Bake Oven Knob 2 miles North of Germansville, Pennsylvania, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 03, 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8.25 hours
Official Counter: AB
Observers:
Visitors: 19 hikers
Weather: Cooler temperatures in the valley in the morning, although at the OP it was noticeably warmer. SW winds to start the count at 1-3mph, but by 08:00 the winds had set down. Visibility was decent at 10 miles to start the count, but improved throughout the survey. High cirrostrastus clouds to start the count which probably killed some of the morning thermals. The cloud cover persisted, but moved further SW which allowed for blue skies over Lehigh Valley late in the morning. This is when the flight finally got underway. Low temperature of 14C at 07:00 and a high of 21C by 13:00.
Raptor Observations: South Lookout
BV 2 (129) TV 31 (761) BE 4 (243) NH 2 (32) SS 23 (860) CH 1 (77) BW 2 (14826) RT 3 (144) AK 3 (91) ML 1 (43) UR 3 (115) Total 75 (17532)
BAEA (4): 09:07 I, 09:53 A, 12:08 A, 12:34 I
Slow start to the flight which isn’t surprising with the cool air in place over the valleys in the morning and virtually no wind. The flight sputtered along at 5 raptors an hour with SS’s leading the flight in the morning. As the day warmed up the flight picked up a little from 11:00 – 13:00. A total of 21 migrants moved through, primarily SS’s but a few late BW’s were picked up in the bowl close to the OP. The flight then tapered after that, but I did close out the day with a nice grey ghost for the discerning hawk watcher.
At 08:29 an immature RS was spotted close to the OP with a migrant SS following its line. The RS worked a thermal off the rock face that Bake Oven Knob consists of with the SS wisely following the RS’s line, but from above. The resident RS moved N into the bowl with the SS peeling out and moving SW. The RS moved N over the notch, not to be seen again. This resident buteo is indeed a mystery compared to all of the other locals I have sorted out. At 10:00 I spotted the resident adult RT performing its roller coaster display over Lehigh Valley. At 15:06 I noticed a protective bubble in the TRES flock and picked up an unknown age PEFA. It looked to have possibly snatched one of the TRES as I saw it flair out and pluck something large enough that it flew away with it to the forest below the slope of 1. Usually if it was insect prey it would have eaten it on the wing. However, I did see a PEFA with a RSFL crossing the Bridger Mountains once that it was eating on the wing early in the morning.
Non-raptor Observations: A YSFL came up and perched in a snag near the OP and was clearly perturbed by BG’s presence. The BHVI joined a foraging flock of warblers, TUTI and BCCH in the morning as the rock face below the OP was warming up in the morning sun. I spotted a BAAW displacing a GCKI who flared up their golden crown in response. A new detection for the season was the first SCJU. I have also honed the skill of using the large flocks of TRES to locate migrating raptors. I look for the protective bubble that forms in the flock and you will find accipiters and falcons. Or look for where the flock is lifting towards and find the bottom of the flock and you may spot a NOHA. I enjoyed seeing a bold TRES take a swipe at the NOHA and it rolled over on its back to flash its talons up.
Predictions: Sunny, with a high near 79. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Adam Richardson (<poecile.gambeli...>) Bake Oven Knob information may be found at: www.lgnc.org
