Corpus Christi Caller Times Editorials - Hazel Bazemore hawk watching brings out faithful volunteers

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Tuesday, September 28, 1999

Hazel Bazemore hawk watching brings out faithful volunteers
Variety of raptors sighted so far includes a bald eagle, aplomado falcon and multiple broad-wingeds

   Every year I think the hawk watch will be less compelling - the siren call, the expectation, the waiting and staring out into space will be a thing I may not need to do. In vain I think it. From the minute I know the hill at Hazel Bazemore County Park is manned with a sharp eyed, avid crew, I realize that I will not be able to resist the yearning to participate in the neck-breaking, eye searing annual count.
   The broad-winged hawks stream down from their breeding grounds in Canada, northern and eastern United States, passing over Corpus Christi as they make their way to Mexico and South America to spend the winter. Every fall, beginning in late August, they are observed and counted. Joel Simon is an official professional counter employed by Hawk Watch International. His assistants this year are Fernando Ramos of Vera Cruz, Mexico, and Ryan Wagner.
   Many able volunteers make up the rest of the crew. Patty and Bill Beasley are there as often as possible, lending enthusiasm, passing out chocolates for luck, providing a friendly shade, spotting birds and counting them. Patty also passes along the statistics, the day's sightings, by putting them on internet Audubon Outdoor Club Web page (www.electrotex.com/aoc/). Bob and Jo Creglow, with their sharp eyes and long attention spans, are equally faithful. If only they did not have to go to work. Joyce Penny is not only a competent observer, she has good social skills and introduces people to each other. Chuck Brittain is an indispensable, eagle-eyed watcher who grew up counting birds. His brother Rick comes by when he can.
   The Swarzes, Glenn and his father Jimmy, have been faithful for many years. But this year Glenn has not been able to attend constantly because of his job and Jimmy can't because of health problems. Art and Barbara Olson are there most days. There are many others who contribute either with their sharp eyes or with supportive enthusiasm.
   You can bet that John Economidy, an attorney from San Antonio and a main pioneer of hawk watching at Hazel Bazemore Park, will be there whenever he can, training his huge camera or his huge scope on the horizon. When I first saw him this year, I arrived late in the afternoon. I asked what he had seen that day. He made a game of it, having me guess. "Something big, big,'' he said. What he had seen turned out to be something very big and very unusual - a bald eagle.
   These are only a few of the faithfuls who, like me, can't stand to miss the watch. Besides local birders, each year brings increasing numbers of repeat attendees and birders from far places. The once ignored tenet that birding is an economic asset to an area, has become obvious.
   This has been an historic year on the hill with raptors turning up in numbers that once were only dreamed of. As of this writing 28 swallow-tailed kites have been seen. Prairie falcons are almost a trash bird (more on them in a later column.) The bald eagle was not a first but was a prestige sighting. Ospreys have been seen almost daily. A stunning first sighting was of an aplomado falcon. There have been 2 zone-tailed hawks, also new birds on the count. As of Sept. 23, 288,873 broad-wingeds (including at least five dark morphs) had been counted.