Bake Oven Knob 2 miles North of Germansville, Pennsylvania, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 08, 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 07:30:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8.5 hours
Official Counter: Rick Morrissey
Observers: AB, Adam Bradley, Dan, Ed Wanamaker, Jonathan, Ricky, Wendy Bailey
Visitors: There were 24 visitors today including our observers, many of which we just recruited them into service. It was great to see Ed Wanamaker today, BOK raptor observer emeritus and keeper of all of the classic stories which defines our volunteer community. Adam Bradley, our lead counter during the week and volunteer on weekends who is an extraordinary birder and naturalist. Up and coming 2025 observer from Harrisburg, Wendy Bailey, who we are so thankful drives past Hawk Mountain to join us. Wendy, an amazing spotter who each week just has us saying "how do you see these far away raptors"? Our collective consensus 'on the knob,' Wendy is much better than 'Mary' (inside joke).
Kudos to Dan Altif and his son Ricky for being with us again, absolutely contributing to the count and identifying passerines. Hopefully real soon we can spot a few Golden Eagles together before the season ends.
We also had the privilege to meet Jonathan from Drums, whose job that we gave him is - 'bring Hazelton John and Bob' to the count next week, it's Golden Eagle season by the way!
Last but not least, thanks Kyle from Ambler for jumping right in to add colorful, youthful stories to the hawk watch conversation when we did not have any hawks to watch. 'Who knew who was doing what, way back when for most of us from the 1900's, when we had more energy than common sense, and that is all that I AM going to say because once again, I said way too much.'
Weather: For the first 90 minutes the North Lookout was engulfed in fog, yet oddly we could see the moon. The remainder of the day was partly cloudy, Northwest winds ranging from 4-7 mph in the morning, a brief spurt of 8-12 mph winds at the noon hour, then it slowly declined to about 5 mph by the end of the day. The low temperature was 46F, the high temperature was 57F. The overnight rain gave us a cool and crisp Fall day.
Raptor Observations: The first raptor of the day was an adult Peregrine Falcon that popped up over the bowl, fairly close to the ridge at eye level, then it quickly 'speed skated' down the ridge. Our second raptor of the day was a Merlin, all alone in the sky and again close to the ridge, clearly looking for a fight. A second Merlin, stafing the lane low between the Pine tree and 'us', had it's talons down and ready to pounce. Actually, not a surprise as we heard a passerine cacophony of alerts seconds before.
As more often the not, November raptor numbers are often low yet what you get is pretty good, case in point - falcons, accipiters, buteos, and of course both eagles.
Non-raptor Observations: Four (4) Common Loons, Six (6) ravens, Winter and Carolina wrens, a Golden Crowned Kinglet, a Redwinged Blackbird calling in a tree directly behind the lookout, flocks of Robins, Common Grackles, and Cedar Waxwings.
Predictions: Showers with a high around 60F with Southeast winds, 5-10 mph. Chance of rain 90% (on Weatherbug), 60% on the Weather Channel. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Lehigh Gap Nature Center (<mail...>) Bake Oven Knob information may be found at: www.lgnc.org
