Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association

Our Spring Trainees are on the Mountain and in action! This week, we're going to introduce you to a new trainee daily. Give them a warm welcome in the comments! Caroline Fegley graduated in 2020 from Elizabethtown College. When she's not working on building a career in avian conservation, she can be found rock climbing or playing a banjo! Caroline is very excited to learn more about raptors and spend time on the mountain doing the migration count.

Play 'Mother Nature' by learning her tricks for turning waste materials like kitchen scraps and fallen leaves into a valuable soil amendment - compost! Join us this Sunday for this premium virtual program and walk away with ideas for your own backyard recycling center. Details and registration at the link below! https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/you-can-compost/details

THANK YOU for voting us the Best Place to Hike in the 2021 Best of the Lehigh Valley!

On April 22, we're hosting an interactive Trivia Night! Join us for an evening of both fun and putting your knowledge to the test with a variety of Hawk Mountain trivia. And there are prizes to be won! Info and registration at the link below! https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/its-trivial-hms/details

PhD Candidate and HMS Research Associate Rebecca McCabe, HMS senior biologist JF Therrien, and colleagues from University of Saskatchewan, Université Laval, and Project SNOWstorm recently published their research on snowy owl winter movements in Ornithology. Check out the infographic below to read about their findings!

Tomorrow we are hosting two awesome virtual programs for free: Sanctuary Storytime: Owl Moon and the 2020 Migration Wrap Up Webinar! Young virtual visitors can join an Educator for a fun and interactive read along of Owl Moon, and interested learners can join David Barber, head of the Fall Migration Hawk Watch, for an overview of the Fall 2020 Migration data. Details and registration at hawkmountain.ticketleap.com!

Join us next week for our popular Basic Birding Skills Webinar, offered by HMS Board Member Holly Merker. Hoping to learn more about how to find birds, get closer to them, and strategies in bird ID? This program is for you! Register now: https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/basic-birding-s/details

We're excited to finally announce the winners of our Fall 2020 Photo Contest! Thank you to all who submitted amazing photos. First Place Winner: Ruby-throated in the Bee Balm, by Randy Bohn... Runners Up: Common Raven, by John Mercer Porcupine, by Thomas Buehl Hawk Mountain Counters at North Lookout, by Carl Miller Congratulations to those selected!

In December, Hawk Mountain received a $4,000 grant from The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund to support Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and its wide range of visitor services. We are so grateful for the support! Read more at the link below. https://www.hawkmountain.org//the-bass-pro-shops-and-cabel

PhD Student Julie Mallon used Turkey Vulture tracking data to investigate their migratory patterns and energy usage during active migration and during their stopovers. Click the link below to read about her findings and the importance of this research! https://www.hawkmountain.org/ne/science/life-of-a-scavenger

A new year is upon us, and many of our program series are continuing, including our Homeschool Happenings! This month's topic will cover winter survival strategies of wild plants and animals covered through hands-on investigation and discussion, and students will search for evidence of the various survival strategies along the trails. Register now: https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/homeschool-happ/details

There's still spots open for the Dreamcatcher Workshop this Sunday, hosted in collaboration with The Arts Barn! Click the link below for details and registration. https://theartsbarn.ticketbud.com/was-dreamcatcher-class-su

The gift that keeps on giving! Thank you to Ruff's Christmas Trees for their tree donations. Our education birds are enjoying their new home decor (which is also good for their enrichment)!

Check out the new episode of The Hawk's Call Podcast, featuring former trainee and long-time collaborator Alfonso Godino and his successful raptor conservation work in the Iberian Peninsula. Special thank you to this episode's sponsor, The Brickhouse Grill! Download the episode at hawkmountain.org/the-hawks-call-podcast or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Soundcloud.

"I believe that though research can lead to conservation implications and protective legislation for wildlife, so can the act of relating wildlife and wildlife research to people through education." In this blog, 2020 Trainee Tianna Johnson shares the impact the education traineeship had on her as a hands-on scientist and as a science communicator. https://www.hawkmountain.org//o/on-the-shoulders-of-giants

Migratory Bird Treaty Act is again under siege. Hawk Mountain opposes a reinterpretation of the 100-year-old federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act that would allow incidental killing of migratory birds without consequence. Learn more now: https://www.hawkmountain.org//migratory-bird-treaty-act-ag

Bernie would like to remind you all to dress appropriately when hiking in the winter! Shoes with traction or even snow shoes, lots of layers, and of course mittens are a must.

Todd is such a talented friend of the Mountain! If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out our new outdoor amphitheater behind our visitor center, which features these stunning pillars carved by Todd.

Best wishes to you and your loved ones in this new year!

Want to do some holiday shopping from our awesome new selection of merch, accessories, and other gift items? We're offering private shopping experiences for our Broadwing Club members and up! Appointments are available Dec 7-15, 11 am - 4 pm. Give us a call at 610-756-6961 to set up your appointment for 30 minutes of uninterrupted and socially distanced browsing! If you have trouble getting through via call, send us an email to [email protected].

Today is the last day to contribute to our 2020 Annual Fund! THANK YOU to all of you who have already given, and of course thanks to anyone who supported us in any way this year. We're so grateful for you! Give now at hawkmountain.org/annualfund.

Check out the new episode of The Hawk's Call podcast! Our own Dr. JF Therrien along with collaborator and expert Dr. David Bird discuss the expanded American kestrel research unifying researchers and scientists of different expertise to better understand the decline of this species. Available to listen at the link below or on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music! https://www.hawkmountain.org/the-hawks-call-podcast

"My metaphorical toolbox has been ever expanding since my first day as a trainee at North Lookout in August and for that, I am grateful." In this blog, 2020 Trainee Brandon Brogle recounts how much he learned during his traineeship experience from the many different people and facets of the Sanctuary. https://www.hawkmountain.org//on-t/reflection-on-the-rocks

Tomorrow is the last day to submit your photo to our Fall Photo Contest! Details and how to submit are at the link below. https://www.hawkmountain.org/visit/events/fall-photo-contest

Meet our autumn 2020 class of trainees! Tianna Johnson is an autumn 2020 Hawk Mountain trainee and a current master’s student studying timber rattlesnake population biology at East Stroudsburg University. She hopes to expand on her experience with both captive and wild raptors and to actively engage with the public to promote Hawk Mountain’s mission of raptor conservation and education. Tianna is holding a female eastern diamondback, a species not native to Pennsylvania. This is a captive animal ambassador she used for a program held in the Allegheny National Forest.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is pleased to welcome Rebecca Lesko and Aaron Prince to its full-time professional team as new educators and raptor care specialists! Read more about them at the link below. https://www.hawkmountain.org//sanctuary-hires-rebecca-lesk

Fall visitors will notice a new set up at the Sanctuary! Despite our Visitor Center being temporarily closed, we have plenty of new and exciting merchandise, apparel, and accessories for sale on weekends at our Sidewalk Sale. Grab a souvenir or a new t-shirt to represent HMS wherever you go!

There's still spots available for our Christmas Wire Tree Workshop this coming Saturday! Get in the holiday spirit with this hands-on program. Details and registration at the link below! https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/christmas-wire-/details

Families are invited to celebrate OWLoween with us this weekend! Dress up, walk through our stations, and learn all about creepy crawlers and owls of course! Registration and details at the link below! https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/owloween-2020/details

It's #GivingTuesday! Kick off the giving season by contributing to our 2020 Annual Fund, where online gifts are being matched dollar for dollar by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. Double your impact by giving today at the link below! https://www.hawkmountain.org/give/annual-fund

Our first full episode of the podcast is live! Hear from President Sean Grace all about the current exciting happenings at the Sanctuary. You can listen and download directly from our site (linked below), or you can find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Google Podcasts. Thank you for listening and subscribing! https://www.hawkmountain.org/the-hawks-call-podcast

THANK YOU! Hawk Mountain wants all of its dedicated visitors, members, and donors to know how grateful we are for your support during this unprecedented year. We hope to welcome you back to the Mountain in 2021 with open wings!

Looking for a new pair of binoculars for your birding or hunting needs? For a limited time, you can receive a $100 Instant Rebate on Terra ED 8x42 or 10x42 binoculars! Give us a call at 610-756-6961 or email Bookstore Manager MT Grob at [email protected] to coordinate your order.

Meet our autumn 2020 class of trainees! Brandon Brogle is a recent biology graduate from Muhlenberg College where he volunteered at the campus bird museum and specimen lab. He became interested in raptors after working with birds of prey at Wildlands Conservancy. As a Hawk Mountain trainee, he’s looking forward to spending time on the mountain learning from knowledgeable staff, teaching the public about how awesome raptors are, and growing his professional network.

We at Hawk Mountain want to wish all of you a warm, safe, and happy holiday!

There's still time to register for our next autumn lecture, held virtually tomorrow at 7 PM: Team Warbler: From Chesapeake Bay to Panama Bay. Learn all about the research TEAM WARBLER conducts to promote conservation of migratory birds and wetlands. The focus of their research is a long-term study of the "Golden Swamp Warbler. Details and registration at the link below! https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/team-warbler-le/details

Looking for a new pair of binoculars for your birding or hunting needs? The Zeiss Holiday Promo is still going on! For a limited time, you can receive a $100 Instant Rebate on Terra ED 8x42 or 10x42 binoculars. Offer expires 12/31. Give us a call at 610-756-6961, visit the Mountain Bookstore, or email Bookstore Manager MT Grob at [email protected] to order.

Meet our autumn 2020 class of trainees! Breanna Bennett is a current master’s student studying chickadee cognition in the Curry Lab at Villanova University. She grew up in Schuylkill County, graduated from Mahanoy Area High School in 2013, and went on to receive her bachelor’s degree at Villanova University in 2017. She plans to finish her master’s thesis by December 2020, while studying and gaining a better appreciation for conservation science, raptors, and outreach at Hawk Mountain this fall as a conservation science trainee.

Registration closes November 1 for our Wilderness First Responder Course, presented by SOLO. Click the link below for details and registration! https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/wilderness-firs/details

Meet our autumn 2020 class of trainees! Alyssa Polansky is an autumn 2020 Hawk Mountain trainee from Pottsville, Pennsylvania. She is a recent graduate from Penn State University with a degree in wildlife and fisheries science and a former education trainee at Hawk Mountain. After spending the summer as a sea turtle technician on Cumberland Island National Seashore monitoring nests, she is excited to be back on the mountain and participating in the longest-running raptor migration count in the world!

Our Visitor Center is now open with limited hours and restricted access! Be sure to call before your visit as the Visitor Center may be closed due to weather or other circumstances.

We are so excited to announce our brand new podcast, The Hawk's Call! This podcast is another avenue to share conversations and updates from our conservation collaborators, former trainees, and our amazing Sanctuary staff and volunteers. Check out our teaser episode at the link below, and stay tuned for our first full length episode, featuring Sanctuary President Sean Grace, coming this week! https://www.hawkmountain.org/the-hawks-call-podcast

Have you heard of the Falkland Islands Johnny Rooks Project? Hawk Mountain staff have collaborated with amazing researchers such as Katie Harrington (@phalcoboenus on twitter and instagram) to observe and further understand the striated caracaras, also known as johnny rooks, that live in the Falkland Islands. Follow Katie and the Project facebook page to keep up with the current research efforts, and you can also visit our website for more info.

A full summary graphic of our 2020 Autumn Migration Hawk Count is coming soon, but in the meantime we want to share that NEW RECORD HIGHS were set for both the bald eagle and the turkey vulture this season!

There's lots of non-raptor bird activity at the Lookouts as well! Flocks of pine siskins have been spotted fluttering about North Lookout, as counters record their observations. Pine siskins are an irruptive, North American finch species that are considered a Common Bird in Steep Decline, due to a decline in population by 80% since 1970. See more at hawkmountain.org/recentsightings.

"This traineeship has pushed me out of my comfort zone and challenged me in ways that I never imagined." In this blog, 2020 Education Trainee Andrea Drumbore reminisces on how she connected with the education raptors and grew as a confident educator during her time at Hawk Mountain. https://www.hawkmountain.org//on-the-mountain/how-hawk-mou

We have finally entered peak fall foliage at Hawk Mountain! Along with the amazing species diversity we're seeing in the passing migrants, this vista is definitely something to experience in person. Plan your visit now!

This Saturday join us in person or virtually for our next Autumn Lecture presented by Dr. Bob Curry: Behavioral Variation in Hybridizing Chickadees. Join us at 5pm in our Outdoor Amphitheater or register at the link below to watch virtually. https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/behavioral-vari/details

Thanks to your amazing support over the last several weeks, we have hit our 2020 Annual Fund match goal! Because we made our goal of $25,000, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund will match that and provide us an additional $25k! We are so thankful for this generous support, which will allow us to continue to bolster our local to global science and education, as well as maintain our forest stewardship and Sanctuary grounds. https://www.hawkmountain.org//sanctuary-receives-25-000-ma

Hawk Mountain lost a dear friend with the recent passing of Dotty Brett, a long-time friend and supporter of Hawk Mountain and the surrounding Kempton Valley community. https://www.hawkmountain.org//her/remembering-dottie-brett

Join us this Saturday for our Winter Ugly Sweater Hike! It will be the perfect winter weather, with cool, crisp temperatures and calm skies. Best ugly sweater wins a prize, and after the hike, participants can enjoy warm refreshments in our beautiful new amphitheater. Register now at the link below! ... https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/winter-ugly-swe/details

Yesterday was our LAST day of the 2020 autumn migration hawk count! Hard to believe it has already come to a close. Counter Rob Feldman manned the lookout, and our official last bird of the season was a juvenile bald eagle. Eagle photo by Bill Moses.

Join us for our last Sanctuary Storytime of the year: Copy Me, Copycub! After a read-along, learn about PA bears in the winter, followed by an interactive craft! Register now at the link below. https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/copy-me-copycub/details

"Science and education go hand in hand." In this blog, 2020 Conservation Trainee Alyssa Polansky recounts her time on the Mountain both as a former education trainee and recent science trainee and how those experiences have prepared her for the next step in her career. https://www.hawkmountain.org//on-the-m/best-of-both-worlds

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is currently working with the Endangered Wildlife Trust in South Africa to help protect white-backed vultures, which are critically endangered (pictured left). Dr. Lindy Thompson, pictured right, has been collaborating with Hawk Mountain under a Disney Conservation grant to track the vultures and gain a better understanding of their behavior and the threats they face. PhD student and trainee alumna, Kudzi Dhliwayao, has also joined the efforts.

Hey Mountain Members, today we're doing a Cyber Monday Sale just for you! Check your email for the exclusive code to use on our online store, and if you didn't receive an email, just send us a message or email us at [email protected]. THANK YOU for your support!

Hunters as conservationists? We collaborate with the local hunting community to support healthy forest ecology and biodiversity by controlling the white-tailed deer population and using non-lead ammunition. Read more at the link below, featuring info on the harm of lead bullets and a new flyer sharing more about the benefits of responsible hunting on Hawk Mountain grounds. https://www.hawkmountain.org//hunters-as-conservationists-

Although our trails are closed this weekend, come and celebrate Small Business Saturday by doing some shopping for you and your loved ones at our biggest Sidewalk Sale of the year! And all visitors get to enjoy a discount on all HMS merchandise and apparel.

Reminder that ALL of our trails are closed Saturday and Sunday due to the start of hunting season. All trails EXCEPT the main Lookout Trail will be closed through Dec 12.

Happy Thanksgiving! We want to express how grateful we are for your unending support, especially in this year filled with unknowns. Thank you for your visits, shares, and ongoing interactions online and on the Mountain. Stay safe and healthy!

There's still a few spots left for our Opt Outside hike this Friday. Choose to spend some time in nature! Register now at the link below! https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/opt-outside-hik/details

For visitor safety, all trails are closed on Saturdays and the first Sunday of Pennsylvania's deer hunting season: All trails are closed Saturday, Nov 28, Sunday, Nov 29, Saturday Dec 5, and Saturday, Dec 12. All trails except the main Lookout Trail are closed Nov 28 through Dec 12. Why do we allow permitted hunters on HMS grounds? Check out this infographic! More information about how hunters can be conservationists will be coming soon.

Join us in congratulating our Director of Conservation Science Dr. Laurie Goodrich on being elected an American Ornithological Society Fellow earlier this year! https://www.hawkmountain.org//dr-laurie-goodrich-elected-a

Join us in giving a warm welcome to our three new board members: Peter Fontaine, Gillian Bowser, and Ernesto Ruelas Inzunza! Click the link below to learn about what they bring to our HMS team. https://www.hawkmountain.org//hawk-mountain-elects-new-boa

Burrowing owls are a tiny species of owl and the only raptor that lives underground. With urban species doubling in population, the question is, what about the rural species? Check out the blog linked below by former trainee Zoe Bonerbo about her recent work monitoring burrowing owls in Florida! https://www.hawkmountain.org//when-raptors-roam-underground

Join us virtually tomorrow evening for our LAST Autumn Lecture of the season! Hear from Dr. Allison Cornel about the array of research techniques being done to understand the ongoing American kestrel decline. Register now at the link below! https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/the-american-ke/details

Join us for our next Sanctuary Storytime this Thursday at 11 am, featuring The Velveteen Rabbit! Virtual participants will get to see a rabbit LIVE and learn all about the bunnies of PA. Register now at the link below! https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/the-velveteen-r/details

Using Amazon to get some holiday shopping done? Be sure to shop via our AmazonSmile link! We get a portion of your payment as a donation, with no extra cost to you. Make an impact while you shop the deals! smile.amazon.com/ch/23-1392700

More new merchandise will be available at our Sidewalk Sale this weekend! For those unable to make it to the Mountain, we are working on getting items on our online store. Stay tuned!

There's still a couple of spots left for our Holiday Wreath Workshop tomorrow! Snag them now at the link below. https://www.hawkmountain.org/events/holiday-wreath-workshop

Alfonso Godino, Hawk Mountain Research Associate and former Hawk Mountain Trainee, reported on some recent exciting news from Portugal. "On November 4th, a cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus) was released in Tejo Internacional National Park in Portugal. This vulture comes from the colony of this species that settled in this protected area in central Portugal several years ago. Alfonso, with support from Hawk Mountain and the National Institute for Nature and Forest Conserva...tion of Portugal has been working with the National Park, in collaboration of the electric company ENDESA and the Veterinary University of Murcia, to use satellite tracking to study juvenile dispersion and threats in the cinerous vulture, a regionally threatened species. During the tagging of nestlings at the beginning of July 2020, veterinarians from the team detected an injury inside the mouth of this young vulture and in addition, it had a low weight for its age. Due to the risk for the young vulture and the rarity of the species regionally, it was decided to remove it from the nest and send the bird to the nearest wildlife rescue Center, QUERCUS, which had a wide experience in rehabilitating cinereous vultures and other wild species. After four months, the vulture had notably increased its weight and was socializing with other vultures in the aviary, so the vets felt it was ready to return to the wild. Now this vulture will have another opportunity, and thanks to the transmitter, we can monitor its integration into the cinereous vulture population and movement ecology.

Have you taken the perfect photo at Hawk Mountain this fall? Enter it in our 2020 Fall Photo Contest! No entry fee and easy to submit by email. More details at the link below! https://www.hawkmountain.org/visit/events/fall-photo-contest

Register now for our next Stay at Home Speaker Series virtual program, Custodians of our Ecosystems: Women, Raptors, and Unsettling Words, presented by HMS Board Member Dr. Diane Husic Thursday at 7 PM! Details and registration at the link below. https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/custodians-of-o/details

Senior Scientist JF Therrien, Ph.D. and his colleagues just published a paper in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal Science, using their team’s long-term research that demonstrates the implications of climate change. Read more and download the paper at the link below! https://www.hawkmountain.org//hawk-mountain-research-on-ar

Have you checked out our new merch & apparel yet? Visit our Sidewalk Sale this weekend! Vibrant hoodies, punny t-shirts, and souvenirs for the whole family. Grab one before they sell out!

Join us on Saturday for our annual Eagle Day celebration! Come see a bald AND golden eagle up close, FREE with membership or trail fee, at 12 and 2 PM. Seating is first come, first serve!

Aslan Bolkvadze, autumn 2018 trainee alumni, has been working at Fauna and Flora International Georgia (FFI) in his home country of Georgia. Aslan and spring 2001 trainee alumni, Zura Javakhishvili, have been working to expand the environmental education of local youth involved in falconry in Poti, Georgia. During workshops, the team showed students how scientists identify, band, and measure birds. This education outreach project was implemented on behalf of FFI Georgia with a goal to inspire greater community interest in conservation. Zura is featured on the left and Aslan is featured centered holding a common blackbird (Turdis merula) in the photo below.

Happy birthday to our founder, Rosalie Edge! And for our American followers, don’t forget to #GoVote!

Meet our autumn 2020 class of trainees! Andrea Drumbore has a degree from Delaware Valley University in conservation and wildlife management. Inspired by an education traineeship at Elmwood Park Zoo and her participation in Hawk Mountain’s raptor field techniques course, she believes that her time as an education trainee at Hawk Mountain will help her launch a career in wildlife education.

This week is Birdability Week, where we highlight how many are working to make birding more accessible and inclusive for birders who experience accessibility challenges, and inspire other organizations in the birding community to make these changes! In recent years, we have worked to expand our accessible areas, including our brand new Outdoor Amphitheater, the interactive Silhouette Trail up to South Lookout, and a high quality trail that connects it all. Thank you to Virginia Rose, who pioneers these efforts and is a wonderful friend of the Mountain! Learn more about Birdability at gis.audubon.org/birdability or check out Virginia's blog at birdability.com.

We are already halfway through the autumn hawk count! Friday, Oct 15 was our official mid point of the season, and below are the current species tallies as of end of day Friday. What are your second-half predictions? Have you seen any of these species in your own backyard? Keep up with this season's hawk watch at hawkmountain.org/count.

The Blake-Nuttall Fund has awarded $4,000 to support The Broad-winged Hawk Project, helping us to tag broadwings in New England states in 2021 and expand the scope of this important work! Another success for our hard-working science team.

Join us tomorrow for our next Autumn Lecture, presented by our own Dr. JF Therrien, Climate Change and Its Impact on Raptors! We will be hosting it in our Outdoor Amphitheater, but for those who would like to watch from home, please register for the livestream at the link below. https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/climate-change-/details

There's still time to register for tonight's FREE virtual webinar, Lead Poisoning of Raptors: Causes, Concerns, and Mitigation Strategies. Learn from an expert the drivers of lead exposure of raptors in eastern North America and continent-wide lead poisoning of North American eagles. Details and registration at the link below! Registration closes at 5 pm. https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/lead-poisoning-/details

Join us this Saturday for our Intro to Hammock Camping program, presented by Journeyman Hammocks! Learn everything from what equipment is essential to how to set up your own camp. Registration and details at the link below. https://hawkmountain.ticketleap.com/introduction-to/details