Hawk Mountian PA

Nif_NortheasternPA

20 years ago

I am going to Hawk Mountain this monday, October 24.

Never been there, sooooo excitied, any ideas or tips?

Thanks!

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Comments (5)

clairer
20 years ago
So happy for you bring back lots of pictures... I hope to someday make the trip... Please let us know your experience..
Have Fun
Claire
hackles
20 years ago
Check the weather before you go, winds from the northwest will give you an active day. I used to love to be on the trail before dawn, hike up with a flashlight, and be on the north lookout for the sunrise. it's truly awesome.
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You've got a lovely Cooper's Hawk here, Jane. Nice find. The tail pattern, coloring, shape, and length give it away. The lighting on my screen is making it difficult to see well enough to age this bird, but I think I see darkish underwing coverts which makes it look like an adult from here. I see what you're saying about Broad-winged, and good eyes for that, but BWHAs won't show this long of a tail. The adults are the ones with heavily marked chests and adults have a black tail with a thick white bisecting band. The underwing pattern on a BWHA would show a dark rim around lightly-colored underwings. The Broad-winged Hawks have been migrating south and Hawk Mountain, PA has reported over a thousand sightings of migrating BWHAs flying over in the last two days. Wow! Keep watching those skies!
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sarahbn
20 years ago
It's probably the best time to go. Looks clear down here in southeast Pa. Last year I went twice once on a late afternoon week day in august the second time a beautiful october sunday. The second time was so crowded with people. I think it should be less crowded on a monday so you have a chance to get a better view. Your probably there already. Hope you enjoyed it. let us know. Sarah
Nif_NortheasternPA
Original Author
20 years ago
Wow, it was really a great experience!

My husband went with me, and we really had a blast. (We stayed flexible and went Sunday instead of Monday, due to weather...)

The weather was perfect, and the birds were flying!

I saw many sharpies, one merlin, many red tails, and... drum roll please....

Two golden eagles, one adult and one juvi who flew over twice!

I would have to say though, that we really needed better optics, their website actually encourages first timers to get an 7 or 8 power, which is the best for normal bird watching, but for rapters comming in slow an stead at 5 miles away - slowly closer and closer, even the greatest novice would have no trouble at all with a 12 or even 16 power, and be able to get up close.

Although I was glad for my 7 and 8 for one thing, two red tails put on a little show pretty close one time, the whole mountain went 'ooohh ahhh!'

This really nice guy, Bill, lent my husband his 12x lecia beauties, and that made him very happy. By next year we will have invested in a good pair of 12x maybe a scope... and my husband plans to bring his tripod.

They were having a demo when we got there, with a live red tail. It was a beautiful visitor's center, and I want to see the native garden in the spring - good stuff!! But we didn't stay long, hiked right up to the North Lookout!

Things we did right: We dressed very warm, brought all kinds of great food - a gourmet lunch (it was our anniversary weekend, and I had the gourmet stuff packed) - we took the 476 turnpike on the way down and went WEST - instead of 81 EAST on 78 - if you come from NEPA or Jersey or NY this is the way to go - don't even think about 81 and EAST on 78!!! There is construction to the west of Hawk Mountain, and 81 is just bad. Now, that construction might move in the future...

Also, I brought and big soft pillows!!!!

Haha, people were laughing and making fun of me as I hauled the pillows up the mountain, it didn't phase me at all, because I knew my reward was coming - you should have seen the jealousy went we sat on our fluffy pillow 'seats' on the mountain - hehe!

I hope to go again this season, if not, I will be there in the spring, and a few times next fall. Maybe I will get to do the sunrise thing like Hackles talked about!

Really great place, more to do than I had time for....

:o) Thanks
hackles
20 years ago
Sounds like you had a great day, I'm glad. I used to be a "regular" on the mountian, but now live in Cape May, don't get up that way very often. Spring on the mountian is time for the trails, the hawk migration is very sparse, but hike the trails in the refuge, the passerine population changes weekly, you never know what you'll see ! By the way, I used to clip a chair cushion to my backpack to carry up to the lookout...nothing like comfort !!