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October 06, 2006
Fall Hiking? Keep your eye on the sky!
Current map showing cold front moving through the southeast
So you enjoy hiking and are thinking about talking a hike this holiday weekend. What next? Well, first you'll want to select a place to hike. Then, you'll want to check the weather. That'll help you select your clothing and other gear that you'll bring along with you.
In addition to helping you understand the temperature, chance of precipitation, and the UV Index, the weather forecast can also help predict your chances for seeing migrating raptors (hawks, falcons & eagles). This is especially true in the fall.
In fact, today is a perfect time to illustrate how weather can impact hawk migration. Take a look at the weather map above. Notice the cold front (low pressure system) that has just moved through southeast Tennessee? This will create cool, crisp weather, with winds out of the north - which is what raptors look for in October and November. These birds don't want to expend a lot of energy. They prefer to ride a gentle tail wind as they migrate along the ridges on thermals - or warm bubbles of air rising off of the Blue Ridge Mountains or the Cumberland Plateau.
So now you're probably wondering...
..."what's a hiking organization doing concerning itself with birds?" Well, they're a big part of the hiking experience for many folks, and current population trends indicate many species are declining in numbers. For that reason, American Hiking Society joined Partners in Flight as a non-profit member. Partners in Flight is a cooperative effort involving partnerships among federal, state and local government agencies, philanthropic foundations, professional organizations, conservation groups, industry, the academic community, and private individuals. This effort focuses on the conservation of bird species - and in particular - of migratory birds.
So this weekend, consider finding a hawk watch near you, and heading out with a pair of binoculars in your backpack. You just might see a Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Red Shouldered Hawk, or a Coopers Hawk - like the one I just saw 5 minutes ago soaring above my office here in Chattanooga. You'll be richer for the experience!
Natural History | By Jeffrey Hunter | 10:35 AM
