Watching Hawks in New England
Best Raptor Viewing From Bar Harbor, Maine to Greenwich, Connecticut
Oct 8, 2009
Each fall, thousands of migrating raptors, including hawks, peregrine falcons, bald eagles and osprey fly through the Northeast corridor. Here’s a roundup of premier places to watch the spectacles.
Mount Agamenticus, York, Maine
Mount Agamenticus, once home to a small ski area, covers nearly 30,000 acres and supports a surprising diversity of plant and animal life. It is also one of the largest unfragmented forests in coastal New England. There are black bear, moose and white-tailed deer in the park. But in the fall the hawks steal the show. Hike or drive to the open fields atop the 692-foot summit to watch thousands of migrating raptors. Cloudy days, with northerly winds are the best for hawk watching. Kestrels, sharpies, broad-wings and osprey are commonly seen in September. Red-tails, bald eagles, peregrines and goshawks are more common in October.
Cadillac Mountain, Bar Harbor, Maine
Drive to the top of the highest mountain on the East coast to see several different species of raptors as they head south along the coastline to warmer areas. Last year more than 2,600 birds were spotted, including 35 peregrine falcons and 230 osprey. Acadia National Park rangers conduct several guided walks.
Little Round Top Mountain, Bristol, New Hampshire
This peaceful and serene mountaintop is New Hampshire’s oldest hawk watch site. There are pretty views, no crowds, and, on the right days, hundreds of hawks. Walk the fire road to the summit near a big wooden cross and outdoor chapel. The hawk watch site is on promontory just below cross.
Miller State Park, Peterborough, New Hampshire
Drive or hike to the top of Pack Monadnock, where you’re nearly guaranteed to see hundreds of migrating hawks. It’s not unusual for 200 to 300 birds to be spotted from the top of this popular mountain during peak migration days. It’s also home to the Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory.
Putney Mountain, Putney, Vermont
This site is the high point of a ridge in southern Vermont that rises west of the Connecticut River, with great views in all directions. An average of more than 7,500 hawks fly by each fall migration season. Best times for hawk watching are days with light to medium winds from the northwest, when 250 to 1,000 birds can be seen.
Mount Watatic, Ashburnham, Massachusetts
This is one of the premier hawk migration and observation sites in the Northeast. The spruce-covered, 1,832-foot summit is a magnet for migrating broad-winged hawks. In fall 2001 and 2002, more than 14,000 of this species were reported, soaring above the Watatic Mountain range. You can expect to see hundreds catching the rising thermals above the peaks, on their way to warmer climes.
Quaker Ridge, Greenwich, Connecticut
Thousands of broad-winged hawks and 16 other species of hawks, eagles, and vultures ride the thermals over the hilltop of the officially-designated Quaker Ridge Hawk Watch at the Audubon Center in Greenwich. Join the crowds in the fields covering Quaker Ridge for the best vantage point. Visit the Kimberlin Nature Center next door, for more information or to join one of its guided hawk watching programs.
From the mountains of Maine to the shores of Connecticut, there are not-to-be-missed spots for hawk-watching this fall.
