Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter Nick Bolgiano
Observers:
*Visitors:*
Connor Schmitt
*Weather:*
Wind initially S mostly 5-10 mph, then SSW at 1100, then SW around 1200
with higher wind. Most birds were in the first hour, dropped off quickly
after, SW wind is not generally a good direction here.
*Raptor Observations:*
*Non-raptor Observations:*
Earliest Black-throated Green Warbler in eBird for this site.
Date: 4/14/26 1:49 am From: Julia Plummer <julia...> Subject: Re: Colombia bird pictures 2026
These are beautiful, Nick. The colors are extraordinary. I really liked the
Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, and
Moustached Puffbird. And what a tail on that Long-tailed Sylph!
Julia
On Mon, Apr 13, 2026 at 8:54 PM Nick Bolgiano <nickbolgiano...>
wrote:
click on a picture to see I liked all, but some favorites were: Rainbow-bearded Thornbill Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan Crimson-mantled Woodpecker Golden-fronted Redstart Tawny Antpitta Blue-capped Tanager Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager
Observation start time: 08:30:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 7.5 hours
Official Counter Nick Bolgiano, Thomas Filip
Observers: Ken Bowman, Nick Bolgiano
Date: 4/13/26 8:33 am From: Constanza Ehrenhaus <cxe1169...> Subject: Bird Walk for children this Saturday!
Join me this Saturday Apr 18th at 10 AM, as we take a relaxed stroll around Tudek Park looking for early migrants, raptors and woodpeckers. This walk is open to all, and it is child friendly keeping it to one hour, easy terrain, and close to bathrooms.
Date: 4/12/26 7:27 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (12 Apr 2026) 117 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Apr 12, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture949193 Osprey42533 Bald Eagle21474 Northern
Harrier1915 Sharp-shinned Hawk44681 Cooper's Hawk1418 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk0124 Broad-winged Hawk74106106 Red-tailed Hawk1472204
Rough-legged Hawk012 Golden Eagle215217 American Kestrel51732 Merlin113
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo012 Unknown
Falcon001 Unknown Eagle014 Unknown Raptor068 Total:1173681019Observation
start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 18:30:00 Total observation time:
10.5 hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Nick
BolgianoVisitors:Amiena, Eric, Sebastion, Addie (good dog)Weather:Sunny
with SE winds when I arrived, shifted to S by 11:00 and cloud cover
gradually increased throughout the day. Wind speed was generally 12-18 with
some stronger gusts up to 21 mph. Low of 9.5℃, high of 23℃.Raptor
Observations:2 GOEA spotted today.*
*adult: 10:26*
*juvenile: 11:36*
*At 10:26, I spotted an adult GOEA soaring and gaining elevation on the S
side of the ridge. As I was looking at the eagle, a family just happened to
walk through at the right time. The eagle was higher than when I initially
spotted it, but they were still able to see it with the naked eye as it
crossed over the ridge and flew N. As it happens, it was Nolan's (the
dad's) birthday. I'm glad he and his family got to see a GOEA today. The
second GOEA was a juvenile and came through much more quickly.*
*We had a relatively low number of COLO flyovers today with just 7
considering the good conditions. It seems like we hit our big loon day last
Thursday.*
*There were 33 DCCO today between 2 flocks and 3 GBHE, both high counts for
season. **Passerine flyovers today include 3 TRES, 2 AMRO, 1 PUFI, 1 PISI,
4 AGOL, and 1 COGR.*
*Predictions:**Mostly cloudy with low SW winds in the morning and moderate
WSW wind in the afternoon. SW winds won't be as good as today's S wind, but
given that the BWHA today were coming through until sunset and that we are
getting close to the peak BWHA season, we could see some decent movement
tomorrow. *
Observation start time: 07:30:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 6.5 hours
Official Counter: Craig Kochel
Observers: Jen Lee, Mark Shope, Phil Park
Visitors: Chad Kauffman with two other birders. Lots of people enjoying the view throughout the day.
Weather: Mild with moderate SE winds -- steadily increasing throughout the day.
Raptor Observations: Several local Bald Egles, Turkey Vultures, and Redtails. Some of the Retail's were occasionally harassed by ravens. Two Harriers and a Kestrel flew south over the lookout, not migrating. Pretty nice diversity of raptors today, but most were moderately high. Undoubtedly we missed even higher birds. The currents above the mountain were strong with many of the Broadwings flying NE along the ridge sideways. Four horses with multiple riders also came up the trail from he base of the mountain.
Non-raptor Observations: 11 Cormorants in small groups and what looked like Gulls in the distance. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Darrell Smith (<oleagleye...>)
Date: 4/11/26 4:51 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (11 Apr 2026) 10 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor Counts: Apr 11, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack Vulture000 Turkey Vulture140184 Osprey02129 Bald Eagle21272 Northern Harrier0814 Sharp-shinned Hawk04277 Cooper's Hawk0317 American Goshawk000 Red-shouldered Hawk0124 Broad-winged Hawk33232 Red-tailed Hawk258190 Rough-legged Hawk112 Golden Eagle013215 American Kestrel11227 Merlin002 Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo012 Unknown Falcon001 Unknown Eagle014 Unknown Raptor068 Total:10251902Observation start time: 09:30:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 6.5 hoursOfficial CounterNick Bolgiano, Thomas FilipObservers: Tom FilipWeather:NW winds at 8-12mph and partly cloudy in the morning, 10-15mph and sunny in the afternoon.Raptor Observations:Migrating raptors today include 2 BAEA, 1 RLHA, 2 RTHA, 3 BWHA, 1 TUVU, and 1 AMKE.*
*At 11:21, I spotted a large buteo on the N side of the ridge and quickly got in the scope. I was pleasantly surprised to find a RLHA instead of a RTHA in view. A light morph, it l**ooked like an adult and probably a female.** It wasn't too far or high up and gave me a nice look as it drifted SW along the ridge. This isn't the latest spring record for a RLHA at Tussey, but it is still pretty late.*
*Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total
observation time: 7 hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Nick
BolgianoWeather:Sunny with moderate 8-12mph S winds in the morning
gradually shifting to SSW by noon. Around 13:00, the winds quickly shifted
westward to SW and by the end of the day NW. A warm day with a Low of 12℃
and a high of 29℃.Raptor Observations:3 GOEA spotted today.*
*sub-adult: 09:37*
*immature: 11:56*
*unknown: 11:56*
*An unexpectedly good day for GOEA, our first was a sub-adult that came
through early in the day. This one was #213 (and my personal #200 for the
season), which makes this season's count the third highest for Tussey.
Later at 11:56, we had 2 fly through at the same time. Flying high up on
the S side, they did not delay and flew straight through. We barely managed
to age one of them as an immature. We also had 12 BWHA, a high count so
far. Hopefully this number will pale in comparison to the number we get
next week.*
*14 COLO seen today, lower than the past couple of days despite similarly
good conditions in the morning. We may have hit our big loon day for the
season yesterday.*
*We also had 2 DCCO and 1 KILL flyover. **For passerine flyovers, we had
good diversity with 3 NRWS (first of the season), 1 AMRO, 1 HOFI, 3 PUFI, 1
PISI, 5 AGOL, 13 BHCO, and 5 RUBL.*
Observation start time: 09:30:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 4.5 hours
Official Counter: Darrell Smith
Observers: Cindy Bickel, Ken Tucker
Visitors: This was the high light of the day. Read above.
Weather: Clear blue skies with a cool brisk wind from the SSE.
Raptor Observations: Slow Day. Only 1 Kestrel observed
Non-raptor Observations: Heard Nemo but did not see him. The New Broadband tower was erected during the day. It was almost complete when we left. Cindy Bickel, Ken Tucker and myself from the Jacks Mountain Hawk Watch welcomed The Mifflin County Chamber Leadership Tourism Group lead by Buffie Boyer There were approximately 25 people that attended and learned about the history of the watch. It was also explained what and why we watch and document the Fall Raptor Migration. They were given a lot of other information associated with the hawk watch. We spent about one hour setting up and tearing down our props for the meeting behind the altar where we watch in the fall. Part of the reason they were here is how we at the hawk watch could promote tourism in Mifflin County. If they would have been there when we were visited by some of the notable visitors, they would understand how we can promote the tourism in Mifflin County. A man and woman from Wisconsin. She was a very accomplished painter. Very nice people who spent about 20 minutes at the watch. A geologist from North Caroline stopped by and talked to Cindy. A man and woman from Halifax, Pa. He was a very accomplished photographer who had documented the life cycle of hummingbird from egg to fletching. He was going to present at the Ned Smith Center in Millerstown, Pa. It was a truly great day for the Jacks Mountain Hawk Watch. We left around 2:00 standard time. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Darrell Smith (<oleagleye...>)
Date: 4/9/26 5:36 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (09 Apr 2026) 21 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Apr 09, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture037181 Osprey22028 Bald Eagle2969 Northern
Harrier0814 Sharp-shinned Hawk33873 Cooper's Hawk1216 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk0124 Broad-winged Hawk21717 Red-tailed Hawk749181
Rough-legged Hawk001 Golden Eagle110212 American Kestrel2722 Merlin002
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo012 Unknown
Falcon001 Unknown Eagle014 Unknown Raptor157 Total:21205856Observation
start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time:
8 hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Julian Avery, Ken Bowman,
Nick BolgianoVisitors:Julian's ornithology class came up to the mountain
today for a couple of hours.Weather:Sunny with 17-21mph SE winds for the
first few hours, shifting to 15-19mph S winds in the afternoon. Low of 4℃,
high of 21℃.Raptor Observations:1 GOEA spotted today.*
*adult: 14:11*
*Other migrating raptors include 2 OSPR, 2 BAEA, 11 RTHA, 2 BWHA, 3 SSHA, 1
COHA, and 2 AMKE.*
*Raptor migration was not as strong today as predicted, but we did have a
nice diversity throughout the day. Our GOEA of the day was an adult which I
was a little surprised to see this late in the season.*
*Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total
observation time: 7 hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers:
Weather:Sunny with moderate 7-12mph SE winds for most of the day. A low of
5℃ and a high 18℃.Raptor Observations:*
*1 GOEA spotted today.*
*unknown 14:26*
*Other migrating raptors include 1 SSHA and 1 TUVU.*
*There was a quick burst of activity at 14:26 when a GOEA and an unknown
hawk, possibly a BWHA, came through at the same time. 3 local BAEAs were
also soaring at the same time. The GOEA was soaring high and difficult to
age. Otherwise a slow day despite good conditions.*
*COLO migration seems to be picking up with 37 spotted today between
09:00-11:00, a high count for the season so far. Tomorrow will likely yield
even higher numbers.*
Date: 4/8/26 6:22 am From: Peggy Wagoner Saporito <raven966...> Subject: Reminder: Bird Club Grant applications due soon
Greetings Everyone,
This is a friendly reminder that the *April 30 deadline* to apply for our State College Bird Club grant is approaching. We encourage everyone to apply who has a project or research or educational activity related to avian conservation.
SCBC has $1463.00 available for distribution from the SCBC Endowment managed by Centre Foundation. These funds will be distributed either as several small grants or one large grant. Activities that could be funded include (but are not limited to): *Projects*: - setting up or maintaining bird boxes at a public park or installing bird safe window treatments in a public building. *Research* : - helping with costs of materials, equipment, transportation or professional conference fees related to conducting avian research. *Education*: - helping with costs of materials, equipment, transportation or professional conference or workshop fees related to avian educational activities.
We look forward to your ideas. Please pass this notification onto students or others who are doing any activities related to bird conservation who may be interested in applying.
Everyone interested in applying for funding should complete the grant application submitted as a PDF attachment by April 30, 2026 to Susan Braun ( <braun3112...>). Applications will be reviewed in May by the SCBC selection committee (Susan Braun, Deb Escalet and Peggy Wagoner).
Date: 4/7/26 7:07 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (07 Apr 2026) 1 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor Counts: Apr 07, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack Vulture000 Turkey Vulture036180 Osprey01826 Bald Eagle0767 Northern Harrier0814 Sharp-shinned Hawk03469 Cooper's Hawk0115 American Goshawk000 Red-shouldered Hawk0124 Broad-winged Hawk01515 Red-tailed Hawk142174 Rough-legged Hawk001 Golden Eagle08210 American Kestrel0520 Merlin002 Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo012 Unknown Falcon001 Unknown Eagle014 Unknown Raptor035 Total:1180831Observation start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 8.25 hoursOfficial CounterNick Bolgiano, Thomas FilipObservers: Nick Bolgiano, Tom FilipWeather:Wind WNW in the morning, NW in the afternoon, 8-22 mph. Partly cloudy early, becoming clear later.Raptor Observations:1 RTHA spotted today. There was very little movement today, it seems like the raptors are preferring to use tailwinds and thermals over strong updrafts this late in the season.Non-raptor Observations:https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Febird.org%2Fchecklist%2FS318461186&data=05%7C02%<7Cscbirdcl...>%7Caa94f48a70a14dbc1f6b08de95139f9f%7C7cf48d453ddb4389a9c1c115526eb52e%7C0%7C0%7C639112108673375471%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=U6xhW75pHZwxLKZC1vrEdVQxr2yeU7yL1n8IglazDLs%3D&reserved=0 <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Febird.org%2Fchecklist%2FS318461186&data=05%7C02%<7Cscbirdcl...>%7Caa94f48a70a14dbc1f6b08de95139f9f%7C7cf48d453ddb4389a9c1c115526eb52e%7C0%7C0%7C639112108673397934%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=iDe7Ii66Jk5HrwwFoSxYXHKKmG4%2BqdwhXsi4IDh5ZBM%3D&reserved=0>*
Date: 4/7/26 4:08 pm From: Susan Braun <braun3112...> Subject: Fwd: It's Time to Register for the Spring Banquet
Juniata Valley Audubon Society's Spring banquet is April 21 at Marzoni's in
Altoona.
The Keynote speaker is Sean Murphy, State Ornithologist for the
Pennsylvania Game Commission. His program is called “From Forests to
Fields: Protecting Pennsylvania’s Birds”
The JVAS Conservation Award Recipient will go to Jordan Sesame Wild of
Ecotopian Earthcare.
Information is below. Registration is due by April 14.
Join us for an incredible program.
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Juniata Valley Audubon Society <jvas771-gmail.com...>
Date: Mon, Apr 6, 2026 at 10:56 AM
Subject: It's Time to Register for the Spring Banquet
To: <braun3112...>
State Ornithologist for the Pennsylvania Game Commission:
“From Forests to Fields:
Protecting Pennsylvania’s Birds”
JVAS Conservation Award Recipient:
Jordan Sesame Wild
¨We will also have door prizes and our silent auction with many exciting
items available for bidding: original artwork, nature books, and
nature-themed items. Please donate!
POINT YOUR CELL PHONE TO THE QR CODE ON THE SIGN TO BE PART OF THE
BIRD-FRIENDLY HABITAT PROJECT.
Sponsored by PA Audubon Council and JVAS. If you qualify, you will get a
10'x14' metal sign for just $30.
Signs can be picked up at our evening meetings or delivered to your home.
Juniata Valley Audubon Society | P. O. Box 1013 | Altoona, PA 16603 US
Unfortunately, the checklist did not get shared with those of you who gave me your contact info. If you would like me to try again to share this checklist, please send me an email with your ebird username or ebird email.
Date: 4/3/26 5:44 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (03 Apr 2026) 71 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Apr 03, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture1321165 Osprey7816 Bald Eagle1262 Northern
Harrier6612 Sharp-shinned Hawk212156 Cooper's Hawk1115 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk1124 Broad-winged Hawk555 Red-tailed Hawk912144
Rough-legged Hawk001 Golden Eagle11203 American Kestrel4419 Merlin002
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo001 Unknown
Falcon001 Unknown Eagle003 Unknown Raptor224 Total:7184735Observation start
time: 11:15:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 5.17
hoursOfficial CounterNick Bolgiano, Thomas FilipObservers: Ken Bowman, Nick
Bolgiano, Tom FilipWeather:After overnight and morning rain, there was
thick fog along the ridge before the watch began. Wind SSW/S, mostly 4-10
mph, partly cloudy. Low of 18.3℃ and a high of 22.7℃.Raptor Observations:1
GOEA spotted today.*
*juvenile: 13:18*
*A great half day due to fog in the morning, the S winds undoubtedly
helped. **Our first GOEA of April was a blink and you miss it moment. A
juvenile, it came through quickly close and low to the ridge, giving Nick
and I a brief but satisfying look. **7 OSPR, 21 SSHA, and 6 NOHA were all
high counts for the season. The RSHA was the first we have seen since March
15. Our first BWHAs of the season were seen today, 3 of which came through
at the same time with a kettle of TUVU. Hopefully a good sign for things to
come in the next couple of weeks.*
Date: 4/1/26 5:35 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (01 Apr 2026) 13 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Apr 01, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture88152 Osprey119 Bald Eagle1161 Northern Harrier006
Sharp-shinned Hawk0035 Cooper's Hawk0014 American Goshawk000 Red-shouldered
Hawk0023 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk33135 Rough-legged Hawk001
Golden Eagle00202 American Kestrel0015 Merlin002 Peregrine Falcon000
Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo001 Unknown Falcon001 Unknown Eagle003
Unknown Raptor002 Total:1313664Observation start time: 08:30:00 Observation
end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 8 hoursOfficial CounterThomas
FilipObservers: Ken BowmanWeather:Mostly cloudy with a couple of short,
light rain showers in the morning. Moderate NW wind in the morning at
8-12mph, low 2-6mph wind in the afternoon. Warm with a low of 14.8℃ and a
high of 20.8℃.Raptor Observations:*
*No GOEA spotted today.*
*Other migrating raptors include 1 OSPR, 1 BAEA, 3 RTHA, and 8 TUVU. A slow
day with poor wind conditions and weak thermals, the few raptors we saw
were in the second half of the day after the last rain shower.*
Date: 3/31/26 5:19 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (31 Mar 2026) 14 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 31, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture7123144 Osprey188 Bald Eagle05760 Northern
Harrier056 Sharp-shinned Hawk03235 Cooper's Hawk01414 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk02223 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk4126132
Rough-legged Hawk011 Golden Eagle0193202 American Kestrel11515 Merlin022
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown
Falcon011 Unknown Eagle023 Unknown Raptor122 Total:14604651Observation
start time: 08:30:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time:
8 hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Nick BolgianoWeather:Variable
wind in the morning that shifted back and forth between SSW and WSW
frequently, generally at 5-7mph with some stronger gusts. SW wind 12-15mph
after noon and then lower S wind after 15:00. Mostly cloudy the whole day
with some short, small breaks in the clouds. Warm with a low of 17.6℃ and a
high of 23.6℃.Raptor Observations:No GOEA spotted today.*
*Our GOEA count for March is 193 and the total for the season is 202 so
far. This is the third highest March count at Tussey with the highest being
225 in 2015.*
Date: 3/31/26 12:15 pm From: Wentzel, Doug <djw105...> Subject: Migration Morning Bird Walk at Shaver's Creek, 7 to 8:30 am on Wednesday
Greetings all,
Our first walk of the season is tomorrow, April 1 at 7 am, and due to ongoing construction with our parking lot at Shaver’s Creek, we will begin and end at the Stone Valley Recreation Area boat launch, located just a few minutes down the road from the center. The morning’s weather might bring rain showers and we’ll do our best to stay dry.
Hope to see you,
Doug
Doug Wentzel
Program Director & Naturalist
Shaver's Creek Environmental Center
The Pennsylvania State University
3400 Discovery Road
Petersburg, PA 16669-2114
Date: 3/30/26 7:41 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (30 Mar 2026) 39 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 30, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture27116137 Osprey177 Bald Eagle05760 Northern
Harrier256 Sharp-shinned Hawk13235 Cooper's Hawk11414 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk02223 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk6122128
Rough-legged Hawk011 Golden Eagle1193202 American Kestrel01414 Merlin022
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown
Falcon011 Unknown Eagle023 Unknown Raptor011 Total:39590637Observation
start time: 08:30:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time:
8 hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Deb Rittlemann, Joe Sabo,
Nick BolgianoWeather:Mostly cloudy for the first hour and half, after which
it cleared up to partly cloudy for a few hours until 13:00 when it started
to get mostly cloudy again. Wind direction started at SSW, shifted SW
around 10:00, then briefly to WSW for an hour around 12:00, before shifting
back to SW and then SSW by the end of the day. Wind speed was generally at
7-9mph throughout the day with a few brief periods at 4-5mph. It was a warm
day with a low of 13.7℃ and a high of 21.2℃.Raptor Observations:1 GOEA
spotted today.*
*adult: 14:21*
*Unlike the rest of the raptors today flying high over the ridge, our GOEA
caught us by surprise and came through low on the S side over the valley.
We initially thought it was a TUVU until we took a closer look. Joe, who
had come here from Pittsburgh and had been patiently waiting hours to see a
GOEA, got up quickly when Nick called out that it might be a GOEA. It was
already about half way past at this point and both Nick and I were
frantically trying to get him on the bird, and for a few seconds it looked
like it was going to slip by when it got past the last wire. Nick
eventually told him to just come over to his scope to see it. Thankfully
the eagle showed some mercy and decided to soar instead of rushing past
like most GOEA, and Joe was able to get a good look at it for a short time
before it moved on. Nick and I both let out sighs of relief when he finally
got it.*
Date: 3/29/26 6:18 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (29 Mar 2026) 50 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 29, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture3189110 Osprey266 Bald Eagle35760 Northern
Harrier034 Sharp-shinned Hawk13134 Cooper's Hawk11313 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk02223 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk10116122
Rough-legged Hawk011 Golden Eagle0192201 American Kestrel21414 Merlin022
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown
Falcon011 Unknown Eagle023 Unknown Raptor011 Total:50551598Observation
start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time:
8.17 hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Nick
BolgianoWeather:Mostly cloudy and S wind in the morning, later mostly sunny
and SSW winds in the afternoon, generally at 6-10mph throughout the day. It
warmed up quickly from 6.0℃ in the morning to 30.2℃ in the afternoon.Raptor
Observations:No GOEA spotted today.*
Date: 3/28/26 5:16 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (28 Mar 2026) 9 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 28, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture25879 Osprey044 Bald Eagle15457 Northern
Harrier034 Sharp-shinned Hawk03033 Cooper's Hawk01212 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk02223 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk3106112
Rough-legged Hawk011 Golden Eagle1192201 American Kestrel11212 Merlin022
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown
Falcon011 Unknown Eagle123 Unknown Raptor011 Total:9501548Observation start
time: 08:30:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 8
hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Nick BolgianoWeather:Mostly
sunny the whole day with a low of -2.1℃ and a high of 8.3℃. NW in the
morning at 11-14mph, WNW winds in the afternoon at 13-16mph.Raptor
Observations:1 GOEA spotted today.*
*adult: 10:09*
*1 GOEA passed through quickly on the N side, an adult and presumably a
male based on its smaller size. It seems like we have finally reached the
end of our extended GOEA peak season and will probably be seeing much lower
numbers from here on out.*
The Bird Town PA State College committee organized last night's Woodcock Watch at Musser Gap. Joe Gyekis and Constanza Ehrenhaus from the S.C. Bird Club and Richard Novac from Fish and Wildlife Service led the effort as volunteers, with Anna Bohsali leading the organization of the event.
Attendance was stellar, with over 80 people showing up, and Joe organizing parking because there were so many cars that the lot was starting to feel small. Despite having to wait for over an hour for the Woodcock to start displaying, the general environment was relaxed and congenial, with small groups chatting while enjoying the sunset, sitting on lawn chairs of blankets; with children playing in the lawn, and spotting scopes popping up to see the lone Red-tailed Hawk who was enjoying the sun warmth. At one moment, a group of people, encouraged by Joe did a Woodcock Swag Walk, delighting everybody. There was a gentle cheerful mood.
When the stars of the show finally showed up, people were very excited. We got some good looks as the moon was casting enough light to see the Woodcock flying over us. After a few repetitions, some people headed over to the hill behind the parking lot hoping to get a closer look of the birds. Some adventurous souls, went later to have ice cream and go owling to Scotia.
A great shout out the Borough's communication team for the promotion. Thank you so much to all who showed up and enjoy the chilly sunset.
Date: 3/27/26 5:55 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (27 Mar 2026) 8 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 27, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture05677 Osprey044 Bald Eagle35356 Northern
Harrier034 Sharp-shinned Hawk03033 Cooper's Hawk01212 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk02223 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk5103109
Rough-legged Hawk011 Golden Eagle0191200 American Kestrel01111 Merlin022
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown
Falcon011 Unknown Eagle001 Unknown Raptor011 Total:8491538Observation start
time: 08:30:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 8
hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Weather:Mostly cloudy in the
morning, clouds slowly cleared throughout the afternoon. N wind the whole
day, 13-15mph in the morning, 5-8mph in the afternoon. Temperature rose as
the clouds cleared with a low of 5.6℃ and a high of 10.9℃.Raptor
Observations:No GOEA spotted today.*
Date: 3/26/26 5:43 am From: KATHLEEN BECHDEL <0000d165c6a818d5-dmarc-request...> Subject: Field Trip this Sunday, March 29
Sunday, March 29, 2026 (8:00 am - 11:00 am) Bald Eagle State Park
(Note that this date is a change from the original one of March15).
Trip Leader: Bob Snyder
Meet at the Swimming Beach parking lot.
We will be looking for migrating waterfowl: possibly various ducks and other waterfowl, Tundra Swans, Bald Eagles and winter hawks that may be in, or passing through the park while heading back north.
Bring binoculars, a spotting scope (handy if you have one) and a camera. Please dress for the weather and time of year; we can still have snow squalls in late March and wear a pair of sturdy hiking boots, as we might walk down from the war memorial on the dam to Hunter Run Cove and the spillway marsh.
This field trip is open to members and non-members.
Date: 3/26/26 5:01 am From: Julia Plummer <julia...> Subject: Re: State College Bird Club March Meeting
Thank you Betsy and Nick for organizing another amazing photo and audio
sharing yesterday! The photos were beautiful and inspiring. Joe, I loved
hearing your focus on rare vocalizations!
If anyone is interested in hearing the stereo recordings I shared, I
recommend listening to them on headphones:
On Mon, Mar 23, 2026 at 3:37 PM Thomas, Brady Scott <bst5117...> wrote:
> Good afternoon!
>
> This is a reminder of our Annual Photo and Recording Show happening this
> Wednesday, March 25th starting at 7:00 PM at Millbrook Marsh.
>
> We also have a Zoom option, which you can register for here:
> https://psu.zoom.us/meeting/register/HktuFdOKR_-5o2RbUMCJDQ >
> Look forward to seeing you there!
>
> *Brady Thomas*
>
> (he/him)
> Education Program Coordinator
> School Programs and Summer Camp
> Shaver's Creek Environmental Center
> 3400 Discovery Road
> Petersburg, PA, 16669
>
>
Date: 3/26/26 4:10 am From: Nick Bolgiano <nickbolgiano...> Subject: updated Tussey Mt Golden Eagle chart
This season's good Golden Eagle count has continued. We are about to reach 200 for the season total, for only the 7th time in 26 years. We experience higher counts after winters with more cold and snow.
The trajectory of this year's tally suggests that we could end up with perhaps the 3rd or 4th highest count. The highest previous counts were:
239 in 2015 225 in 2008 212 in 2012
I don't think that this year's total will be a top 1 or 2, but it could be near that 212 level.
Date: 3/25/26 9:31 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (25 Mar 2026) 32 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 25, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture125475 Osprey033 Bald Eagle75053 Northern
Harrier023 Sharp-shinned Hawk22124 Cooper's Hawk01212 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk02223 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk79399
Rough-legged Hawk011 Golden Eagle4189198 American Kestrel11010 Merlin022
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown
Falcon011 Unknown Eagle001 Unknown Raptor011 Total:33462509Observation
start time: 07:15:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time:
9.17 hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Brian Hirt, Charlie Kahle,
Nick BolgianoWeather:Partly sunny and warm with a low of 3.9℃ to a high of
16.8℃. Mostly S winds today with a shift to SSE from 10:00-13:00. Wind
speed was variable but generally increased throughout the from 3mph in the
morning to 15mph in the afternoon.Raptor Observations:4 GOEA spotted today*
*adult: 12:19, 12:29, 16:12*
*sub-adult: 11:29*
*We had 3 GOEA in the middle of the day from 11:29 to 12:29. Afterwards it
was slow until one last GOEA at 16:12. 2 of the GOEA we saw today left the
ridge and headed straight N over the valley.*
Date: 3/24/26 7:59 pm From: Adam Kosinski <adamkosinski631...> Subject: Advice on Window Bird Feeders
Hello!
I recently thought it would be awesome to install a bird feeder on my apartment window so I can see birds while I work at my desk. I'm wondering if anyone has advice on good window bird feeders, as I've never bought a bird feeder before. Some requirements:
- It will attach to a glass window with suction cups - I plan to use black sunflower seeds, targeting common songbirds (chickadee, nuthatch, titmouse, etc) - It doesn't need to be large since I will refill it daily (gets me to go outside!) - It should be clear since it will be above me and I want to see the birds clearly - It's rainy/windy here in State College, so it should have a roof and drainage holes - Since I'm using sunflower seeds that will make a mess, there needs to be an easy way to dump out the seed shells without detaching the suction cups. Ideally the feeder can be detached without detaching the suction cups so I can also easily clean it
Date: 3/24/26 5:24 pm From: Ramsey, Lawrence William <lwr...> Subject: Size comparison
Had a green winged teal show up this morning along with the usual wood duck and it was gracious enough to return this evening when there as decent light for the attached photo.
Date: 3/24/26 4:55 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (24 Mar 2026) 7 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 24, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture34263 Osprey133 Bald Eagle04346 Northern
Harrier023 Sharp-shinned Hawk01922 Cooper's Hawk01212 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk02223 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk28692
Rough-legged Hawk011 Golden Eagle1185194 American Kestrel099 Merlin022
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown
Falcon011 Unknown Eagle001 Unknown Raptor011 Total:7429476Observation start
time: 08:30:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 8
hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Brian Hirt, Charlie Kahle, Nick
BolgianoWeather:Sunny throughout the day. **A little chilly in the morning
with a low of -1.4℃ but it warmed up quickly with a high of 15.5℃. NW winds
the whole morning shifting to SW in the afternoon. Wind speed was generally
a low 2-5mph throughout the day with a few somewhat stronger gusts up to
8mph.*
*Raptor Observations:1 GOEA spotted today.*
*adult: 15:22*
*Today was slow and spotting was difficult as the few raptors we saw were
high and distant. Thankfully 1 GOEA took pity on us and flew through lower
over the ridge at the end of the day giving us some nice looks as it
soared.*
Date: 3/23/26 7:57 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (23 Mar 2026) 4 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 23, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture03960 Osprey022 Bald Eagle04346 Northern
Harrier023 Sharp-shinned Hawk01922 Cooper's Hawk01212 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk02223 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk18490
Rough-legged Hawk011 Golden Eagle3184193 American Kestrel099 Merlin022
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown
Falcon011 Unknown Eagle001 Unknown Raptor011 Total:4422469Observation start
time: 11:00:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 5.5
hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Nick BolgianoWeather:Dense fog
at the lookout in the morning that cleared after a couple of hours. Cloudy
for the rest of the day with a snow squall around 12:00. NW winds for most
of the day at 20-22mph, slowing a little to 14-16mph at the end of the day.
The temperature decreased in the afternoon from a high of 4.2℃ to a low of
2.1℃.Raptor Observations:3 GOEA today.*
*unknown: 13:50, 13:52, 15:02*
*We were quite surprised to get this many GOEA today given the weather
conditions. We spotted 2 GOEA at the same time, both soaring and gaining
altitude before continuing, though they went different directions and left
at different times. The first left the ridge and went N while the second
continued NE along the ridge top. The last GOEA went past more quickly over
the ridge top. All of the GOEA today were very high which was unusual with
the lack of thermals and cloud cover.*
Date: 3/23/26 4:25 pm From: Julia Plummer <julia...> Subject: Re: State College Bird Club March Meeting
Hi everyone,
I have been experimenting with stereo recording, and I will be sharing
three interesting stereo recordings during this week's bird club
share-a-thon. If you are joining on zoom, you might want to have headphones
to fully experience the immersive recordings in stereo!
Julia
On Mon, Mar 23, 2026 at 3:37 PM Thomas, Brady Scott <bst5117...> wrote:
> Good afternoon!
>
> This is a reminder of our Annual Photo and Recording Show happening this
> Wednesday, March 25th starting at 7:00 PM at Millbrook Marsh.
>
> We also have a Zoom option, which you can register for here:
> https://psu.zoom.us/meeting/register/HktuFdOKR_-5o2RbUMCJDQ >
> Look forward to seeing you there!
>
> *Brady Thomas*
>
> (he/him)
> Education Program Coordinator
> School Programs and Summer Camp
> Shaver's Creek Environmental Center
> 3400 Discovery Road
> Petersburg, PA, 16669
>
>
Date: 3/22/26 5:01 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (22 Mar 2026) 41 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 22, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture93960 Osprey222 Bald Eagle44346 Northern
Harrier123 Sharp-shinned Hawk11922 Cooper's Hawk21212 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk02223 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk168389
Rough-legged Hawk011 Golden Eagle6181190 American Kestrel099 Merlin022
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown
Falcon011 Unknown Eagle001 Unknown Raptor011 Total:41418465Observation
start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time:
9 hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Deb Rittlemann, Nick
BolgianoVisitors:Sophie, AdamWeather:Today was the warmest day we have had
this season with a low of 9.1℃ and a high of 30℃. It was a sunnier day than
expected with little cloud cover for most of the day until around 14:00
when clouds started to roll in. By 14:00 it started to drizzle. Generally
8-12mph winds throughout the day, S winds early in the morning gradually
shifting to W by 13:00.Raptor Observations:6 GOEA spotted today.*
*sub-adult: 09:09, 09:40, 12:04*
*juvenile: 12:42*
*unknown: 11:10, 12:36*
*The stronger than expected S and SSW wind this morning led to some good
movement in the morning and mid-day. The first 2 GOEA of the day came
through early and very low over the ridge, both stopping to soar for a bit
and giving great views. The rest would come through a little higher but
still gave everyone some nice looks. Our last GOEA of the day seemed to be
spooked by our presence and turned around to head back the way it came.
Usually when this happens we see it return soon after, but we never saw
this one again. It is possible we missed it on its way back as many of the
raptors were very high up at this point, but it is also very likely it
simply cut out N when it was out of view. Other migrating raptors include 4
BAEA, 16 RTHA, 1 SSHA, 2 COHA, 1 NOHA, 2 OSPR, and 8 TUVU. The 2 OSPR were
the firsts of the season.Non-raptor
Observations:https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Febird.org%2Fchecklist%2FS312186707&data=05%7C02%<7Cscbirdcl...>%7Cde0fa890ecb9468b982308de886f3a92%7C7cf48d453ddb4389a9c1c115526eb52e%7C0%7C0%7C639098208765325343%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C60000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=MF%2Bq306BFX%2FGI4c3ZNJCGjielDJvBYemvLF5sePAXPo%3D&reserved=0
<https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Febird.org%2Fchecklist%2FS312186707&data=05%7C02%<7Cscbirdcl...>%7Cde0fa890ecb9468b982308de886f3a92%7C7cf48d453ddb4389a9c1c115526eb52e%7C0%7C0%7C639098208765357516%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C60000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=24o5iuCLFiDzrj9ZfLyRkfwdfR9SHbac2JLRrRIh3u0%3D&reserved=0>*
Date: 3/21/26 8:51 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (21 Mar 2026) 32 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 21, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture133051 Osprey000 Bald Eagle63942 Northern
Harrier012 Sharp-shinned Hawk21821 Cooper's Hawk21010 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk02223 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk66773
Rough-legged Hawk011 Golden Eagle3175184 American Kestrel099 Merlin022
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown
Falcon011 Unknown Eagle001 Unknown Raptor011 Total:32377424Observation
start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time:
8.75 hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Nick
BolgianoVisitors:Alan, Mark Congrats to the young couple that came up to
the watch near the end of the day and got engaged.Weather:Another day with
very variable weather. The morning started off mostly cloudy with moderate
NW winds up to 15mph. After 10:00, the clouds slowly started to clear but
the winds sifted N and slowed down to just 1-3mph by 12:00. Around 15:30,
the winds quickly shifted to SSW and it became cloudy again. A warm day
throughout with a low of 7.0℃ and a high of 15℃.Raptor Observations:3 GOEA
spotted today.*
*1 immature: 16:02*
*2 juvenile: 14:07, 16:16*
*The morning started off slow with only a RTHA and TUVU in the first 3
hours. Around 11:00, which was when the clouds started to clear, we started
to see some more action with a few BAEA but still no GOEAs and the wind
slowed and raptor activity came to a halt again. Our first GOEA, a
juvenile, finally arrived a few hours later at 14:02. At 16:02, I spotted a
very high GOEA coming over the ridge. The nearby kettle of TUVU also
spotted it and they immediately cleared the area. They must have been
really afraid of the incoming GOEA as I have never seen TUVU flap so hard
and fast to get away from something like these were today. The last GOEA of
the day, another juvenile, almost slipped past but luckily it chose to soar
overhead momentarily and I was able to spot it before it moved on.*
*Observation start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 13:00:00 Total
observation time: 4.75 hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Nick
Bolgiano, Noah Hart, Ron CrandallWeather:The early morning was sunnier and
windier than expected and warmer than the past week with a low of 8.9℃ and
a high of 15.1℃. The clouds started to roll in quickly but the wind speed
stayed consistent at 8-10mph throughout the day. Wind direction started S,
shifted to SSW by 10:00, and then SW by 12:00. The rain started at 12:30
with a light drizzle and started to get a little heavier after 1:00 when I
ended the count for the day.Raptor Observations:10 GOEA spotted today.*
*adult: 09:05, 10:42, 11:34, 11:55*
*sub-adult: 08:51, 08:57, 11:36*
*immature: 09:48*
*unknown: 11:12, 12:01*
*Another unexpectedly good day, I certainly did not expect to get another
double-digit GOEA day this season. Moderate S winds and sunny skies early
in the morning undoubtedly helped. The action started at 09:48 with our
first bird coming over the ridge and 3 more spotted within the next 20
minutes. The skies became mostly cloudy afterwards and the action would
slow a bit, with Noah spotting our 5th GOEA at 10:42. 5 more GOEA flew
through afterwards, with the last at 12:01, about half an hour before it
started to rain. The GOEA today were all lower and closer to the ridge than
they have been in the past few days, and some even stopped to soar
momentarily, giving us some good looks.*
Date: 3/19/26 5:42 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (19 Mar 2026) 7 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 19, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture01536 Osprey000 Bald Eagle13336 Northern
Harrier112 Sharp-shinned Hawk01417 Cooper's Hawk088 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk02223 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk05359
Rough-legged Hawk011 Golden Eagle5162171 American Kestrel088 Merlin022
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown
Falcon011 Unknown Eagle001 Unknown Raptor011 Total:7322369Observation start
time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 8.25
hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Nick
BolgianoWeather:Unexpectedly variable conditions throughout the day. Cloudy
when I first arrived and for most of the day. Around 11:00 the clouds
started to clear and there was about an hour of mostly clear skies around
13:30-14:30. Wind direction started S, shifting to SSW at 10:00, SW at
13:00, and then back to S at 14:00. Wind speed was generally 6-8 in the
morning, rising a little to 10-12mph at 13:00 and then falling again 3-5mph
by the end of the day. Low of -1.2℃ and a high of 12.4℃.Raptor
Observations:5 GOEA today.*
*2 adult 13:52, 14:3*
*2 sub-adult 13:38, 15:34*
*1 unknown 15:30*
*A surprisingly good day late in the season likely due to both the
unexpected shift in weather conditions in the afternoon and the good
conditions we had yesterday afternoon. The GOEAs today were almost as
variable as the weather conditions. Our first GOEA at 13:38 was a sub-adult
soaring on the S side of the ridge. The next one at 13:52 was an adult and
did not stick around, gliding quickly and leaving the ridge right away
while heading straight N over the valley. At 14:36 another adult came
through, this time sticking to the ridge top and soaring briefly before
moving on. Our last 2 at the end of the day, an unknown age at 15:20 and
another sub-adult at 15:34, came through on the S side of the ridge after
the clouds rolled back in. Their flying was noticeably more labored without
strong wind or thermals and they were likely looking for a place to roost
for the night.*
Date: 3/19/26 8:11 am From: Grove, Deborah Shuey <dsg4...> Subject: Re: Project Feederwatch March 17-18
That’s a great addition!
With 20 years you know how fun it is!
Deb
Deborah S. Grove
________________________________
From: Ann Wilken <abwilken0451...>
Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2026 10:25:55 AM
To: Grove, Deborah Shuey <dsg4...>
Cc: <SCBIRDCL...> <SCBIRDCL...>
Subject: Re: Project Feederwatch March 17-18
You don't often get email from <abwilken0451...> Learn why this is important<https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification> And I have been participating with Project Feederwatch about 20 years, here at my home near Julian.
This year a sweet little brown creeper has replaced the red-breasted nuthatch as my favorite. I find her picking up droppings off the ground under the suet feeder, usually too timid to fight the woodpeckers at the feeder itself.
Ann
On Thu, Mar 19, 2026 at 9:11 AM Grove, Deborah Shuey <dsg4...><mailto:<dsg4...>> wrote:
For 36 years I have been using Project Feederwatch sponsored by Cornell Ornithology Lab to document birds at our feeders. Here at our house on the ridge near Huntingdon where we have been for 13 years, we have had an up and down winter. This PF entry is over 2 days and counts must have 5 days in between.
This is the first year since we moved here that we have had Pileated Woodpeckers visit the suet feeders. They are no stranger to the yard as they have been busy on the trees, excavating several. And one day two were present although we did not see two during this two day period.
Two counts in January had 55 and 65 Purple Finch. This plunged to 8 in February but American Goldfinch soared with about 100 and with this most recent count, I tried to count and 300 was my best estimate. I could hear the loud sound of their chirping inside even with the house closed up. Cars going by at 40 feet away caused them to lift off nearly every time.
The Sapsucker has been present nearly every count. We rarely have Starlings but they started to visit at the end of February. Red-winged Blackbirds are on time too with the beginning of March and now Common Grackles and Brown-headed Cowbirds in mid-March. The Cowbirds hang around all year. However, the number of Common Grackles counted in previous Feederwatches has always been no more than 1! It seems as if a roving band has found us this time. There is a large number that nest about a mile away.
Dark-eyed Juncos were higher in January peaking at 100 and 220. The number has fallen since then.
Cooper’s Hawk has been only a few occasions.
Some days Greg fills the 5 tube feeders and 2 platform feeders twice a day and I won’t even venture a number of how much we have spent on black oil sunflower seed and white millet.
21 species
Mourning Dove 22
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 2
Black-capped Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
European Starling 8
Purple Finch 6
American Goldfinch 300 best estimate.
Dark-eyed Junco 55
White-throated Sparrow 1
Red-winged Blackbird 15
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
Common Grackle 50
Northern Cardinal 2
Date: 3/19/26 7:27 am From: Ann Wilken <abwilken0451...> Subject: Re: Project Feederwatch March 17-18
And I have been participating with Project Feederwatch about 20 years, here
at my home near Julian.
This year a sweet little brown creeper has replaced the red-breasted
nuthatch as my favorite. I find her picking up droppings off the ground
under the suet feeder, usually too timid to fight the woodpeckers at the
feeder itself.
Ann
On Thu, Mar 19, 2026 at 9:11 AM Grove, Deborah Shuey <dsg4...> wrote:
> For 36 years I have been using Project Feederwatch sponsored by Cornell
> Ornithology Lab to document birds at our feeders. Here at our house on the
> ridge near Huntingdon where we have been for 13 years, we have had an up
> and down winter. This PF entry is over 2 days and counts must have 5 days
> in between.
> This is the first year since we moved here that we have had Pileated
> Woodpeckers visit the suet feeders. They are no stranger to the yard as
> they have been busy on the trees, excavating several. And one day two were
> present although we did not see two during this two day period.
> Two counts in January had 55 and 65 Purple Finch. This plunged to 8 in
> February but American Goldfinch soared with about 100 and with this most
> recent count, I tried to count and 300 was my best estimate. I could hear
> the loud sound of their chirping inside even with the house closed up. Cars
> going by at 40 feet away caused them to lift off nearly every time.
> The Sapsucker has been present nearly every count. We rarely have
> Starlings but they started to visit at the end of February. Red-winged
> Blackbirds are on time too with the beginning of March and now Common
> Grackles and Brown-headed Cowbirds in mid-March. The Cowbirds hang around
> all year. However, the number of Common Grackles counted in previous
> Feederwatches has always been no more than 1! It seems as if a roving band
> has found us this time. There is a large number that nest about a mile
> away.
> Dark-eyed Juncos were higher in January peaking at 100 and 220. The number
> has fallen since then.
> Cooper’s Hawk has been only a few occasions.
> Some days Greg fills the 5 tube feeders and 2 platform feeders twice a day
> and I won’t even venture a number of how much we have spent on black oil
> sunflower seed and white millet.
>
> 21 species
>
> Mourning Dove 22
> Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
> Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
> Downy Woodpecker 2
> Hairy Woodpecker 1
> Pileated Woodpecker 1
> Blue Jay 2
> American Crow 2
> Black-capped Chickadee 2
> Tufted Titmouse 2
> White-breasted Nuthatch 1
> Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
> European Starling 8
> Purple Finch 6
> American Goldfinch 300 best estimate.
> Dark-eyed Junco 55
> White-throated Sparrow 1
> Red-winged Blackbird 15
> Brown-headed Cowbird 5
> Common Grackle 50
> Northern Cardinal 2
>
>
Date: 3/19/26 6:35 am From: Constanza Ehrenhaus <cxe1169...> Subject: Bird biology and conservation summer program for middle school students
Good morning, club,
I will be offering a one week, full time summer camp program based on bird
biology and conservation. Pre-registration is now open, please, help me
spread the word!
Date: 3/18/26 6:54 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (18 Mar 2026) 5 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 18, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture11536 Osprey000 Bald Eagle03235 Northern
Harrier001 Sharp-shinned Hawk01417 Cooper's Hawk088 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk02223 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk05359
Rough-legged Hawk011 Golden Eagle3157166 American Kestrel188 Merlin022
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown
Falcon011 Unknown Eagle001 Unknown Raptor011 Total:5315362Observation start
time: 08:30:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time: 8.5
hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Visitors:JeffWeather:S winds
throughout the day starting off very low at 1-3mph in the morning gradually
rising to 8-10 mph by the end of the day. A bit chilly in the morning but
warmer than yesterday with a low of -5℃ and a high of 2℃. Cloud cover
varied throughout the day but was generally mostly cloudy in the morning
and mostly sunny in the afternoon.Raptor Observations:3 GOEA spotted today.*
*2 adult*
*15:40, 16:20*
*1 immature 15:31*
*The day started off very slow with no migrating raptors in the morning.
Weather conditions gradually improved later and finally an immature GOEA
flew in at 15:31, soaring for a minute and giving nice looks before moving
on. The next one at 15:40 glided through much more quickly. The last one at
the 16:20 was lower than the last 2 and descending, a behavior I have seen
in previous days where a GOEA was spotted in the last hour, probably
looking for a place to roost for the night.*
Date: 3/17/26 6:21 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (17 Mar 2026) 5 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 17, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture01435 Osprey000 Bald Eagle03235 Northern
Harrier001 Sharp-shinned Hawk01417 Cooper's Hawk088 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk02223 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk25359
Rough-legged Hawk011 Golden Eagle2154163 American Kestrel177 Merlin022
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown
Falcon011 Unknown Eagle001 Unknown Raptor011 Total:5310357Observation start
time: 08:30:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 8
hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Nick BolgianoWeather:Last
night's storm left some snow on the ground and the temperature dropped with
a low of -4.4℃ and a high of 0.7. Snow squalls came through several times,
dramatically lowering visibility, but visibility was otherwise good in
between. Winds were fairly consistent with W winds at 10-13mph for most of
the day shifting to WNW in the last hour.Raptor Observations:2 GOEA spotted
today.*
*2 adult 12:35, 13:31*
*Our first GOEA gave us some great views but also difficulty in identifying
it as first. A particularly small and dark individual, at first it was
hunting close to the ridge and it was only when it flew near a RTHA and
turned that we could get a proper sense of size and a better look at its
plumage. After it went around the hawk watch once, it turned NE while
gaining altitude and continued on its way. The second was larger and also
seemed to be hunting briefly but did not stop like the first and continued
NE.*
*Other migrating raptors include 2 RTHA and 1 AMKE. 1 of the migrating RTHA
was escorted out by a territorial resident.*
*By far the most surprising passerine flyover of the season was the flock
of Redpolls that flew over today, see the eBird checklist for more details.
We also had some AGOL, PISI, a AMPI, and a HOLA, all heading S/SSE. We also
saw a pair of raven, 1 with what looked like a black feather in its mouth.
Perhaps courtship behavior. A third raven tried to join in but the pair did
not seem to be interested.Predictions:Mostly cloudy with weak winds
starting SW and shifting to S later. We might see a couple GOEA.*
Date: 3/16/26 3:43 pm From: Nick Bolgiano <nickbolgiano...> Subject: Tussey Mt Cumulative Golden Eagle chart update
The attached graph shows that this year's Golden Eagle tally continues to be among the higher historical tallies. The trajectory suggests that this year's final count may end up near levels tallied by some well-known past hawk counters at Tussey Mt:
Date: 3/16/26 4:32 am From: KATHLEEN BECHDEL <0000d165c6a818d5-dmarc-request...> Subject: State College Bird Club Field Trip Date Change
Hello,
Please note that the Bald Eagle State Park Field Trip that was cancelled has been rescheduled for March 29. All other details are the same. See more information below.
DATE CHANGE - Sunday, March 29, 2026 (8:00 am - 11:00 am) Bald Eagle State Park
Trip Leader: Bob Snyder
Meet at the Swimming Beach parking lot.
We will be looking for migrating waterfowl: possibly various ducks and other waterfowl, Tundra Swans, Bald Eagles and winter hawks that may be in, or passing through the park while heading back north.
Bring binoculars, a spotting scope (handy if you have one) and a camera. Please dress for the weather and time of year; we can still have snow squalls in late March and wear a pair of sturdy hiking boots, as we might walk down from the war memorial on the dam to Hunter Run Cove and the spillway marsh.
This field trip is open to members and non-members.
Date: 3/15/26 7:49 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (15 Mar 2026) 23 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 15, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture31435 Osprey000 Bald Eagle83235 Northern
Harrier001 Sharp-shinned Hawk11417 Cooper's Hawk088 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk12223 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk65157
Rough-legged Hawk011 Golden Eagle4152161 American Kestrel066 Merlin022
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown
Falcon011 Unknown Eagle001 Unknown Raptor011 Total:23305352Observation
start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time:
7 hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Butch Rittlemann, Connor
Schmitt, Deb Rittlemann, Elizabeth Cathcurt, George Young, Nick Bolgiano,
Nina Wolf, Peggy Wagoner, Phil Park, Randy Flament, Warren
WolfVisitors:Becky Lengerich, Jean Lengerich, Matt Jackson, Amber Jackson,
Bruce Woods, Percy Meriwether, Vinnie ArcanaWeather:A warmer day than the
last few with a low of 4.8℃ and a high of 14.9℃. Mostly sunny with SE winds
in the morning turning to mostly cloudy with SSE winds in the afternoon.
Generally consistent wind speed of around 20mph but we did have some
stronger gusts up to 30mph in the afternoon.Raptor Observations:4 GOEA
spotted today.*
*3 adult*
*10:34, 10:40, 13:47*
*1 unknown*
*12:29*
*Less action than expected today despite seemingly perfect conditions. The
4 GOEA that came through today were a little distant and somewhat difficult
to view. No raptors were spotted after the last GOEA at 12:29, making for a
slow afternoon.*
Observation start time: 08:30:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 5.5 hours
Official Counter: Darrell Smith
Observers:
Visitors: Two groups of Amish walked up from the valley and there were several site seers. The site seers didn't stay long because of the wind.
Weather: High winds 15-20mph most of the day with complete cloud cover. The clouds were light and fluffy to start turning to thick cloud cover as the day progressed. I wasn't prepared for the cool winds and had to hang it up at 2pm.
Raptor Observations: Only raptors counted were Turkey Vultures. Local Red-tails hunting during the day.
Non-raptor Observations: Several Ravens including Nemo. I thought maybe I could squeeze out a GE for the day with the good SE winds. It was not to be. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Darrell Smith (<oleagleye...>)
Date: 3/14/26 6:17 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (14 Mar 2026) 14 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 14, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture01132 Osprey000 Bald Eagle12427 Northern
Harrier001 Sharp-shinned Hawk01316 Cooper's Hawk088 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk02122 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk44551
Rough-legged Hawk011 Golden Eagle7148157 American Kestrel166 Merlin022
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown
Falcon011 Unknown Eagle001 Unknown Raptor111 Total:14282329Observation
start time: 08:30:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time:
8.5 hoursOfficial CounterNick Bolgiano, Thomas FilipObservers: Angela
Fasold, Bill Chambers, Jon Kauffman, Matt Fasold, Nick Bolgiano, Robert
McLaughlinVisitors:Bald Eagle State Park Nature Inn Tour Group, Matt,
LisaWeather:Partly cloudy throughout the day with a low of 0℃ and a high of
9.1℃. Consistent WNW winds starting at 8-12mph, speeding up to 20-22mph at
noon, and then falling to 13-15mph at the end of the day. Raptor
Observations:7 GOEA spotted today.*
*adult 09:40, 10:08, 11:06, 11:08, 11:08*
*unknown 09:50, 15:49*
*Our first GOEA was spotted at 09:40 just as the Bald Eagle SP Nature Inn
tour group arrived. It soared not too high above the N side of the ridge
for a few minutes, giving the whole group a great look at it. 2 more GOEA
came through while the group was at the hawk watch, but these were more
distant and difficult to spot. An hour after the group left, we had 3 come
through within 2 minutes, 1 that glided past somewhat far out on the N
side, and 2 soaring above the N side together, likely a pair. After these 3
GOEA, the afternoon would be slow with few raptors. Close to the end of the
day, one last GOEA was spotted behind the tower very high up soaring.*
Date: 3/13/26 7:51 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (13 Mar 2026) 29 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 13, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture41132 Osprey000 Bald Eagle12326 Northern
Harrier001 Sharp-shinned Hawk11316 Cooper's Hawk188 American Goshawk000
Red-shouldered Hawk22122 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk104147
Rough-legged Hawk011 Golden Eagle10141150 American Kestrel055 Merlin022
Peregrine Falcon000 Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown
Falcon011 Unknown Eagle001 Unknown Raptor000 Total:29268315Observation
start time: 07:15:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time:
9.75 hoursOfficial CounterThomas FilipObservers: Connor Schmitt, Craig
Kochel, Joe Gyekis, Nick Bolgiano, Randy PhillipsVisitors:Frank
BlumWeather:Moderate winds in the morning around 10mph from 08:00-11:00,
increased quickly afterwards to around 21-24mph by 12:00 before decreasing
steadily until the end of the day. Mostly cloudy throughout the day
clearing up only slightly by the end. Chilly in the morning with a low of
-2.2℃, warming up to a high of 6.1℃ in the afternoon.Raptor Observations:10
GOEA spotted today.*
*adult 11:32, 14:48, 15:44, 15:45, 16:14*
*immature 14:36, 15:15*
*juvenile 14:54*
*unknown 14:10, 14:53*
*After a very long and slow morning with no raptors, we had our first GOEA
at 11:32. The wind speed increased a lot after this one and we didn't see
any more for 3 more hours until after the wind slowed down. After Connor
arrived, we got 5 within an hour. A few more would pass through until the
last one at 16:14, which was lower than the rest and likely looking for a
place to roost overnight in Rothrock State Forest.*
Date: 3/13/26 1:32 pm From: KATHLEEN BECHDEL <0000d165c6a818d5-dmarc-request...> Subject: March 15 Field Trip CANCELLED
Dear Bird Club Members,
The field trip scheduled for March 15 at Bald Eagle State Park has been cancelled. There is a good chance that it will be rescheduled, so check your email and our website for updates. scbirdcl.org
Date: 3/13/26 12:54 pm From: Robert Snyder <birdphotoginpa...> Subject: Need to Postpone the outing to Bald Eagle SP: Sunday 15
Hello All,
I'm sorry, but I need to postpone the Sunday, 3/15 outing to Bald Eagle SP, as I am not feeling well. I would like to reschedule the trip to Sunday, March 22, or 29.
Thank you for your attention,
Bob Snyder
-- Do the best you can, where you are, with what you have. Theodore Roosevelt
________________________________
From: State College (PA) Bird Club <SCBIRDCL...> on behalf of Eric Oliver <ericmoliver...>
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2026 2:29:00 PM
To: <SCBIRDCL...> <SCBIRDCL...>
Subject: Re: Lower trail Alfarata stn walk this Saturday?
Just an FYI. I was there today and there is lots of construction activity around the flea market area. No parking space, and I couldn't access the trail due to heavy equipment.
On Thu, Mar 12, 2026 at 10:16 PM Grove, Deborah Shuey <dsg4...><mailto:<dsg4...>> wrote:
Chad Kauffman organized Spotlight on Huntingdon County as a continuing series of spotlights on different counties that he has done over several years.
Yes, there was a walk scheduled there but I had heard of shutdowns last week and I have attached a news story of the shutdown on the trailhead end of the Lower trail.
You can learn more about this weekend's activities at the FB site Huntingdon County Birding Spotlight that describes several bird walks led by a few of us this weekend.
[Image.png]
Deb
Deborah S. Grove
Hi,
Does anyone know if there's a bird walk at the Alfarata station of the Lower Trail this coming Saturday?
I may have mis-entered a February walk into my March calendar- can't find it on any of the local(ish) birding websites😬
Thanks,
Judy Sinn
Date: 3/13/26 11:30 am From: Eric Oliver <ericmoliver...> Subject: Re: Lower trail Alfarata stn walk this Saturday?
Just an FYI. I was there today and there is lots of construction activity
around the flea market area. No parking space, and I couldn't access the
trail due to heavy equipment.
Thanks,
Eric Oliver
<ericmoliver...>
Look closely at nature. Every species is a masterpiece, exquisitely adapted
to the particular environment in which it has survived. Who are we to
destroy or even diminish biodiversity?- E.O Wilson
On Thu, Mar 12, 2026 at 10:16 PM Grove, Deborah Shuey <dsg4...> wrote:
> Chad Kauffman organized Spotlight on Huntingdon County as a continuing
> series of spotlights on different counties that he has done over several
> years.
> Yes, there was a walk scheduled there but I had heard of shutdowns last
> week and I have attached a news story of the shutdown on the trailhead end
> of the Lower trail.
> You can learn more about this weekend's activities at the FB site
> Huntingdon County Birding Spotlight that describes several bird walks led
> by a few of us this weekend.
> [image: Image.png]
> Deb
> Deborah S. Grove
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* State College (PA) Bird Club <SCBIRDCL...> on behalf
> of Judy Sinn <junebugg1910...>
> *Sent:* Thursday, March 12, 2026 7:06:36 PM
> *To:* <SCBIRDCL...> <SCBIRDCL...>
> *Subject:* Lower trail Alfarata stn walk this Saturday?
>
> Hi,
> Does anyone know if there's a bird walk at the Alfarata station of the
> Lower Trail this coming Saturday?
> I may have mis-entered a February walk into my March calendar- can't find
> it on any of the local(ish) birding websites😬
> Thanks,
> Judy Sinn
>
Date: 3/13/26 1:38 am From: Chad Kauffman <chadkauffman...> Subject: Re: Lower trail Alfarata stn walk this Saturday?
here is the link to the pso site showing the spotlights, both past, current and future ones. to see what all we have lined up for huntingdon county birding spotlight, click on that link below upcoming spotlights
Date: 3/12/26 7:16 pm From: Grove, Deborah Shuey <dsg4...> Subject: Re: Lower trail Alfarata stn walk this Saturday?
Chad Kauffman organized Spotlight on Huntingdon County as a continuing series of spotlights on different counties that he has done over several years.
Yes, there was a walk scheduled there but I had heard of shutdowns last week and I have attached a news story of the shutdown on the trailhead end of the Lower trail.
You can learn more about this weekend's activities at the FB site Huntingdon County Birding Spotlight that describes several bird walks led by a few of us this weekend.
[Image.png]
Deb
Deborah S. Grove
________________________________
From: State College (PA) Bird Club <SCBIRDCL...> on behalf of Judy Sinn <junebugg1910...>
Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2026 7:06:36 PM
To: <SCBIRDCL...> <SCBIRDCL...>
Subject: Lower trail Alfarata stn walk this Saturday?
Hi,
Does anyone know if there's a bird walk at the Alfarata station of the Lower Trail this coming Saturday?
I may have mis-entered a February walk into my March calendar- can't find it on any of the local(ish) birding websites😬
Thanks,
Judy Sinn
Date: 3/12/26 6:06 pm From: Constanza Ehrenhaus <cxe1169...> Subject: Call for volunteers for a June summer camp
Good evening,
I am developing a low cost summer camp pilot for this summer. The topic is Bird Biology and Conservation, and I am currently finishing up the syllabus. The objective of this camp is to prioritize low income families who otherwise are excluded from science educational extra curricular programs; and to keep the price low, a friend and I are volunteering our time and work. This includes educational materials development, web page design, meetings with potential sponsors, contact hours, and more.
A couple of people have offered to give a hand during this camp, and I would like to have a few more volunteers to help me. This will be helpful with supervising children when I need to take a restroom break, answer questions students might have, and if you feel so inclined, to give a talk about a certain topic. I also want the students to get to meet great people who love birds to establish connections with the community.
This pilot will run from June 15th to 20th, 9 AM to 3 PM in Harris Township, and it is designed for 10 students in middle school, patience and good will toward adolescents are a must. We will be out and indoors, as the students will take bird walks, perform ecological observations, do hands on work, and participate in seminars.
Date: 3/12/26 5:46 pm From: Thomas Filip <thomasfilip0660...> Subject: Tussey Mountain Hawk Watch (12 Mar 2026) 11 Raptors
*Tussey Mountain Hawk WatchState College, Pennsylvania, USADaily Raptor
Counts: Mar 12, 2026SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason TotalBlack
Vulture000 Turkey Vulture0728 Osprey000 Bald Eagle12225 Northern Harrier001
Sharp-shinned Hawk01215 Cooper's Hawk077 American Goshawk000 Red-shouldered
Hawk01920 Broad-winged Hawk000 Red-tailed Hawk13137 Rough-legged Hawk111
Golden Eagle8131140 American Kestrel055 Merlin022 Peregrine Falcon000
Unknown Accipitrine002 Unknown Buteo011 Unknown Falcon011 Unknown Eagle001
Unknown Raptor000 Total:11239286Observation start time: 07:00:00
Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time: 10 hoursOfficial
CounterBill Chambers, Thomas FilipObservers: Debra Rittlemann, Nick
Bolgiano, Robert McLaughlinVisitors:Ron, CindyWeather:A cold and windy day
with a low of -1.4℃ in the morning and a high of 2.7℃ in the afternoon.
Consistent NW winds at 12-19mph for most of the day with some stronger
gusts above 20mph. Cloudy in the morning but cleared up quickly between
14:00-13:00.Raptor Observations:8 GOEA spotted today.*
*adult*
*07:14, 07:14, 07:16, 09:05, 12:31*
*unknown 10:01, 12:04, 13:13*
*3 GOEA were spotted by Bill early in the morning before 08:00. Most likely
they put down yesterday when it started to rain and thunder in the
afternoon and were eager to go first thing in the morning. Afterwards we
would get a GOEA about every 1-2 hours until 13:13. The afternoon was slow
with no GOEA, or other raptors, seen after the last one.*
*Surprisingly, a light morph RLHA also flew past at 08:48 heading SW on the
N side of the ridge, the first and most likely only of the season. We also
had 1 BAEA and 1 RTHA.*
Date: 3/12/26 4:07 pm From: Judy Sinn <junebugg1910...> Subject: Lower trail Alfarata stn walk this Saturday?
Hi,
Does anyone know if there's a bird walk at the Alfarata station of the
Lower Trail this coming Saturday?
I may have mis-entered a February walk into my March calendar- can't find
it on any of the local(ish) birding websites😬
Thanks,
Judy Sinn
