Scott's Mountain Hawk Watch

Scott's Mountain Hawk Watch At A Glance...

• The count started in 1973, and the watch has run full-time since 2002.
• On September 16, 2007, counters tallied 10,232 broad-winged hawks in a single day.
• A resident pair of bald eagles shares the sky with the migrating hawks.
• From the lot you can see the Kittatinny Ridge, where Raccoon Ridge, Bake Oven Knob and Hawk Mountain run counts of their own.
• Todays Sunrise: 6:39 am,   Sunset: 4:49 pm  
• New Jersey Skylands Region Warren County
• Scott's Mountain Hawk Watch is part of  Merrill Creek Reservoir

• Amenities:

  • Restrooms/Bathrooms
  • Parking Lot(s)

  Rules/Regulations:

  • Alcohol Not Permitted
  • Must be Leashed

Contact / Location

A Brief History

Greg Hanizak started the hawk watch in 1973 after he noticed, while birding on Scott's Mountain, that the fall hawk flights were significant. For the next 20-plus years the watch was part-time. When Merrill Creek Reservoir was built and filled, around 1990, the watch moved one mile down Fox Farm Road to the Inlet/Outlet Tower parking lot overlooking the new reservoir. Since 2002 it has been a full-time count.

Best Time of Year to Visit

Broad-winged hawks are the big draw, with the largest flights in mid to late September. Sharp-shinned hawks, ospreys and kestrels stream through in late September and October, red-tailed hawks peak in late October and early November, and red-shouldered hawks and the occasional golden eagle come late in the season. Head up the day after a cold front with northerly winds.

Hours / Season of Operation

The count is held daily from September 1 to November 30. The lot is inside Merrill Creek Reservoir's gates, which close earlier in fall and winter, so check the reservoir's website for current gate times. The property is closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Facilities

Outdoor restrooms are in the Inlet/Outlet Tower parking area. A barrier-free fishing dock is nearby, off Fox Farm Road.

Parking

The count is held at the Inlet/Outlet Tower parking lot. Park only in marked lots; Merrill Creek allows no roadside parking.

Directions

Take I-78 west to exit 3, the last exit in New Jersey. Go 1.1 miles to the traffic light at Route 519 and turn right (north). Go 2.2 miles on 519, crossing Route 57, and turn right onto Fox Farm Road at the small sign for Merrill Creek Reservoir. Go 2.6 miles, bearing right at the fork after one mile, to the entrance of the parking lot on the right.

The rest of Merrill Creek Reservoir, with its trails and Visitors Center, is a short drive away. In fall, Von Thun Farms in Washington has a corn maze and pick-your-own, and the Hoff-Vannatta Farmstead is another stop in Harmony Township.

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