Bake Oven Knob 2 miles North of Germansville, Pennsylvania, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Aug 28, 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8.48 hours
Official Counter: AB
Observers:
Visitors: 15 hikers
Weather: Light and variable winds for the entire survey peaking in the 14:00 hour at 4-7mph out of the SSE. Visibility was superb for the entire effort. High cirrus clouds to start the count, but as the day progressed cumulus built in from the SW. Low temperature of 15C at 07:00 and a high of 23C by 10:00.
Raptor Observations: South Lookout
8.48 hrs (104.87)
BV 4 (30) TV 9 (161) BE 3 (50) SS 1 (18) BW 12 (62) RT 2 (27) UR 2 (15) Total 41 (419)
BAEA (3): 10:19 U, 11:40 I, 12:51 U
Slow start to the days flight with no raptors detected until 09:00. This hour saw a nice pulse of BW’s with 6 total coming through singly. The flight was sporadic but steady which may have been a reflection of the changing wind direction throughout the count. The high flyer award goes to a lone BW that climbed quite high above the notch effortlessly and then shot due south over the Lehigh Valley. Since it is early in the season it is interesting to track these lone birds for as long as possible in the scope to get an idea of some of the flight lines these migrants take. OSPR continue to move through in good numbers and it seemed like today they were interested in BC the decoy. I had several go out of their way to circle above it. Maybe Wanamaker’s VHS tape is working its charm. One individual cried quite loudly while passing very near BC but still giving it a wide berth. BC is consistently one of the hardest working employees at Bake Oven Knob.
The light winds along Blue Mountain didn’t provide good conditions for resident raptors to make use of the ridge. Late in the afternoon the immature and adult RT’s were frequently spotted kiting over the bowl and parachuting down at prey.
Non-raptor Observations: Last night’s NW winds brought many migrating passerines to Bake Oven Knob. At approximately 07:15 a wave of warblers washed up over the South Lookout. The trees were dripping with warblers and it was quite colorful. Everywhere I looked the canopy was twitching. I just sat still and sifted through as many as I could. Some even popped up at my feet below the cliff face in the tree tops. Like a lovely CSWA. The second wave brought a YBCU that perched right over the trail to the OP. CHSW numbers picked up in the bowl as well. Not only is Bake Oven Knob a world class raptor migration site, but it offers world class songbird migration opportunities when the conditions are right. These sub 10g beauties are on their way to the Yucatan and Central America and I was honored by their visit.
Wild Turkey 1 Mourning Dove 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 Chimney Swift 13 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 6 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Downy Woodpecker 1 Pileated Woodpecker 2 Northern Flicker 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 2 Least Flycatcher 1 Eastern Phoebe 1 Red-eyed Vireo 4 Blue Jay 2 American Crow 1 Common Raven 1 Black-capped Chickadee 2 Tufted Titmouse 1 Tree Swallow 3 Barn Swallow 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 American Robin 1 Cedar Waxwing 10 American Goldfinch 1 Baltimore Oriole 1 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Tennessee Warbler 3 Cape May Warbler 3 Blackburnian Warbler 2 Chestnut-sided Warbler 1 Pine Warbler 2 Black-throated Green Warbler 7 Scarlet Tanager 2
Predictions: Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. West wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Adam Richardson (<poecile.gambeli...>) Bake Oven Knob information may be found at: www.lgnc.org
