By Ryan MacLean
When anyone thinks of where they can view the most magical spectacles in the animal kingdom, minds instantly wander to far off environs like the African plains or the shores of Antarctica. But we just so happen to have one of the most magical marvels of animal life over our heads in Greenwich every autumn: the migration of hawks, eagles & falcons. While some of our birds of prey stay with us all year, certain species must stage an annual journey of thousands of miles twice a year from the boreal forests of Canada to the rainforests of Brazil. The BroadWinged Hawk, whose diet is mainly insects, reptiles and amphibians, makes this journey in large groups together. On the first chilly days of mid-September, one can look to the skies to see not one, but hundreds of these birds circling together at a time.
The best places to view this spectacle are Hawk Watch sites, of which there are over 200 across the continent. Greenwich residents don’t have to travel far however, as Greenwich Audubon Center’s Quaker Ridge Hawk Watch is an easily accessible public site where all are welcome to come view hawk migration. Now in its 40th year of being staffed by an official Hawk Counter who is present Monday through Friday with volunteers on weekends, the hawk watch is conducted daily from August 20th to November 30th. Hawk Watchers are on hand to spot and count the dozens of species that migrate through our region including Bald Eagles, Osprey, SharpShinned Hawks and Peregrine Falcons.
In September however it is the Broad-Winged Hawks that take center stage. When winds blow from the Northwest, hawk watchers gather with the hopes of witnessing groups of hundreds of these hawks soaring in unison as they use thermals to gain altitude. We call these swirling formations of hawks ‘kettles’ as they are like boiling water in a kettle reaching the thermal’s boiling point. While in some years these birds take different routes when wind directions blow them elsewhere, when we do have Northwest winds we easily can count thousands of these birds in a single day. In 2023, nearly 30,000 Broad-Winged Hawks were counted over the span of three days and in both 1986 and 1995 over 30,000 were counted here in a single day!
Not only is everyone welcome to join in watching these birds, but anyone can play a crucial role in helping spot them. Community Science projects such as hawk watches are the easiest and most effective way for anyone of all walks of life and backgrounds to make an active difference in conservation. As hawks are at the top of the food chain, noted problems in their populations signal far deeper problems in our entire ecosystem. By counting these birds, scientists can assess long term population trends. The decline of Bald Eagles and Peregrine Falcons sounded the alarm of the effects of DDT that ultimately led to its ban in the 1970s. While thankfully these birds are success stories in their recovery, we now look at declines in other species such as Northern Harriers and American.
Kestrels as indicators of new threats such as Neonicotinoids, habitat loss and climate change.
Visiting a hawk watch is the perfect opportunity not only to make an active difference but to celebrate these birds. Each year, Greenwich Audubon Center hosts our annual Hawk Watch Festival, which will be held this year on Saturday September 27th. What started as a weekend to welcome the public to come view hawk migration has turned into a highly anticipated yearly event for the Greenwich Community to gather and enjoy the gifts that birds give us. In addition to being able to visit our hawk watch, attractions include Live Birds of Prey shows where attendees can view these birds up close. Raptor Rehabilitator and Falconer groups Christine’s Critters and Skyhunters in Flight will be presenting shows at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. featuring live hawks, falcons and owls. Activities for families will include a special Hawk Mini-Golf Course, the Great Migration Game, Owl Pellet Dissecting and food provided by Happiness Is Catering. Birders looking for a new pair of binoculars can try out and buy optics by Zeiss and Vortex in a special Optics Alley.
As a special guest this year, we’ll be welcoming Nashville musician and birder Bonner Black, who has gained 50,000 followers on Instagram through her engaging birding-related content. She will be co-leading a bird walk at 7 a.m. and performing a set of live music at 1 p.m.. This event symbolically ends each year with the release of a rehabilitated injured hawk back to the wild by Weston’s Wildlife In Crisis.
To join the celebration tickets for Hawk Watch Fest and other events can be purchased at audubon.org/greenwich/events
Ryan MacLean is the Sr. Coordinator of Education at the Greenwich Audubon Center. He has a background in naturalist education and ornithology.
