OCONEE, SC - There are few views in South Carolina, or anywhere else for that matter, that can compare to the view across the Dismal towards the back side of Table Rock Mountain at Caesars Head State Park. Regardless of the time of year, the view is spectacular.  In the spring with a fresh blanket of green to the winter where evergreen trees provide an accent of color to the bare branches of the hardwoods and the blue sky seems to get brighter as the temperatures get colder.

But it’s the fall of the year when the landscape really puts on a show. Yes, there is the familiar view of the of red, yellow and orange leaf colors that define autumn in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  But this time of year there is also a view above the trees in the sky that you don’t want to miss.  The brilliant blue suddenly changes like the brewing of a thunderhead before a summer storm.  The sky turns dark, but it's not clouds, it's hawks.

Hundreds of birds of prey pass by Caesars Head each year during the hawk migration, one of nature’s most spectacular events.   Caesars Head State Park, located along the Appalachian Flyway, provides a unique viewing platform to watch the thousands of hawks as they migrate south to warmer climates for the winter.  Migration begins in August and continues until early December with peak flights mid-to-late September.  Over 1270 hawks were observed just on September 18th this year. The majority of the count consists of Broad-Winged hawks, however several other species including Bald Eagles, American kestrels, Mississippi kites, merlins, and Peregrine falcons, plus turkey vultures and black vultures, are also seen. So keep your eyes to the sky and if you go bring a pair of binoculars!
 
The annual migration takes a tremendous amount of a bird’s energy so hawks rely on rising warm air masses called thermals to obtain lift and soar with little to no energy output.  As a bird enters the thermal, it gains altitude by circling upward on the rising central column of air.  A large group of birds riding a thermal is called a kettle.Once the hawk glides out, it hitches a ride on the next thermal. This process allows migrating hawks to cover great distances using very little of their own energy. Talk about hitching a ride!  This seasonal migration occurs like clockwork and is one of those annual events in nature that you’ve got to see to believe. The experience will inspire you and remind you just how much is going on everyday in the natural world around us.  The hawk migration itself is intriguing enough, but add to it the majesty and grace of these spectacular raptors and you’ll soon know that we are indeed part of something special.