograph a kettle of Broadwings and convey the sensation of seeing them.  To wit:

We also had Channel 7 visit us today and Baron got to do the interview.

Here is Baron looking in Brent Watts' ear:

Here's the interview:

The link to that interview and story HERE! 

This is Katie looking through Baron's scope and then through David's scope into Brent's ear.  Indications are that his Organs of Corti are in fine shape.

Here is one of the Broadwings we counted today:

Another:

And this American Beauty late on this historic day:

9/17/13 - Big Day

3600 Birds today on another late flight.  A sample of the cloudy sky:

Hope you can blow it up.

We had a pair of Eagles together high above us.  They were playing and we were hoping for the locked talons, but I guess that's in the Spring:

We also had a pair of rare Black Hawks:

Late Evening and First Large BW Flight - 9/16/13

Over 500 late flyers almost into the dark.  Who was counting in the setting sun?

CATHOUSE MAN himself:

Way to go Baron!

Immature Golden at Harvey's Knob!

September 15, 2013.  Dillard at the helm; Baron counting BWs.  Barry Kinzie made the call after clearing his throat:

bj

Mature and immature Broadwings over my house in early September

Local Young Redtail over the Knob (9/13):

Carls' Big Day (His first day as a counter): 8/27/13

Why it was a lousy looking day - you couldn't even see the diddles for the haze - but there was a good wind from the Northwest.  Two birds in the morning.  Plenty of time to eat lunch.  Then there was this bird over the south ridge (TadRidge some say), white head and tail, then another coming over the ridge with Purgatory for a backdrop (barely visible).  Then two more, one immature, to wit:

In less than 10 minutes!

Then twenty minutes later:

About an hour later:

And, finally, less than 10 minutes later:

Quite a first day!!  

I'd say it was a August Eagle record!

Way to go Carl!

Seven Eagles on a hazy August day!!!!!

Check the sheet for this date to see details and other birds.

Makes you wonder what the rest of the season will bring.

Name that HawkSpotter:

Name this HawkCounter: