Who’s Counting? – FKH 2015

Who’s at the helm of the counting deck during the 2015 FKH fall migration season?

Ted Keyel

“I grew up in Racine, Wisconsin, birding along Lake Michigan with my father. Family trips to Hawk Ridge (a hawkwatch in Duluth, MN) really sparked my interest in hawkwatching. I loved spending all day on the Ridge and did not want to be pulled away for a second, out of fear of missing something. After college, I realized that the best way to miss fewer birds was to be the hawkcounter. I have been fortunate to be able to count at a few sites. My first was the spring watch at Chavarrillo in Veracruz, MX. It was an incredible experience, and it really helped hone my counting skills. I next went to Montclair, NJ for both the spring and the fall. Montclair is second only to Hawk Mountain as the longest-running US hawkcount, and I enjoyed being a part of it. After Montclair, my last hawkcounting position was at the Peregrine Falcon Capital of the World. While I was there, I received my acceptance letter to graduate school at the University of Minnesota Duluth and now I am just finishing up my Master’s work on mercury accumulation in birds of prey.”

You may find Ted counting at Curry Hammock nearly every day this fall. He is a fun hawkwatcher with a friendly attitude and tremendous knowledge of birds. You are sure to maximize your migration experience in the Middle Keys by spending some time birding with him. Ted was a counter at FKH during 2012, and we are thrilled to have him back this year!

Colleen Kimbert Caudill & Charles Caudill

The heart and soul of FKH!

Colleen and Charles have volunteered at the Florida Keys Hawkwatch for five consecutive years, giving the project as much as a solid month of counting each fall season. They travel extensively in their RV, embarking on trips throughout the country from their home in the Florida peninsula. They first discovered hawkwatching by chance. They have had a long love for birds and nature, but when they visited Curry Hammock State Park during the fall of 2011, they had no idea they would be captured by a new passion – raptor migration! They are friendly, patient and willing to share migration with all visitors. We could not conduct this project without their immeasurable work year after year.

The Backup Team

A long time friend of FKH, Mark Hedden has filled in as a hawkcounter and bander over the years. He is a photographer, writer, bird guide and the Executive Director of Florida Keys Audubon Society. A Key West resident, Mark writes narrative nonfiction, primarily ornithology-oriented natural history and about several other interesting topics. His work has been published in the Key West Citizen, Solares Hill newspaper, the Miami Herald, Tropic magazine, Miami Metro magazine, the Washington Post, and many other publications. You can find some of his work at BoneIsland.com.

I (Rafael Galvez) will be counting during unpredictable days – when organizational work allows. I hope to see you at the Florida Keys Hawkwatch soon!