Visit our social media for updates and information about the  Borrego Springs Hawkwatch         Migration of the Swainson's Hawk Hawkwatch  The Documentary Each spring in Borrego Springs provides a window into the migration patterns of Swainson’s Hawks. (photo) The hawks spend the winter in Mexico, Columbia and Argentina. In early to mid-February the first Swainson’s Hawks arrive in the Borrego Valley from Mexico. As the season progresses the hawks arrive from Columbia, and finally in April, from Argentina. The journey from Argentina is over 6,000 miles. The highest period of migration through Borrego Valley is mid- to late March. During a typical migration there are many thousands of hawks passing through, sometimes hundreds in the sky at the same time. Many of these hawks nest in central and northern California, but some travel to other parts of the western US, into central Canada, and even a few nest in Alaska. It is a story of hawks, caterpillars, flying ants, grasshoppers and springtime flowers. The hawks come to feast on the caterpillars of the White-lined Sphinx Moth, flying ants of several species, Gray Bird Grasshoppers and other insects. Volunteer and be a part of the Hawkwatch Join the Hawkwatch and be a volunteer. experience a natural phenomenon and become a Citizen Scientist. Volunteers participate in the several aspects of the Hawkwatch, from spotting and counting Swainson’s Hawks in the air, to providing information to visitors, to scouting for roosting hawks in the morning, etc. Beginning and experienced hawkwatchers are encouraged to participate! Any length of time is okay, just one day, or weeks of participation.     Join the Borrego Valley Hawkwatch! by Hal Cohen, Hawkwatch Founder & Coordinator We are one of only two hawkwatches in California! And, we observe more Swainson’s Hawks migrating through North America in spring than any other site in the US and Canada. -We maintain the watch from the third week of February through the middle of April -We watch every day, counting migrating hawks in the morning, typically 8:00-11:00. Raptors seen migrating during that period are reported to Hawk Migration Association (HMA) through their website “Hawkcount.org”. -We also hold watch every evening from about an hour before sunset until dark. The purpose of the evening watch is to learn the approximate number of Swainson’s Hawks that enter the valley to roost overnight, and to see which locations in the valley the hawks settle into for the night. -The morning site is located on Digiorgio Rd, 2.8 miles north of the junction with Palm Canyon Drive. -The evening site is located on Borrego Valley Rd. 1.8 miles north of the junction with Palm Canyon Drive (see map insert) -We report all observed migrating raptors, as well as migrating Turkey Vultures -Mid-March to mid-April is the highlight period of migration -Swainson’s Hawks often fail to read the memos, and arrive at very unexpected times! -The Borrego Valley Hawkwatch is unique in two ways: 1) The hawks enter the valley in the evening and stay overnight, and sometimes feed in the morning, either on the ground or in the air before migrating out of the valley. 2) One raptor species is predominant, as very few other raptors migrate through Borrego Valley Beginners and experienced hawkwatchers are encouraged to participate! We hope you can make at least one of these dates. But if you can’t, you are still welcome to get involved. We count hawks from February 21 into April every spring season. Join us to experience a natural phenomenon and become a Citizen Scientist. Adult Dark Rufous SW- Frimmel Smith Adult Light Morph SW-Frimmel Smith Adult Female Morph SW-Tom Hamilton Subadult Light Intermediate SW Ted Springs jr. Sub-adult Dark Morph SQ-Frimmel Smith Adult Male Light Morph SW-Kwan Choo  A Brief History of the Hawkwatch Hal and Joanne Cohen moved to Borrego Springs in 2001. Hal’s wife soon noticed that Hal was missing the regular hawk watching activities that he had enjoyed so much while living and teaching in Illinois. Hawkwatching to him is much more than looking at hawks. Hawkwatching is counting hundreds of hawks in the midst of migration. In early March of 2003 Hal noticed some Turkey Vultures roosting in Eucalyptus trees at the Roadrunner Club in Borrego Springs. They were not hawks but he figured, “What the heck”, he would start a Turkey Vulture watch. He followed Turkey Vultures as they circled upwards, called “kettling” in hawkwatch lingo. One day when Hal had come to watch Turkey Vultures, he noticed a dozen hawks kettling; not Turkey Vultures this time, but Swainson’s Hawks! On that fateful day true hawkwatching became a reality in Borrego Springs, and has continued for 22 years. Every year anywhere from about 1,600 to 16,000 migrating Swainson’s Hawks have been counted. Hal has been the foundation of the Borrego Valley Hawkwatch consistently through this entire period, developing a dedicated team to cover the watch. He has, as a true leader, prepared the team for the time, soon to come when he will be known as Borrego Valley Hawkwatch Leader Emeritus! But rest assured, he will still be spotting and counting hawks on the hill.    The Hawkwatch Mid-March to March 30th is the highlight period of migration.  In March 2019 we waited patiently for the vanguard of the Swainson’s migration.  We waiting alongside a BBC film crew here to document the arrival of the hawks for The BBC’s  “Green Earth.”   But we all waited in vain as each day produced blank skies.   When birds finally arrived,  in massive numbers in early April, the BBC crew had just left.   For two weeks hundreds of hawks darkened the sky from the airport in Borrego Springs to Henderson Canyon Road. A typical kettle produced well over 200 hawks spinning around like a tornado.  The unofficial number of hawks that moved through was close to 8,000!     We have an official count protocol, but because many of the trained volunteers had left due to the bird’s late arrival, the official count was just over 1,000.  With additional support from Anza Borrego Desert Natural History Association in 2020 we hope to extend our count period.   Why did the hawks arrive 2-3 weeks later than normal in 2019?   I believe (without corroborating evidence) that the wet winter we experienced in Borrego Springs, and which gave us an ample food supply, was repeated and matched in other parts of the west including Mexico.   All of southern California and northern Mexico experienced a major flower bloom and an explosion of insects that included the caterpillars of the White-lined Sphinx Moth, which are a primary food in Borrego.  Swainson’s Hawks will take advantage of all food resources available during migration and the food was widely available in 2019, easing the need to make it to Borrego.   Our expected hawks were likely chowing down in Mexico while we and the BBC waited for them in Borrego Springs.   All did not end in disappointment for the BBC crew.  They came to town to film the remarkable phenomena of flowers, caterpillars and hawks. The flowers and caterpillars did not disappoint.  And nature had handed us a different and unexpected surprise in 2019, a massive and totally mesmerizing migration of many millions of Painted Lady Butterflies.  They fluttered everywhere for well over a week.   I have a feeling that when “Green Planet” is released in two years, it will be the caterpillars and painted ladies that will steal the show.