Volunteers join up with experienced surveyors and everyone carpools to the
official location. No experience is required and it is great fun! Learn how
to identify various hawks in flight.
Rugged Mt. Jefferson is our beautiful backdrop as these majestic and
spectacular birds migrate south along the 15 mile ridge. It is also a great
area for Ponderosa species such as PYGMY NUTHATCH, WHITE HEADED WOODPECKER,
and WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER. SOOTY GROUSE and NORTHERN GOSHAWK have also been seen right at the survey location! The driveup to the ridge is smooth and scenic.
Every September and October, Hawkwatch International coordinates a team (supported by the US Forest Service and Bridger Bowl Ski Area) to monitor the autumn migration, counting and identifying. Nationally, there are another two dozen sites devoted to counting these hunters of the sky.
I hope you will join us! The more eyes we have, the better. You never know what may show up such as a kettle of BROAD WING HAWKS.
Here is the volunteer information with ECBC Fall Raptor Migration.
WHY: Raptors help us by acting as ecological barometers. They feed at the top of the biological food chain, occupying grasslands, forests, deserts, arctic tundra, and wetlands all over our planet. They are sensitive indicators of changes in the ecosystems, not only within our country but across political borders. As do many predators, raptors play a critical role in maintaining ecosystem health. The yearly trends in data various hawk watch sites point out rises or declines in species numbers. This information is useful to biologists and conservationists.
WHEN: Saturdays and Sundays of September 22/23,29/30 and October 6/7, and 13/14. Survey officially starts at 10AM and ending at 4:00 PM.
WHERE: Meeting place is at Indian Ford Campground near Sisters, Oregon. We
meet at 8:00 AM and bird along the way as we head upward to the official
location. The survey site is approximately 18 miles from Indian Ford Campground.
Carpooling is strongly encouraged.
DIRECTIONS TO MEETING SITE: To reach Indian Ford Campground, Take Hwy 126/20
west out of Sisters following signs to Salem. Travel on this road about 5.5
miles. Indian Ford Campground is on the north side of the highway, and the
parking lot is just 100 feet off of the highway after you turn.
SURVEY SITE LOCATION: For those who want to join us at a later time and not at Indian Ford CG, here are the directions. From Indian Ford take Forest Rd. north to pavement end (approx 10 miles) Take the left fork (FR1150) for approximately 6 miles(follow signs to Green Ridge Lookout). Turn left on Forest Rd 1154 and go approximately 1 mile (Look out sign). Turn Left on FR1140 and go approx. 300 yards (lookout sign). Turn right on Road 600 (gravel single lane) and follow 600 for a little over a 1/2 mile. Park where road makes a 90 degree trun to left in clearcut near ridge top. Look for blue ribbon on north sideof road at corner and follow ribbon north across clearcut, through narrow leave strip and into top of next clearcut. This the place. You should see some cars park along the way and if you listen carefully, you will hear us in the distance. It takes about 5 minutes to walk to the survey site.
WHAT TO BRING: Binoculars, scope (optional), warm clothes, rain gear,
foldable chair, lunch, good spirit, and humor. Good reference book: Hawks
from Every Angle by Jerry, Liguori, and David Sibley.