Date: 1/23/25 2:38 pm From: Thomas Kuehl <tjk.kuehl...> Subject: Westmoreland County WRS – 32 Raptors on the Pleasant Unity Route Gewecke/Kuehl
Greg and All,
This is the 8th year for this route. I helped Sharon Gewecke set it up in 2017. The route originally covered around 36 miles in the Pleasant Unity area, passing through Mammoth Park and the Westmoreland County Fairgrounds. With more good habitat in the area, I expanded it to around 60 miles in 2022 to include the Kecksburg area and the Arnold Palmer Airport in Latrobe.
Today’s total raptor count was 32, short of the last year’s record of 44, but just higher than the average of 31 since the route was lengthened. Vultures were surprising today – 7 Turkey Vultures was a new high and the 1 Black Vulture (perched in a wooded area) was a new species for the route. The route has been productive for Northern Harrier, however not today,
County: Westmoreland
Name of route - Gewecke Pleasant Unity Area / PSO map number: 654
Date – 1/23/25
Observers - Sharon Gewecke, Janet Kuehl and Tom Kuehl
Survey time (minus breaks) : Hrs: 3 Mins: 45
Start/End: 10:50am / 2:45pm 10 minutes of breaks
Approx. Miles on route: 60.1
Avg Temp.- 25F
Clear/Pt cloudy/Cloudy- Mostly clear to start, then low hazy coulds in the afternoon
Wind – Calm/Light/medium- Medium
Avg. Inches Snow cover- 6”
23 # Red-tails- Long-route average is 23
1 # Kestrels- TOTAL # 1 (#M = 1 /F/ND) – Long-route average is 1.86
7 # TVs- We had 5 in 2024 and the Long-route average is 2
1 # BVs-
COMMENTS:
The best birds were one Northern Mockingbird and one nicely lit-up Eastern Meadowlark.
