Bake Oven Knob 2 miles North of Germansville, Pennsylvania, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 14, 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time: 10 hours
Official Counter: Rick Morrissey
Observers: Edward Sinkler, John Good, Kittrick Danzeeisen, Travis Rennig
Visitors: We had eighteen visitors to the North Lookout which includes our raptor observers who assisted in the count today. Our observers were Travis Rennig, Ed Sinkler, John Good, Bob Astleford, John Leskosky, and Kettrick Danzeeisen. It was truly a treat to see Travis, John G, Bob, and Hazelton John for the first time this season. Great to catch up, and these are really superb hawk identification specialists who keep me honest. Ed as well who monitors my notation and clicking skills especially during Broadwing season. 'It takes a village' as they say.
We had many more I suspect who visited our South Lookout that were greeted by Mikayla Hernandez who is our raptor educator.
Weather: Sunny with light haze to start the count, visibility 25-30 miles then partly cloudy in the afternoon with clear skies and 30 miles visibility. The low temperature was 62F, with a high temperature of 78F at 1500 EST. There were North winds generally 3-5 mph all day, some gusts of 8-9 mph, yet at one point mid-afternoon winds were variable and at times from the South.
Raptor Observations: We had a diverse flight of raptors today, free from the chaos of over three thousand Broadwing Hawks the day before. In the 12-1300 hour we had our biggest push of 205 migrating raptors, 197 being Broadwings, approximating 150 being in three kettles that merged into one directly over our heads on the North lookout. All three Eastern US Falcon species were counted today, 12 Kestrels, 3 Merlins, and one Peregrine. It was nice to also count a Northern Harrier and an adult Red Shouldered Hawk. Accipiters are picking up with 22 Sharpies and 4 Coops.
Later in the afternoon, an immature Redtailed Hawk surprised us from behind the North Lookout, right next to us, strafing where there is usually an owl pole. We suspect the young hawk was disappointed, "where is Bubo Grande and Bubo Paquito?" Sorry, I did bring my over engineered, inflatable owl but there is no owl pole on the North lookout. I need to work on that.
Non-raptor Observations: A Redheaded Woodpecker, adult male, flew over the lookout, a first for me! Black and White and Black Throated Green warblers, Red Eyed Vireo, flock of Cedar Wax Wings, Goldfinch, two Ravens, BlueJays yet not many, some Geese that for some reason our observers wanted me to count.
Predictions: Patchy fog in the morning, mostly Sunday with highs in the lower 80s. Northeast winds around 5 mph. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Lehigh Gap Nature Center (<mail...>) Bake Oven Knob information may be found at: www.lgnc.org
