Fall in New Jersey means cooler nights, brilliant leaves and – perhaps most exciting – migrating hawks!

The Garden State’s location along the Atlantic Flyway means birds are now heading south to their wintering grounds … and they pass right through this state we’re in. None are more thrilling to watch in action than hawks and other raptors.

This time of year, migrating birds of prey come through in far greater concentrations than usual. They’re conserving energy as they follow New Jersey’s mountain ridges and coastline, taking advantage of thermals, wind currents and updrafts.

“It’s quite a sight for people to watch these creatures that they usually don’t get to see very well,” said Dr. Laurie Goodrich, a Rutgers-educated biologist and educator at the Hawk Mountain sanctuary in Pennsylvania.

From the Hudson River Palisades to the Kittatinny Ridge along the Delaware River and down to Cape May, New Jersey has 14 “hawk watch” locations where raptors can be seen in great numbers.

Most hawk watches have observation platforms positioned for panoramic views. Many dedicated birders volunteer to log the raptors to help compile an accurate count of species passing through New Jersey. But casual bird watchers are welcome, too.

So far this season, more than a dozen species have been spotted at New Jersey hawk watches, including broad-winged hawks, bald eagles, American kestrels, red-tailed hawks, ospreys, merlins, sharp-shinned hawks, northern harriers, peregrine falcons and Cooper’s hawks.

Want to see them? Grab your binoculars and check out these raptor hot spots:

Scotts Mountain, Warren County – This hawk watch is at Merrill Creek Reservoir in Harmony Township. The record number of broad-winged hawks counted at Merrill Creek in a single day was a staggering 18,000!

Raccoon Ridge, Warren County – This hawk watch in Blairstown sits on top of the Kittatinny Mountains at an elevation of 1,563 feet. With count records going back to the 1930s, Raccoon Ridge averages 15,000 hawk views per season, including "eye-to-eye" views of bald and golden eagles.

Chimney Rock, Somerset County - The Chimney Rock hawk watch is in Washington Valley Park, on the First Watchung Ridge in Martinsville – the southern end of the same ridge where the Montclair platform is located.

Montclair, Essex County – The hawk observation platform maintained by NJ Audubon Society is on the first ridge of the Watchung Mountains. The view is spectacular, considering it's in the middle of one of the nation's most densely populated areas. In addition to watching hawks, visitors can admire views of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, New York City skyline and Statue of Liberty.

Palisades Interstate Park, Bergen County - State Line Lookout is a scenic overlook on the Palisades above the Hudson River. It is at the highest point on the Palisades cliffs - elevation 527 feet - about a mile south of the New Jersey–New York state border.

Sunrise Mountain, Sussex County – One of the state's best spots for watching hawks soar and glide is the pavilion atop Sunrise Mountain in Stokes State Forest in Branchville.

Cape May Point, Cape May County – The Cape May peninsula, with the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Delaware Bay on the other, creates a natural funnel, virtually directing birds to the hawk watch platform at Cape May Point State Park.

Raptors migrate from late summer through early December, with peak numbers occurring from mid-September through mid-October. Historically, the best days for spotting hawks are those following a cold front with northerly winds. Mornings and early afternoons are generally better than later in the day.

Get out and enjoy this amazing fall spectacle! To learn more about New Jersey's hawk watches, go to the Audubon Society or the Hawk Migration Association of North America website.

Byers is executive director of New Jersey Conservation Foundation. Reach her at info@njconservation.org.

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