Date: 11/12/25 4:18 pm From: Hawkcount.Org Reports <reports...> Subject: Waggoner's Gap (12 Nov 2025) 30 Raptors
Waggoner's Gap 40 km W of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 12, 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- BV 0 0 11 TV 5 316 1571 OS 0 0 149 BE 5 165 608 NH 1 19 148 SS 3 69 2686 CH 0 25 226 AG 0 0 3 RS 0 34 91 BW 0 0 10265 RT 13 335 796 RL 0 0 0 GE 3 42 86 AK 0 0 165 ML 0 8 59 PG 0 5 59 UA 0 1 41 UB 0 8 33 UF 0 0 6 UE 0 2 2 UR 0 6 59 SK 0 0 1
Observation start time: 08:45:00 Observation end time: 16:45:00 Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Jess Cosentino
Observers: Betsy Shaver, Gene Wagner, Jeff Thompson , Katherine Weber, Pete Biasucci
Visitors: Eddie and Doreen from Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, 9
Weather: Cold grey overcast start to the morning, with warm sun breaking through closer to noon and lasting for the afteroon until late day overcast returned, Light SW wind all morning picking up velocity by noon and remaining steady for the early afternoon before dropping off, High in lower 50s F
Raptor Observations: The first hours of the morning saw a light southwest wind with little-to-no bird activity throughout the overcast sky. Wind velocity increased closer to noon, with the first migrants passing along the ridge - small group of Turkey Vultures, a few Red-tailed Hawks, and several Bald Eagles
An incredibly distant subadult Golden Eagle appeared to the north of the ridge, cutting high over the valley of farm fields in a lengthy glide before dropping lower to spend the next few minutes finding lift over the open landscape. The Golden rose a bit higher, barely breaking the horizon line before continuing to glide southwest over the distant valley and hillsides
The afternoon winds were steady, with a few raptor migrants continuing to move, including a large dark eagle rising up to the north of the ridge just before 1:30 PM. Two slow rotations revealed a tawny wing bar slicing across the bird's upper parts, as a bright flash of white from the base of the tail confirmed the second Golden Eagle for the day. This subadult Golden did not spend much time rising above the ridge before tucking into a long glide which took the bird parallel to the north side of the ridge, spending several minutes to cover ground before pausing to find more thermal lift out over the valley to the north. The bird drifted back east for a moment, providing extended views as it continued to search for additional lift, rising slowly as the westerly afternoon winds buffeted a bit. After spending just over five minutes providing excellent viewing from below, before the young Golden continued southward and out of view.
A third Golden came through late in the afternoon, appearing on a frozen glide as a distant speck to the north. The bird disappeared to the southwest before it ever moved from the glide position as it covered several miles
First bird TV 10:43 Last bird RT 15:58
Non-raptor Observations: Fish/American Crow 15, Cedar Waxwing 30, American Robin 109, American Pipit 1, Red-winged Blackbird 10, blackbird sp. 50, Common Grackle 10
LFE 0 Monarch 0 Hummingbird 0
Predictions: Tomorrow/Thursday: Morning west winds shifting to steady (19 mph) northwest by late morning/early afternoon
Friday: Similar wind conditions as Thursday but lighter
Saturday: Variable south winds, chance of rain later in the day into evening
Sunday: Possible rain lasting into early morning, but clearing with sturdy (19 mph) northwest winds
The next run of days looks to offer promising conditions for raptor movement, with ample northwest winds ======================================================================== Report submitted by WG Counter ()
