Jewel Basin Hawk Watch soaring to new heights

Most people might not want to be hard at work on their 65th birthday, but Jewel Basin Hawk Watch founder Dan Casey said there’s no place he’d rather be on his big day than scanning the sky high above Bigfork. Casey started the count in 2007 to contribute local data to a nationwide network of hawk watching research that tracks the migration of impressive aviators such as bald eagles and sharp-shinned hawks.

Over the years, the collaborative effort with Flathead Audobon, Flathead National forest, a small team of trained researchers and numerous citizen scientists has counted more than 30,000 birds at the survey spot on the north flank of Mt. Aenaes.

“It’s been a very fun and rewarding thing,” Casey said in between jotting notes about four birds that flew by his perch in a brief half-hour span.

Hawk watches like this one help researchers understand where and when birds are migrating, and they provide insight into population numbers and phenomena like climate change. For example, the Jewel Basin site, where hawks often fly close enough to identify their species, sex and age, has helped inform scientists that golden eagle populations are declining, while coopers hawks are on the rise.

“Raptors are unique,” Casey explained. “A lot of birds are pretty well surveyed, but raptors are not as easily surveyed.” The Jewel Basin effort therefore fills an important gap in the general understanding of these high-flying animals.

“It’s fun to be able to contribute to that,” said Casey, who first got the idea for a hawk watch when he and his wife noticed a surprising number of hawk sightings while hiking Mt. Aenaes more than a decade ago.

“The real value of this site is the outreach effort,” Casey said. “It’s a great place for people to enjoy birds and really learn more about these things.”

Anyone, regardless of bird-watching experience, is welcome and encouraged to participate in the Jewel Basin Hawk Watch. Usually, there is a trained technician at the site from 10 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m. every day, weather permitting, until around Nov. 7.

The trained observers can teach newcomers about the birds and the survey technique, and researchers gladly include citizen observations in their official records.

The survey site can be reached from Trail 1777 out of the Camp Misery parking lot. The steep, approximately two-mile trek to the site diverges from the Mt. Aenaeas summit trail at a ridge with a radio relay building. From there, hawk watchers should turn north and follow a steep goat trail along the ridge for a quarter mile before they reach their destination.

Though the hike takes some time and adequate preparation—Casey recommends hiking sticks to handle the steep incline—he insisted the journey is “very doable”—and the payoff is worth it.

With expansive views of Flathead Lake and Mt. Aenaes, the site itself is an enjoyable stopover on any outdoor adventure. And the bird-watching opportunities are unlike just about anything else in the area.

“There’s no better way to get this particular skillset than sit here with someone who knows what they’re doing,” Casey said.

On any given day, hawk watchers are likely to see a mix of 18 species of raptors and five species of falcons. On average, Casey said the site usually records about 50 or 60 birds in a day, but on a good day there can be as many as a bird per minute. Casey remembered one lucky day when he saw 168 birds in a single survey, and the record at the Jewel Basin Hawk Watch is 82 sightings in one hour.

So far this season, there have already been 700 sightings at the site, which is above average for this time of year, said Casey. “We’re off to a great start,” he said.

An added touch at the Jewel Basin Hawk Watch is an owl decoy the researchers have placed on the ridge, which often entertains the observers as the smaller hawks take a dive or two at the lifeless installation.

Overall, Casey reiterated, “It’s just a wonderful recreation thing that still provides some data and gets some citizen science going.”

Those interested in joining the hawk watch are encouraged to dress in dull colors and bring binoculars.

To keep up in real time with the latest data from the Jewel Basin Hawk Watch, visit Dunkadoo.org.

For more information about participating, email: jewelers@flatheadaudubon.org