Florida Keys HawkWatch by Jim Eager

The Florida Keys HawkWatch(FKH) is a collaborative effort of Rafael Galvez, with Tropical Audubon Society(TAS) and Jim Eager, with Space Coast Audubon Society(SCAS) with assistance from Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA).

The FKH count is conducted at Curry Hammock SP on Little Crawl Key just NE of Marathon in the beautiful Florida Keys.  This hawkwatch monitors 13 species of raptors on their fall migration to their wintering grounds.  FKH hosts the largest migration of Peregrine Falcons in North America.  On October 11, 2008 FKH had the amazing fortune of breaking the world record for the most Peregrine Falcons seen in 1 day anywhere in the world with an astonishing 638.  The hawk watch was started in 1999 and ran until 2008 when funding was lost.  Due to the loss of funding there was no hawk watch in 2009.  HMANA resurrected the hawk watch for the 2010 season.  They agreed to run it for one year and then they count on local ownership to step up and continue running the site but will continue to offer any assistance that is needed.  Due to the loss of funding and with the economy the way it is the former coordinator exhausted all resources in an attempt to maintain funding.  During the 2011 Space Coast Birding and Nature Festival I brought up the subject to an optics rep for a major sport optics company.

For 10 years the hawk watch was funded by the scientific community and the optics rep suggested we go in a different direction and approach it from a recreational standpoint.  We have been able to obtain funding from a major sports optics company, Florida Keys Birding Festival, Tropical Audubon, Space Coast Audubon and Florida Keys Audubon.  In addition we were awarded the Helen & Allan Cruickshank research award from Florida Ornithological Society(FOS).  Letters were sent out to all the Florida Audubon Society chapters in an attempt acquire more funding.  Funding is needed for stipends for 2 paid observers, mileage, housing for observers.  This will be an ongoing challenge year after year to acquire funding.  It is a pleasure to have SCAS as a partner and supporter and look forward to a promising relationship.  All SCAS members and friends are invited to come witness firsthand the amazing sight of raptor migration. The FKH will be conducted from September 15-November 13, 2011.