Hazel Bazemore Hawk Watch, Fall 1999
Date:   09-25-99

Hi everyone,

Just when we start to think we have a little of this stuff figured out, good old Mother Nature steps in and reminds us who's really boss! We had high hopes of a good flight today, but a passing front came right on in and through Corpus Christi and shut down flights before many had a chance to even get started. With any luck, the front and its effects will be history by tonight and the raptors that backed up behind it will start flying again.

But it wasn't a total loss; not by a long shot! Lots of folks made it to the hill to kick off this season's Celebration of Flight and a surprise visitor to the hill was the icing on the cake. A south Texas welcome to none other than George Plimpton, who turned up at the watch to the thrill of unsuspecting visitors and staff. Plimpton is a celebrated journalist, speaker, actor, and founder and editor of The Paris Review, and is also the author of numerous books including Paper Lion,The Curious Case of Sidd Finch, and Open Net. He's also appeared in a number of movies; most recently Good Will Hunting (playing Henry) and When We Were Kings (playing himself). Plimpton graciously entertained us with an impromptu address that tickled our funny bone with his inimitable style of telling a good yarn (ask him about the cobra story; it's truly a classic of a practical joke gone awry!). He also reminded us of the sheer joy of birding with one's companions in the pursuit of a good bird or birding goal, and the oftentimes funny sidebars that result from the pursuit. Plimpton recalled one trip to Texas during a Big Day count that saw him birding several years ago at High Island with Roger Tory Peterson. Plimpton recalled a number of birders that were also at High Island's observation area that day who immediately spied Peterson on site. Instead of going up to Peterson to introduce themselves and talk to him; many who were either too shy or did not want to intrude while Peterson observed the birds at the site, instead used their own binoculars to observe Peterson, as he observed the birds! A poignant and touching commentary on the quirkiness and affection birders share for their own. That would have been a priceless picture, too, wouldn't it?! Plimpton says his next book will be on birding, and that's one we're already lining up to reserve. We really appreciate the visit; special thanks to Phyllis Yochem, birding columnist of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, for bringing him to the watch (we have also likely provided copious amounts of material for his next book with the Twilight Zone hawking in progress on the hill today!).

Biologist and Research Director Jeff Smith of Hawk Watch, International stepped onto the hill today for his first site visit and gave a presentation for us, then proceeded to close the day with the best bird of the watch ... another zone-tailed hawk (and yes, folks, THIS time I finally got it. Thanks, Jeff; that's a very nice way to say hello to someone, <grin>!). Unfortunately, the zone-tail didn't stay around long enough for all of us who needed it to get it in good sights, but as this is the third one of the season already, hope springs eternal.

Welcome also to independent film producers Paul and Marla Varner who are really paying dues on the hill, waiting for the those peak flights to film. Welcome also to Lanette and Larry Smallwood of the South Texas Traveler Magazine, who gave us wonderful area coverage in their publication for the hawk watch, as well as the hummingbird festival held every September in nearby Rockport.

Well, Joel tells me tonight he hasn't slit his wrists quite yet after the dearth of hawks today (approximately ten hawks per observer ratio today!), <grin!>; with any luck, we'll get a decent viewable flight tomorrow. On Sunday, we also kick off the manning of three additional satellite sites forfour days to track raptors that may skirt Hazel Bazemore to the east and/or west. This should be very illuminating. Celebration of Flight continues; Sunday will bring more hawk watch presentations and a visit by the Texas State Aquarium's raptor rehabilitation staff.

Okay, on to the numbers:

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0....... Black Vulture (YTD: 102)
0....... Turkey Vulture (YTD: 5)
0....... Swallow-tailed Kites (YTD: 30)
2....... Osprey (YTD: 81)
0....... Mississippi Kite (YTD: 5,486)
0....... Bald Eagle (YTD: 2) (9-22 imm.)
0....... Northern Harrier (YTD: 48)
6....... Sharp-shinned Hawk (YTD: 318)
7....... Cooper's Hawk (YTD: 188)
0....... Harris's Hawk (YTD: 6)
0....... Red-shouldered Hawk (YTD: 18)
2,001... Broad-winged Hawk (YTD: 320,495) (3 dark morph)
0....... Swainson's Hawk (YTD: 75)
0....... Ferruginous Hawk (9/18: DM juv)(9/23 DM)(YTD: 4)
0....... White-tailed Hawk (YTD: 3)
1....... Zone-tailed Hawk (YTD: 3)
1....... Red-tailed Hawk (YTD: 63) (2 dark morph)
0....... Crested Caracara (YTD: 2)
1....... American Kestrel (YTD: 87)
1....... Merlin (YTD: 14)
1....... Peregrine Falcon (YTD: 44)
0....... Prairie Falcon (YTD: 23)
0....... Aplomado Falcon (YTD: 1)
3....... Unidentified Accipiter (YTD: 49)
0....... Unidentified Buteo (YTD: 24)
1....... Unidentified Falcon (YTD: 31)
1....... Unidentified Raptor (YTD: 989)

Total: 2,026 (YTD: 328,197)

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- Cheers from Patty Beasley, Joel Simon, Fernando Ramos, Ryan Wagner, and the rest of the HBHW cast and crew!