History of the Borrego Valley Hawkwatch
Hal Cohen, founder of the Borrego Springs Hawkwatch, moved from Illinois to Borrego Springs in 2001. In Illinois, he was an avid Hawk Watcher, or a “hawkaholic”, as he likes to describe himself. But there was no established Hawkwatch in Borrego Springs at that time.
When in early March 2003 Hal noticed some Turkey Vultures roosting in Eucalyptus trees at the Roadrunner Club in Borrego Springs, he figured what the heck, I’ll start a Turkey Vulture watch! He followed the Turkey Vultures as they circled upwards, called “kettling” in hawk watch lingo, as they streamed out of town. On one fateful day when he had come to watch turkey vultures, he noticed a dozen hawks kettling up, not turkey vultures this time, but Swainson’s Hawks! On that fateful day true hawk watching became reality in Borrego Springs.
During the migration period, which lasts roughly from mid-February through April each year, there is a steady stream of migrating Swainson’s Hawks entering Borrego Valley, spending a night and perhaps a day feeding on caterpillars. Migration then continues north the following day through Coyote Canyon on the way to breeding grounds as far away as Alaska.
In 2004, the first training session for volunteers was organized. Today, with the sponsorship of the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association, there is an established group of volunteers to monitor the migration from mid-February to early or mid-April.
Now the Borrego Springs Hawkwatch is 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 America!
You, too, can become a hawkaholic and share the wonders of migration of one of the most beautiful hawks in North America: the Swainson’s Hawks. We need volunteers to observe, count, and gather data concerning the migration of hawks through Borrego Valley. Please check our Volunteer page if you are interested to join that adventure.