Bake Oven Knob 2 miles North of Germansville, Pennsylvania, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Aug 25, 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 16:15:00 Total observation time: 9.25 hours
Official Counter: Rick Morrissey
Observers:
Visitors: One, just one. No exchange of words, I suspect the word is out not to talk to me. Just a theory.
Weather: Clear with visibility at 30 miles, lots of sunshine in the morning, partly cloudy with great cloud formations in the afternoon. Winds were WNW all day at 4-7 mph, with gusts from 9-16 mph. The low temperature was 64F, and the high temperature was 75F at 1400 EST.
Raptor Observations: First countable raptor of the day was an Osprey at 0859, last raptor counted was a Sharpshin at 1559. It was very noticeable that with such great winds, visibility, and afternoon clouds to help spot high birds, there were not many raptors in flight today which is somewhat baffling. Every time I raised the anemometer with a gust of 10 mph 'plus', I would say to the raptors not there "are you seeing this?"
There was one point of the day where it actually did get hectic, near the 1400 hour. A Bald Eagle, then a small kettle of raptors, a kestrel, then two juvenile Bald Eagles past the Pine tree which I counted. A short time later directly over the North lookout, two juvenile Bald Eagles playing in the sky, not a care in the world. Don't often do this, but just like trout you catch and release, I released these young eagles to be counted another day. As a counter you want the numbers, but they did give me a really nice show so no complaints.
Bald Eagles - 1352 (Adult): 1531 (Adult)
Non-raptor Observations: An' unkindness' of Ravens totaling 11 (correct noun, I looked it up!), hummingbirds (5), Cedar waxwings (8), many Barn swallows and Swifts. Heard a Pileated WP, Red Eyed Vireo, and Eastern Phoebes.
Early in the count when very few raptors were counted, a Sharpshin hawk flew past the Pine tree heading East. This accipiter then headed into the bowl and picked up on a thermal, eventually disappearing below chasing a bird. Another raptor not counted, yet pretty sure that 1559 Sharpshin was the one seen earlier and now it made on my very 'needy' August count! It all works out at the end of the day.
Predictions: Sunny, high in the mid 70's. West winds 5 to 10 mph. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Lehigh Gap Nature Center (<mail...>) Bake Oven Knob information may be found at: www.lgnc.org
