Bake Oven Knob 2 miles North of Germansville, Pennsylvania, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Aug 19, 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8.35 hours
Official Counter: AB
Observers: Doug Burton, Ed Sinkler
Visitors: Observers
Doug Burton, Ed Sinkler, Rick Gaeta
Doug Burton and Ed Sinkler joined me for the first half of the days effort and spotted many birds. I appreciate Doug taking the time to explain how they work up there as a team on busy days and showing me some of the other landmarks they use to call birds out. Both kept me honest on my buteo ID’s as well which was appreciated. Later Rick Gaeta rotated in during the afternoon to keep me company. PA Game Commission Officers Blake McKnew and Johnson were out patrolling the area and stopped in for a visit. The PA Game Commission provides funding and logistical support for the Bake Oven Knob Hawk Watch which is greatly appreciated.
70 visitors
Weather: Steady ESE winds at 4-7 mph for the entire count. There was some moisture in the air which resulted in a haze that limited visibility to 18 miles early in the survey. By 10:00 the haze dissipated and visibility increased to 25 miles. Good cloud cover for most of the morning hours made for superb spotting conditions. By noon the clouds burned off quickly. Low temperature of 17C at 07:15 and a high of 23C by noon.
Raptor Observations: 8.35 hrs (38.52)
BV 2 (6) TV 16 (58) OS 4 (13) BE 11 (18) SS 3 (4) CH 1 (5) BW 12 (16) RT 3 (8) Total 52 (140)
BAEA (11): 08:51 A, 09:03 A, 09:16 U, 09:17 I, 09:31 A, 10:11 I, 11:45 A 2, 11:45 I, 11:59 I, 12:32 A
The flight got underway right at the end of the 07:00 hour with a nice pulse of accipitrine. A COHA kicked up on the notch from the N moving due south across the ridge. Right behind it in tow was a SSHA and the light was nice on these two. The flight continued to build with the peak of activity occurring in the 09:00 hour when a dozen migrants moved through. Primarily BW’s with a good push of BE’s. Unlike yesterday’s flight with a few small kettles, the raptors were pounding a flight line to the S of the OP over Lehigh Valley. Most were just above horizon and it was extremely helpful to have skilled spotters picking birds out as this was a new flight line for me. By 10:00 the flight began to taper slowly and by 13:00 the flight came to a halt.
The first resident raptor of the day was an immature BE soaring on 1 with a TV. An hour later an adult BE was spotted flying up ridge. At 11:04 the tail less TV was detected which has earned it the name Stubbie. During most of the survey a total of 3 local RT’s were detected often kiting in the winds off the E slope of the mountain. Two adults and one immature comprised the RT detections. At 12:53 the resident MERL was briefly spotted below horizon soaring in the bowl before heading up ridge.
Non-raptor Observations: Slow day for songbirds on Blue Mountain. A resident CORA spotted BC and I believe recruited 13 of its associates to come see this new development on the ridge. They were spotted up ridge in the late afternoon and flew directly to the OP to get a look at the decoy. There were many visitors at the site so they mostly stayed close to the canopy of the forest, but all came in for a look before moving down ridge.
Chimney Swift 2 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 Red-eyed Vireo 6 Blue Jay 1 American Crow 6 Common Raven 13 Tree Swallow 1 Barn Swallow 3 American Goldfinch 3 Black-and-white Warbler 1
Predictions: Showers and thunderstorms likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. High near 70. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Adam Richardson (<poecile.gambeli...>) Bake Oven Knob information may be found at: www.lgnc.org
