DOS sponsors two Delaware hawk watches: Ashland Hawk Watch in northern piedmont and Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch along the Atlantic coast to the south. Both hawk watches report observations daily to HMANA. If you have not experienced an area hawk watch, it’s a great way to see the fall raptor migration without all the crowds. Also you can monitor the migration through our DOS web site links at the research page.

See our Hawk Watch Photo Gallery

Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch (at Cape Henlopen State Park behind the picnic pavilion)

The Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch begins its 17th season of monitoring raptors, and the fall count period runs from September 1 through November 30. Located at Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes, the hawk watch platform is positioned amidst the dunes along the Atlantic Ocean.

Observers at Cape Henlopen are treated to large numbers of migrant Ospreys, along with good numbers of Sharp-shinned Hawks, Bald Eagles, Merlins, Peregrine Falcons, and many other raptors.

Forrest Rowland, our compiler in 2008 and a very experienced bird surveyor, will be the official counter again this fall. If you have any questions about or would like to volunteer at the Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch, please contact Sue Gruver at 302-645-6390.

FISH IN FLIGHT: This season we will again assist Hawk Mountain in an “Osprey Fish-Carrying Behavior Study”, reporting all migrating Osprey carrying lunch.

Ashland Nature Center Hawk Watch 

The Ashland Hawk Watch enters its third fall season with great excitement and sporting a new tally board. The hawk watch station will run from September 1 through November 30. Official counting is conducted Tuesday through Sunday, from 9:30am to 4:00pm. Located at the Ashland Nature Center in Hockessin, this count is a partnership between the Delaware Nature Society and the Delmarva Ornithological Society. 

A wide variety of raptors, from Broad-winged Hawks to Golden Eagles to Northern Goshawks, are observed at Ashland through the course of the fall. 

Cyrus Moqtaderi, will be the official Hawk Watch Coordinator at Ashland this fall. Volunteers are once again assembling to assist with coverage. If you are interested in helping to count raptors at Ashland, please contact Joe Sebastiani at joe@delawarenaturesociety.org