Date: 10/29/25 7:53 pm From: Hawkcount.Org Reports <reports...> Subject: Waggoner's Gap (29 Oct 2025) 55 Raptors
Waggoner's Gap 40 km W of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 29, 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- BV 0 11 11 TV 7 1238 1238 OS 0 20 149 BE 4 200 431 NH 8 49 128 SS 5 1293 2608 CH 3 138 200 AG 0 3 3 RS 5 53 57 BW 0 18 10265 RT 19 312 445 RL 0 0 0 GE 1 40 42 AK 0 46 165 ML 0 30 51 PG 0 33 54 UA 0 26 40 UB 2 13 25 UF 0 4 6 UE 0 0 0 UR 1 33 53 SK 0 0 1
Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Jess Cosentino, Ron Freed
Observers: Betsy Shaver, Dave Grove, Doris Brookens, Katherine Weber, Pat Freed, Pete Biasucci , Ron Freed
Visitors: 7, Franklin & Marshall College Geology course (25), One dog
Weather: Overcast in the morning with gradual clearing. Wind started out light N and shifting northeast later in the day, gradually losing velocity by mid-afternoon, High of 55 F, Heavy precipitation moving in from the southwest in hours leading up to sunset and anticipated to hit the ridge by this evening
Raptor Observations: A second day of northeast winds brought another flight dominated by Buteos. The morning hours saw a slower movement of raptors, but gradually increased as the count period continued. Both Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks were passing quite high along the ridge and at times distant to the north on flight lines that often took birds directly north-south, shooting off the ridge out over the valley.
An immature Golden Eagle appeared to the north of the ridge around 1:30 PM DST, shooting through quickly slightly below eye-level on a rigid glide in the northeast wind. Only providing a look for a few seconds, the day's lone Golden offered some excitement in the early afternoon hours
The day also saw one of the best Northern Harrier flight since late September, as a good push of the long-winged raptors made their way on north-south flight lines shooting over the ridge. This included four out of the seven harriers being Grey Ghost adult males. One of the highlights on the day included watching a lone Grey ghost slowly moving out over the valley to the south of the ridge while a second harrier joined it. As the two birds spiraled together in the northeast wind, a third harrier joined and for several moments the trio circled together in buoyant flight before darting off to the southwest over the valley one-by-one
First bird SS 10:02 Last bird TV 15:47
Non-raptor Observations: Red-bellied Woodpecker 1, Pileated Woodpecker 2, Cedar Waxwing 67, Tufted Titmouse 3, Carolina Chickadee 2, Eastern Bluebird 6, American Robin 64, American Pipit 1, Purple Finch 85, American Goldfinch 3, Pine Siskin 12, Dark-eyed Junco 3, Yellow-rumped Warbler 2, Monarch 2
LFE 0 Monarch 2 Hummingbird 0
Predictions: Tomorrow: A massive wall of precipitation is passing throughout the western half of the state early this evening and is due to continue well into the morning hours tomorrow. It is very likely tomorrow will not be a count day.
Friday: Heavy (20 mph) East winds
Saturday: Strong (15 mph) Northwest winds, This could shape up to be a good day of movement following the passage of Thursday's front
Sunday: Variable light south winds ======================================================================== Report submitted by WG Counter ()
