As part of a raptor workshop conducted by NCDENR, I was able to join in this hawk watch atop Pilot Mountain's Little Pinnacle. Brian Bockhahn, NC State Park's Natural Resources Education specialist led the workshop. For most of the day we joined a couple experienced birders counting hawks. Pilot Mountain is one of the data collection sites for the National Hawk Migration Association. The hawk association compiles data from a number of sites across the country, mostly during September, the hawk migration time frame.
To migrate, hawks follow mountains which create thermals, allowing them to circle up high, then peal off headed to the next mountain. In the photo above, just to the left of Big Pinnacle is the rest of the Sauratown mountain range. Hawks use those mountains to rise up and head toward Pilot. Also, to the right of Big Pinnacle, perched on a smaller rock outcropping are a pair of Black Vultures. They are not currently migrating, they are locals.
The first raptors to appear where 3 Sharp Shinned Hawks. According to Phil, one of the Hawk Watch pros, those 3 hawks came in late the previous afternoon and stopped to roost overnight. Thus they were counted the day before so they were not part of today's official count. Next we saw a resident Red Tailed Hawk. We can't count that because it is not currently migrating. Finally, several Broad Wing Hawks appear low from behind the Big Pinnacle as our first migrating hawks. Then a Kestrel gets into a little aerial tussle with the local Red Tail. As the morning progressed, the hawks came in larger numbers and began passing high above.
By mid afternoon Broad Wings were so high you could barely spot them. The Turkey and Black Vultures also began rising higher and higher just to muddle the mix a bit. The 2pm hour was quite slow and Brian decided the workshop was over and we left the pros to continue the watch.
