Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch State College, Pennsylvania, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 29, 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time: 8.25 hours
Official Counter: AB
Observers: Jacqui McKee
Visitors: Jacqui McKee
34 hikers
Weather: Unseasonably warm weather on Tussey Mountain. Fairly strong NW winds to start the count at 12-19kph. The winds peaked at 20-28kph at 14:00. Visibility was good for the entire count to Warrior’s Ridge. Mostly cloudy skies for most of the count, although the sun did peak out a few times around 14:00. Low temperature of 18C at 09:00 and a high of 25C at 14:00. There was very light drizzle between 09:00 – 11:00. Never enough to don raingear.
Raptor Observations: TV (34) OS 1 (10) BE 3 (61) RT 4 (172) GE 2 (136) AK 1 (18) UR 2 (13) Total 50 (786)
GE A 12:55, A 17:07
The flight got underway in the 10:00 hour with 15 TUVU migrating up Stone Valley or high above Tussey Mountain. The 11:00 hour yielded some nice diversity including the first GE of the day. The flight continued steadily with TUVU leading the days flight. The last migrant of the day was another GE, which I was happy Jacqui got to see.
All of the resident raptors were active today. The adult COHA was the first detected at 10:12 flying S along Tussey over the cut. Shortly after it was detected flying S along the powerline cut into Stone Valley. It briefly performed its display flight before dropping down into the forest. At 12:14 it was again in the cut to the N of the OP performing its flight display and doing a modified roller coaster display. I have never observed the COHA doing a roller coaster display before so that was special. There were several BAEA skirmishes over Stone Valley for good measure.
Non-raptor Observations: The warm winds brought new arrivals to the Tussey Mountain environs. There were many songbirds moving out over Stone Valley that went unidentified. I was surprised to see a GBHE and BEKI both fly over the mountain early in the count. Shortly after I picked up what I thought to be a small falcon. As they approached more closely, I realized I had two swifts. I also enjoyed the FOSP visit just below me in the brambles. I was confused by the call note most of the morning, but was able to finally get eyes on the bird. No offense to their western counterparts, but the eastern Red variety is a sharp bird.
duck sp. 10 Chimney Swift 2 y Double-crested Cormorant 8 Great Blue Heron 1 Black Vulture 1 Belted Kingfisher 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1 Eastern Phoebe 1 American Crow 2 Common Raven 2 Black-capped Chickadee 2 Tree Swallow 2 Golden-crowned Kinglet 2 Eastern Bluebird 1 American Robin 2 House Finch 4 American Goldfinch 5 Fox Sparrow (Red) 2 Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 5 Brown-headed Cowbird 12 Common Grackle 2
Predictions: Showers likely, mainly after 3pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
======================================================================== Report submitted by Adam Richardson (<poecile.gambeli...>) Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch information may be found at: tusseymountainspringhawkwatch.org/
