The Chimney Rock Hawk Watch is located in The Watchung
Mountains, which are made up of three roughly parallel ridges that
stretch from northern to central New Jersey.
The mountains form a "J" shape, begining in the Ramapo Mountains
in northern New Jersey, stretching South past Paterson, Montclair,
Summit, Watchung, and Martinsville. At Martinsville, the Watchungs
curve back North, passing Bridgewater and ending near
Pluckemin.
Chimney Rock is located on the southernmost ridge - First
Watchung Ridge - at the southernmost point in the Watchungs, where
Northeast- and Northwest-trending portions meet.
It seems likely that this is one of the reasons that Chimney
Rock is such a good site to observe hawks. When birds traveling in
a generaly southerly direction along The First and Second Watchung
Ridges get to Martinsville, they can either turn northward or they
can head out over the plains of central New Jersey. Many of them
decide to go South and pass over Chimney Rock.
The Somerset County Park Commission generously provides and
maintains the platform and parking lot for the hawk watch. The
watch, was started in 1990 by Christopher Aquila.
Official counting duties are performed by Aquila, volunteers,
and Rutgers University students. John Kee serves as statistician
for Chimney Rock.
PHOTO'S AND INFORMATION - Link
SPECIES DATA - Link
