7 replies to this topic

[sciccolella]

Hi all, just a heads up the raptors start to migrate soon in the N.E. and a great place to see many birds in one day is chimney rock observatory in New Jersey. Here is the link with all the info you need to know if you are interested. This will be my first year trying to catch one of those mass broad wing moves but I do know people who have been there on days when the count has hit 2000+ and they say it is quite the experience. Prime time is usually the 2nd and 3rd week in September so you have some time to get those vacation day requests in!! Good luck and enjoy. http://donsnotes.com...hawk-watch.html

[Benjamin DeHaven]

Would you say this spot is better than Hawk Mountain in PA? I've never been but its on my list of places to visit soon.

Benjamin

[TheGodComplex]

Chimney Rock... is that the place right next to Washington Valley Park?

If so, it's only thirty minutes away, so I might as well check it out! Would the 17th be too late? I have school off that day, so I am sure it will be less crowded than as if it was a weekend.

[sciccolella]

I have not been to hawk mountain and have only been to chimney rock 3 times. From what I understand chimney rock doesn't get as many birds as hawk mountain does per season but chimney rock has a 3-5 day period where thousands of broad wings will fly over. It really all depends on the weather to when those days will be but history says the best odds are from September 14-25. Last year September 16-17 combined for over 7000 broad wings. If they post daily counts it makes it a lot easier to hit the good days but they don't usually post counts daily. I think your best bet is to keep watching the weather and look for days with northwest to northeast winds. The stronger the winds the lower they usually fly. I will update you with any info I get but Im shooting for going the weekends of 15-16 and 22-23 if I can. If anyone else goes or has any info please post. Chimney rock hawk watch is located in Washington park. You take vossler avenue across route 22 and then turn left onto miller lane which will bring you to the parking lot for the hawk watch and then walk down the paved trail to the observation site. It's not huge and doesn't hold a ton of people so I suggest the earlier the better incase there is a big showing. Good luck!

[birdbrain22]

I would say Hawk Mountain is better IMO. Spent many a fall day on the North Lookout! as I lived about 1 hr away years ago. You can have the same days in Sept. when the Broadwings are "kettleing". Mid-Oct is the best time though, IMO with the best chances for a wider variety of species. They also usually have events/presentations going on, including live Raptor talks and much more to do. I still try to get there one weekend in Oct. every year though.



http://www.hawkmountain.org/

[sciccolella]

I have never been to hawk mountain, hopefully this year ill make the trip, but from what ive read and heard from people it is a much better place to see good numbers of hawks and the scenery is MUCH nicer. Cape May is by far the best spot on the east coast and maybe even the whole country for the fall migration.

[birdbrain22]

Hey I go to Cape May at least once in the fall and try to get there a few times in the spring. Cape May does have a nice Hawk Watch platform and a bonus is that you can see a great deal of other species of birds... shorebirds, waders, passerines, waterfowl, etc. just walking around the state park. Oh and Cape May is a magnet for a rarity now and then.

However, IMO strictly for Raptors, I still like Hawk Mountain better. The platform at Cape May is only a few feet above the ground and the Raptors are so high sometimes that you can not see any fieldmarks and have to rely on other things. At the North Lookout @ Hawk Mountain you are at 1500 ft and very often the Raptors are passing by actually beneath you, which affords spectacular looks as they move on by the side or the ridge. Of course many birds can still be waaay up there. Also I have had many raptors come in to "attack" the plastic GHO they have up there as they are passing over.

[sciccolella]

That's really cool and I can't wait to check that place out. Do you know the best time to go for the fall migration? Ide like to go when the leaves start to turn because some of the scenery pictures I've seen online are amazing and I would love to get some myself.