Bake Oven Knob 2 miles North of Germansville, Pennsylvania, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 30, 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8.4 hours
Official Counter: AB
Observers:
Visitors: Riley and Felice from LGNC guided up approximately 25 6th graders from Towamensing Elementary School. I can now add to my owl decoy schpiel that it aids in confusing visitors. I had an AT hiker walk into the clearing off the trail and slowly approach the OP. I was unaware of what she was doing as I was scoping a distant bird. She then got closer until she was behind me and when I greeted her, I noticed she was looking up and pointing at the owl confused. She asked me if it was real? I answered quickly that of course BG was a real decoy before he became offended considering he does all the hard work up here day in and day out.
18 hikers
Weather: N winds to start the count at 4-7mph. By 13:00 the winds had shifted to the E, but still at 4-7mph. Visibility started off at 15 miles, but improved consistently through the entire count. Mostly cloudy skies in the morning giving way to high cirrostratus clouds in the afternoon. Low temperature of 15C at 07:05 and a high of 24C by noon.
Raptor Observations: South Lookout
8.4 hrs (390.92)
BV 3 (123) TV 26 (698) OS 1 (169) BE 13 (227) NH 2 (27) SS 26 (760) CH 1 (72) BW 5 (14819) RT 4 (131) AK 5 (79) ML 1 (41) PG 1 (26) UR 4 (102) Total 92 (17286)
BAEA (13): 12:22 A, 13:31 I (2), 13:36 A, 13:49 A, 13:56 A (2), 13:56 I, 14:06 A, 14:11 I, 14:54 A (2), 15:12 A
PEFA (1): 08:39 A
SS’s led the flight again today with a total of 26 moving past Bake Oven Knob. The flight picked up a little in the 11:00 hour when the sun started to burn off the high cirrostratus clouds. Again, mostly SS’s were making use of the warm air and primarily moving over Lehigh Valley. It worked good again to count from the South Lookout despite the N winds as the vast majority of the days flight was below eye level and over the Lehigh Valley. At 13:00 I started picking up several BAEA’s out over Lehigh Valley. A couple adults were together far out on the horizon lined up with Allentown. I also had a few in close moving down the Lehigh Valley to the S of the OP. The day finished off with an angry MERL mobbing BG. It was interesting to get an idea of how sharp their eyesight is as I tracked this bird in the scope from way out to the N of the notch near the red and white checkerboard tower. Once it got enough elevation to clear the notch it zinged across, then down low through the bowl. Then the small falcon climbed steeply to take its first swipe on BG. I was impressed with its surprise attack, but BG seemed unfazed. The MERL then zipped around through the canopy and lined up for a couple more swipes before disappearing south and letting out its harsh twitwitwitititititit. This signaled the end to the battle.
Head Honcho the juvenile PEFA was back up wreaking havoc on the ridge at 12:24. It zipped past the OP checking out BG which it wisely gives a wide berth to. It was then mobbed by a migrant SS, but was unfazed by this. It then moved N to the notch where I clearly saw it grab a monarch butterfly in its talons which it then quickly let go of. I have seen other juvenile falcons do this before, so perhaps it is good practice as Rick Gaeta was discussing yesterday. The immature RTHA was kiting over Lehigh Valley at 13:17. I am aware now that the RT’s spend a lot more time on the ridge when the winds are good.
Non-raptor Observations: Early in the morning a large flock of COGR worked their way slowly and safely across the notch following the ridge S. I spotted huge flocks down on Mountain Road on my commute up in the morning. Nice flock of DCCO winging in from the N past the OP. Towards the end of the count the first RCKI of the season was heard becoming agitated in the canopy to the N of the OP. I also noticed a large bird flycatching and bouncing back onto a branch. I was lucky enough to spot the YBCU again and the evening light was really nice on it.
Canada Goose 2 Wild Turkey 1 Mourning Dove 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 Chimney Swift 23 Double-crested Cormorant 26 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Hairy Woodpecker 2 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 1 Eastern Phoebe 2 Blue-headed Vireo 1 Blue Jay 32 American Crow 1 Common Raven 2 Black-capped Chickadee 2 Tufted Titmouse 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Carolina Wren 2 Eastern Bluebird 1 American Goldfinch 2 Common Grackle 800 Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 Black-throated Green Warbler 4
Predictions: Sunny, with a high near 69. North wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
======================================================================== Report submitted by Adam Richardson (<poecile.gambeli...>) Bake Oven Knob information may be found at: www.lgnc.org
