Tonight's Fyke Talk: State Line Hawk Watch
May 19, 2023
The last Fyke Nature Association meeting for the spring is tonight (Friday, May 19, at 8 p.m.), and the speaker is Karl Soehnlein, who has been a mainstay of the State Line Hawk Watch for more than a decade, The talk is free and open to the public.
State Line Hawk Watch coordinator Karl M. Soehnlein has been involved with the hawk watch since 2011. In this live presentation, Karl will discuss the “phenomenal” 2022 season with over 18,000 counted, as well as the highs and lows of the past 11 years since Stiles Thomas restarted the hawk watch in 2010.
Each September through November dedicated volunteers count migrating raptors (hawks, eagles, ospreys, falcons, etc.) that fly over State Line Lookout, and report their findings to the Hawk Migration Association of America (HMANA).
Karl is responsible for getting volunteer hawk counters to cover morning and afternoon shifts during the fall migration season—the day after Labor Day through November 15.
Karl got involved with the hawk watch after accidentally stumbling upon it and got hooked on the hawks. He was amazed to find out that bald eagles were nesting in the Palisades Interstate Park and could be seen flying along the Hudson River. His “birding” experience started that September.
Karl is an excellent photographer as well!
His talk is free and open to the public. The Allendale Municipal Building is at 500 W. Crescent Ave., Allendale.