Hawk Mountain News Spring 2023

SPRING

VALUING VULTURES

Learn about Hawk Mountain’s long-term vulture surveys on page 8.

The mission of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association is to conserve birds of prey worldwide by providing leadership in raptor conservation science and education, and by maintaining Hawk Mountain Sanctuary as a model observation, research, and education facility.

Photo by Laura Berry

COVER PHOTO by Bill Moses

Photo by Bill Moses

INFLUENCING THE GLOBAL CONSERVATION NETWORK

Hawk Mountain fulfills a unique niche in the raptor conservation world, having trained a network of nearly 500 young raptor conservation scientists around the globe. Fifteen percent of our trainees, to date, have come from the Mesoamerican corridor where we have been mentoring talented conservation leaders for more than 35 years. We help these young scientists by modeling specific tools such as scientific data collection, research methods, authoring collaborative research papers with affiliated universities and scientists, environmental education, public outreach, social media and communications, and fundraising—all necessary tools to ensure success in conservation. Last year we invited colleagues, many of whom are former trainees currently working in raptor conservation, to form a raptor collaborative with Hawk Mountain called “Conserve the Corridor,” where each partner can share experiences with monitoring migration and developing education outreach within the corridor.

It is an effective way to leverage science and conservation in what is arguably the single largest raptor migration corridor on the planet, while creating opportunities for tomorrow’s conservation leaders who also just happen to be diverse. Former trainees, along with accomplished scientists and experts, like Dr. Ernesto Ruelas Inzunza, Pablo Porras, and Esther Vallejos are just some of the names of an ever-expanding group of South and Central American scientists, collaborators, and friends that we are collaborating with on a shared vision to “Conserve the Corridor” and provide safe passage for millions of raptors. Isn’t it obvious that people from the corridor should be the ones leading the work as they understand the conditions on the ground as well as the cultural and political nuances of each country and site?

Diversity and Inclusion in Science, and Why It Is Important:

Recently, Ernesto Ruelas Inzunza was one of a group of Latin American and Caribbean ornithologists who wrote two papers on the lack of inclusion and diversity and the

underrepresentation of Latin American ornithologists in leadership roles, as well as a bias against citing papers in Spanish and Portuguese, which marginalizes the region’s researchers. In one of the papers, they offer 14 recommendations for how ornithology’s major journals can revise their policies and practices “to improve the flow of science from the region’s bird scientists.”

Ernesto fledged from Hawk Mountain in 1990 with a goal of establishing the Veracruz River of Raptors as the single largest raptor count site on earth with help from our Director of Conservation Science Dr. Laurie Goodrich and other staff. Now Ernesto is a professor at the University of Veracruz in Mexico and a Hawk Mountain Board Member. He knows from experience the difficulties of exporting education programs that apply to a temperate Pennsylvania and equally in exporting organizational models that apply to running a non-profit in the United States.

STAFF

PRESIDENT

Sean Grace

SARKIS ACOPIAN DIRECTOR OF CONSERVATION SCIENCE

Laurie Goodrich, Ph.D.

SENIOR SCIENTIST AND GRADUATE STUDY DIRECTOR

Jean-François Therrien, Ph.D.

SENIOR RESEARCH BIOLOGIST

David Barber

BIOLOGIST-NATURALIST

Bracken Brown

RESEARCH BIOLOGIST

Rebecca McCabe, Ph.D.

SCIENCE-EDUCATION OUTREACH COORDINATOR

Rebekah Smith

ACOPIAN CENTER OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

Wendy Nicodemus

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

Jamie Dawson

EDUCATOR

Aaron Prince

DIRECTOR OF SANCTUARY STEWARDSHIP

Todd Bauman

SANCTUARY STEWARDS

Stephen Wade

Noah Rauch

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Mary Linkevich

MEMBERSHIP & VOLUNTEER MANAGER

Tammy Jandrasitz

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Gigi Romano

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT

Annie Trexler

BUSINESS MANAGER

Shelley Davenport

BOOKSTORE MANAGER

Mary Therese Grob

BOARD

CHAIRMAN

Tom Kerr

VICE CHAIRMAN

David Bonenberger

TREASURER

Edwin Baldrige

SECRETARY

Wendy McLean, Esq.

Jacquelyn Bonomo

Ana Maria Castaño

Deborah Edge, M.D.

Stephen Edge, M.D.

Peter Fontaine

Jeff Goldenberg

Ken Hawkinson, Ph.D.

Diane Husic, Ph.D.

Richard W. Holt

Ernesto Ruelas

Inzunza, Ph.D.

Nasreen Kara

Holly Merker

David Middleton

Sara Nicholas

Sally O’Byrne

Dan Rubenstein, Ph.D.

Jeff Weil

Ferdinand Thun, Emeritus Member

Minturn Wright, III, Emeritus Member

Panama Hawk Watch Counter with the South American Field Guide.

Ernesto said, “Running a conservation non-profit needed a better-planned organizational structure that would work in Mexico under its legal, political, and operational circumstances,” and that is why Ernesto partnered with Pronatura, a Mexican non-profit conservation organization very similar in structure and operations to The Nature Conservancy of the United States, to more effectively guide the River of Raptors count site.

A top goal of the new Conserve the Corridor initiative is to provide educational resources about the significance of the flyway while highlighting the unique culture of each location. We are actively recruiting additional trainees from these various locations with a focus on expanding raptor education, networking, and online outreach across the corridor.

Hawk Mountain is an influencer in conservation, with a proven history that has resulted in spawning most of the raptor count sites around the globe and many offshoot organizations, including the Raptor Population Index and the Hawk Migration Association of North America that hosts sister count sites’ migratory raptor data. We have an outstanding reputation for working collaboratively across governmental agencies, nonprofits, and with

academics, earning the highest ranking as a conservation investment. Now we are setting our sights on one our loftiest objectives yet, to create a long-term collaborative of self-sustaining raptor count sites, with effective community engagement tailored to individual countries and unique cultural perspectives, all along the corridor, and to conserve migrating raptors. If you, or someone you know, is interested in helping fund our long-term efforts to “Conserve the Corridor” for raptors and future generations of people, then please reach out today.

Yours in Conservation,

Sean Grace PRESIDENT

Costa Rica Comeback

The multi-million raptor Kèköldi Hawkwatch receives NGO status

The dedication of the counters at the newly revamped Kèköldi Costa Rica Hawkwatch is unrivaled. Each day of the fall count season, the counters trek through a narrow jungle path, lugging scopes, binoculars, and bags of raptor ID books just to reach their count tower. There, they spend hours on a wooden platform with eyes turned to the sky. Their devotion is repaid through a plethora of opportunities to witness waves of raptors migrating by the tens of thousands.

During the autumn 2022 season, counters blasted past their previous record to reach 3.36 million migrant raptors, elevating the caliber of their count to a Veracruz River of Raptors tier phenomenon. This achievement was followed by an even more exciting development as the Kèköldi Hawkwatch has now been awarded full and independent NGO status.

This monumental accomplishment represents major strides toward longterm stability for both the reinvigorated Hawkwatch site and the core count team in Kèköldi, and this new distinction enables them to directly receive donations to sustain the count site for years to come.

Sanctuary scientist Dr. JF Therrien has closely collaborated with Hawk Mountain conservation science trainee alumni Pablo Porras to cultivate a lasting community effort that has resulted in this spectacular NGO start-up success story.

Work is already being done to improve the budding Hawkwatch’s online presence with website and social media upgrades, which will further promote visitors and support. Now, looking to the future, the Kèköldi Hawkwatch has accepted the responsibility of hosting the international Raptor Research Foundation Conference in 2025, providing excellent exposure to both visitors and scientists.

Additionally, Hawk Mountain welcomed Diego Rodríguez from Costa Rica as an international Conservation Education Trainee this spring. Diego is a skilled naturalist and birding guide who has collaborated on several bird research projects, including being an official counter at the Kèköldi Hawkwatch. He will work with Sanctuary educators to gain insights on raptor education and curate methods and materials to bring back to Kèköldi.

To learn more, visit kekoldi.org or follow them at facebook.com/kekoldihw and instagram.com/kekoldihawkwatch.

COLLABORATING IN CONSERVATION

2022 Conservation Science Trainee

Binta Sambou received a Ben Olewine Project Soar Award and collaborated with Science-Education Outreach Coordinator Rebekah Smith to create hooded vulture conservation education materials to share while travelling along the West Coast region of The Gambia. Binta is working to address the rapidly declining hooded vulture population by educating the public and students of all ages about the benefits of coexisting with this species.

2007 Conservation Science Trainee

Adrian Naveda received Hawk Mountain’s 2022 James A. Kushlan Award, which will support his project, “The Migration Ecology of North American Turkey Vultures: Spatial and Population Dynamics,” which is the subject of his doctorate studies at Mississippi State University. This Ph.D. project will shed light on how survival of individual vultures is affected by migration strategies and habitat use.

In December, Senior Scientist and Graduate Study Director Dr. JF Therrien traveled to Argentina to reconnect with recent trainees Diego Gallego and Paula Orozco-Valor for Chaco eagle and American kestrel monitoring field work, educational outreach with local farmers and the general public about threats to regional raptors, and a multi-day raptor conservation science field course for South American students.

MAKING THE OUTDOORS ACCESSIBLE

In February, Dr. Christopher Bloh, a professor of special education at Kutztown University, conducted an ecological assessment of the Visitor Center and Amphitheater to explore opportunities to remove distractions/barriers that would make the facilities more inclusive for visitors with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Sanctuary staff hope to implement some of the suggested strategies to make these spaces more accessible.

LEARN THE LAND

Hawk Mountain has updated and produced a series of Land Conservation posters for use in public outreach and as an exhibit. They outline the importance of the Kittatinny Ridge as a migration superhighway as well as a climate resilient landscape, along with the special habitats of the Sanctuary, the biodiversity of its wildlife, its land management challenges, and more. The series compliments an upcoming kiosk that will be installed near the trail entrance both to share the importance of conserving this landscape and to orient hikers with a large-scale trail map.

BOARD UPDATES

In November, Hawk Mountain welcomed two new members and a returning member to the Board of Directors. Jacquelyn Bonomo of Conyngham, PA, and David Middleton of Danby, VT, were elected, and Dan Rubenstein of Pennington, NJ, has returned. Ed Baldrige has also stepped up as the new treasurer of the Board.

Jacqui brings decades of national environmental leadership, along with personal activism and conservation efforts. She recently retired as president and CEO of PennFuture, the state’s largest environmental advocacy organization. David is a long-time visitor of the Sanctuary and has a deep appreciation of the outdoors, which he has expressed via his passion for photography. David is an acclaimed photographer, lecturer, and author, and he also the founder and executive director of the foundation All About the Light. Dan is a professor of zoology at Princeton University, where his research focuses on decision-making in animals, and he brings an ardent approach to wildlife and environmental education.

AGRICULTURE EDUCATION & OUTREACH

In March, Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences partnered with Hawk Mountain to offer a free educator workshop for agriculture teachers across Pennsylvania. The workshop introduced participants to the Sanctuary’s Farmland Raptor Program and free standardized Kestrel Webcam Curriculum and featured live bird presentations and kestrel nest box demos. The workshop also provided insights into Hawk Mountain’s American kestrel trapping and tracking techniques in the field, with a visit to an active kestrel territory site to search for transmitter birds using radio telemetry.

Hawk Mountain is paving the way for human-vulture coexistence in the face of black vulture range expansion and unprecedented vulture population growth. Biologist-Naturalist Bracken Brown presented an inaugural outreach talk hosted by the Pennsylvania Cattlemen’s Association in January. The talk served to create a direct link between the raptor researchers at Hawk Mountain and local farmers of the surrounding rural communities to educate and address problems with human-vulture interactions.

Peter Bennett receives Warden Award

Hawk Mountain presented the Sanctuary’s highest honor, the Warden Award, to long-time Board Member Peter Bennett in November. This prestigious award is presented to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the Sanctuary and its mission. Peter has served on the board without interruption since 2003, including 12 years as treasurer, and has provided tremendous support and commitment to the financial health of Hawk Mountain.

On a cold day in mid-January, vultures along the Kittatinny ridge have long-since selected their wintering territory. For the first time in 10 years, we began our wintering vulture survey journey in the burning town of Centralia. Hawk Mountain Biologist-Naturalist Bracken Brown maneuvered the Sanctuary’s Toyota RAV4 next to an abandoned house that was so overgrown with weeds they licked the porch awning. Then we drove, taking Route 61 toward the river city of Sunbury.

The first leg of the survey route passed through some old mining towns, true to the heart of the Appalachian countryside experience. We scanned the skies on both sides of the vehicle, driving slightly below the speed limit and angering midday travelers. We could only hope they noticed our Hawk Mountain emblem and chalked us up to crazy birders, nothing personal. We didn’t see our first vultures until we were almost 50 miles into the survey, on the other side of the Susquehanna River. The vultures weren’t interested in abandoned mining towns.

They were flying, not far from the road, which contoured the shape of the river. Three large black birds with V-shaped silhouettes and silver flight feathers were

circling, rocking on the frigid breeze above a depleted corn field. I yelled out, “three turkey vultures, five meters up and about 20 meters out,” and Bracken nodded his approval. As the designated scribe for the day, I wrote my findings in a worn composition notebook.

We know that these individuals are either year-round residents or birds from further north who are avoiding resource scarcity in wintery ecosystems. About one half of the turkey vultures in southeastern Pennsylvania are migrants. Black vultures aren’t known to migrate but can move to other nearby areas if food become scarce. On that day, we counted every individual we could see from our Appalachian Ridgebased route as we traveled down into Maryland. From the vulture’s perspective, we travel in a vehicle just like any other they see. But inside, we have binoculars and notes, recording their presence in a ritual Hawk Mountain Sanctuary has been perpetuating for almost 20 years. Our investment in this long-term study stems from a cautionary tale that has taught us to value species while they are still common.

A fierce protection and knowledge of the value of vultures are virtues that perhaps begin in our DNA. Even our early human

ancestors, living just above the fertile crescent in what is now Anatolia, Turkey, 60,000 years ago, had veneration for the scavengers that visited their loved ones after death. Vultures have been steeped in human culture all over the world. Even in Mexico, ancestral dances are still carried out today to celebrate vulture-like birds migrating by the masses through the River of Raptors, Veracruz. A modern flame of appreciation for vultures has been reignited in recent decades due to mass vulture die-offs in Europe, India, and Africa. In Asia, this was primarily owed to the use of a popular veterinary drug, diclofenac. In Africa and Europe, a mosaic of conservation issues contributes to their continued decline, such as habitat loss, human conflict, and electrocution.

Since then, the world has turned its attention to how dependent humans are on vultures. OldWorld vulture species still face rapid declines and have been listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Critically Endangered. Loss of these utilitarian creatures has cost governments billions of dollars in sanitation measures and has even resulted in financial losses due to the rapid spread of diseases such as rabies. Efforts to restore vulture populations in Africa, India, and Eastern Europe are still well underway, and some of these inspiring projects have been spearheaded by Hawk Mountain Sanctuary collaborators and former trainees.

Meanwhile, in North and South America, vulture populations have been climbing at an unprecedented rate since the ban of another dangerous chemical –DDT. Humans have been forced to adapt to the influx of vultures,

Can You Tell the Difference?

Black vultures, (Coragyps atratus), also known as zopilotes throughout Mexico, were a predominantly South American and southern North American species that became the most numerous vulture species in the Western Hemisphere. They arrived in eastern Pennsylvania in the 1980s and continued northward through New England and into Canada. Despite their range expansion, they are a nonmigratory species unlike their turkey vulture cousins. Monitoring their population along the Kittatinny Ridge is especially important to assist policy makers with decisions surrounding humanvulture conflict.

Data collected over the years of Hawk Mountain’s long-term road survey study have supported CBC results, showing population increases for both species and the continued colonization of the Northeast by black vultures. We also know, based on the catastrophic declines observed on other continents, that the presence of vultures in North and South America is precious.

The turkey vulture’s Latin name, Cathartes aura, aptly means “golden purifier.” The ecosystem services they provide span from Saskatchewan, Canada, to the tip of Argentina and are certainly as valuable as gold. In fact, each vulture is almost worth its weight in gold. A prepandemic study from the IUCN estimated that each individual vulture’s scavenging services were worth at least $10,200—a price-tag that has likely increased exponentially since then. New World vultures have been providing valuable ecosystem services right beneath our noses for tens of thousands of years, even in the winter. As a result, vultures are valued accordingly by the federal government. Protection of vultures under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) states that the taking of a migratory bird shall be subject to fines of up to $5,000 and six months of imprisonment. Though Bracken and I were a peculiar team of prospectors, the search for these cathartic and expensive birds is well founded.

Not only is the government valuing vultures, but so is Hawk Mountain. The Sanctuary’s research team began equipping turkey vultures with satellite transmitters in 2003 to learn more about their movements locally and across continents. Each transmitter cost a hefty $4,000, just over the average amount of money Americans spent on their engagement rings in 2020. Four years later, black vultures started to receive Hawk Mountain transmitters as well. We even have a transmittered black vulture that we continue to track named Versace, a fitting homage to her luxurious status and designer “backpack.” Now, in 2023, Hawk Mountain has transmitters on two more black vultures in Pennsylvania and one in Connecticut. We have more than three times that number of transmitters on turkey vultures in western North America. With so much money up in the air, the comprehensive monitoring of vulture populations in North and South America is worth our time.

Hawk Mountain’s vulture road survey results from 2005 to 2020 in South Carolina, revealing increases in both turkey and black vulture populations.

Hawk Mountain’s vulture road survey results from 2005 to 2020 in the Pennsylvania to New York Region, showing the colonization of black vultures in the Northeast.

Photo of Rebekah Smith holding Versace the black vulture.

Hawk Mountain’s vulture road surveys don’t stop with the Kittatinny Ridge. Collaborative efforts have expanded all the way down to the furthest extents of the New World vulture range in southernmost Chile and the Falkland Islands, and northernmost in British Columbia and Saskatchewan, Canada. The dedication to vulture road surveys surpasses both time and space, as a multitude of international trainees—former, current, and future—have come forward to contribute to this expansive study over the years. As of winter 2023, the study encompasses 23 sites, each with five to nine routes.

This winter, Bracken traveled to meet Diego Gallego, spring 2022 trainee alumnus, to complete vulture survey routes in Uruguay. Bracken also worked to coordinate with Luis Saavedra, a hawkwatch collaborator who will take on the northwest and northeast Venezuela survey routes. We’ve seen through the dedication of these collaborators and others that the passion for monitoring and protecting vultures also surpasses political borders and even unrest.

Hawk Mountain staff members MT Grob and Rebecca McCabe also contributed to this year’s vulture surveys. Summer vulture surveys are the connective tissue for this vast effort, helping to gather an even clearer picture of how vultures move between seasons. With a long-term comparison of New World vulture wintering and breeding grounds, Hawk Mountain scientists can better determine population trends and movement. In total, approximately 20 collaborators, staff members, and trainees have contributed to the expansive Hawk Mountain vulture surveys. The value of this long-term study will only increase with time, providing us with robust monitoring data that will be used to inform policy and spread the word about the value of vultures.

The world has turned their attention to New World vultures, asking: what we will do with our riches? Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is answering the call, spreading the word about the value of vultures, one road survey at a time.

If you’re interested in investing in vultures too, for the fraction of the cost of an engagement ring, you can sponsor a vulture! Please go to hawkmountain.org/give/ adopt-a-vulture to learn more about our Adopt a Vulture program.

Vulture movement data collected from satellite transmitters in Pennsylvania and Connecticut by the end of 2022, including Versace’s movements, shown in gold.

Turkey vultures with Hawk Mountain satellite transmitters in Western North America.

Figure representing current vulture survey locations and results as of February 2023. Four sites have yet to be re-surveyed at the time of writing. Created by Rebekah Smith.

The Search for

Elusive Weasels at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

By Laura Berry

Did you know? The current population status of weasel species in Pennsylvania is undetermined.

Three species have been known to exist in the keystone state: the long-tailed (Neogale frenata), the short-tailed (Mustela richardsonii), and the least weasel (Mustela nivalis). Long-tailed weasels are the largest and most common species in Pennsylvania, ranging across the United States and Canada. The less common short-tailed weasel, or American ermine, is slightly smaller and exists in more northern states

and Canada. Least weasels, nicknamed “mouse weasels,” are the smallest of the three species. Their presence in Pennsylvania is currently unknown, as recorded sightings in the past 20 years have been in the single digits, which could indicate a population decline or may just reflect their incredibly secretive nature. These tiny carnivores are incredibly fastmoving and often exist in habitats with dense groundcover, making them difficult to monitor visually. Due to their uncertain standing, least weasels have also been overlooked by wildlife protection plans, as so little data exists to make an informed decision about conservation efforts.

Weasels are members of the family

Mustelidae, which is made up of martens, fishers, badgers, otters, polecats, and the wolverine. Members of Mustelidae exist on every continent except Australia, Antarctica, and some oceanic islands including Madagascar. Characteristics of this family include well-developed carnassial teeth and enlarged scent glands, which secrete a powerful-smelling musk. This musk is important for the olfactory communication and defense of the animal, also lending to its family namesake. They are highly specialized predators that exist in terrestrial,

American ermine by PGC photographer Jacob Dingel.

Unidentified weasel species (either long-tailed or American ermine) outside of a bucket trap at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.

arboreal, marine, and freshwater habitats, and they occupy specific niches in their ecosystems, targeting the most available prey in the given habitat. Mustelids offer a form of ecological pest control, regulating small mammal populations that would rapidly expand without an efficient predator. Common prey of terrestrial mustelids include rodents and rabbits, two groups of small mammals that are known to damage native flora, devastate crops, and be carriers of disease if their populations remain unchecked. Mustelids can positively impact the habitats they exist in, but unfortunately anthropogenic activities have reduced populations in different areas of the United States.

Historically, mustelids have been important to the fur industry, with the overharvest of river otters, American martens, fishers, mink, and weasel species in the 1500s leading to their near extinction in the United States. In fact, American martens serve as an example of what can happen to weasels if Pennsylvanians do not take precautionary action. In the early 20th century, American martens faced extirpation or localized extinction in Pennsylvania. And now, thriving populations exist outside the state, but due to unregulated hunting, trapping, and deforestation, there are no longer any American martens in Pennsylvania today. Reintroduction programs are presently being proposed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC), the same programs that brought river otters back to healthy river systems across the state. Hunting and trapping of otters and other mustelids are now regulated by the PGC, appeasing outdoorsmen while also ensuring sustainable, healthy populations.

Preferring to occupy forested habitats with thick vegetative cover or rocks, many weasel species can remain undetected by humans. Because of their inconspicuous nature, researchers must come up with different ways of monitoring populations that do not involve sighted surveys.

Hunting and trapping records have been used to indicate animal abundance, but

scientists are realizing this method may provide unreliable data. Using hunting records to estimate population dynamics can be misleading, as trapping is often used as a form of pest-management. Mustelid species like weasels, mink, fishers, and martens are opportunistic hunters, occasionally targeting poultry if readily available. If the pest becomes less of a nuisance, farmers might think it best to direct their efforts elsewhere, leading to less weasels in traps. The frequency of weasels and other mustelids being trapped may indicate a population decline, but it also may just indicate a decline in trapping efforts in general. Because of this potential for inconsistency, alternate methods must be tested and developed.

The New Approach

To get a better idea of the population status of weasels, the PGC, along with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, and Millersville University, have begun a state-wide pilot study to test survey techniques. The collaborative effort joins these organizations with local individuals who volunteer their time to test different camera traps and attractants with the goal of determining which techniques (or combination of techniques) are most effective in drawing these tiny carnivores to camera sites. There are study sites set up all across Pennsylvania in eight counties, including Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Public game lands and private properties owned by PGC staff and volunteer collaborators have three camera set-ups

Unidentified weasel species (either long-tailed or American ermine) inside an ammo box trap in Western PA.

per study site, consisting of a trail camera and a different attractant—either a visual lure, scent lure, food bait, or a killsqueak (a specially designed auditory lure that repeatedly plays the death cry of a rodent).

Attractants vary based on location, but all sites use specially designed weasel gland lure and killsqueaks. Olfactory lures include mustelid anal gland musk, salmon oil, beaver castor, and other mammal gland concentrates, meant to attract weasels from long distances to camera sites. Food attractants include cat or dog food, dead rodents, beaver meat, and paste bait. Other attractants include auditory lures, consisting of the battery-powered killsqueak, and visual lures, which are still being developed. Because this initial survey effort is a pilot study, researchers are looking at different methods and their individual or combined effectiveness at attracting weasels to camera sites.

The three study sites set up at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary are managed by Dr. Aaron Haines, certified wildlife biologist and professor at Millersville University. Haines, along with research students, has been deploying three different trail camera set-ups on Sanctuary grounds. The camera set-ups currently at Hawk Mountain are bucket cameras, ammo box cameras, and open trail cameras.

Bucket cameras consist of two 5-gallon, downward-facing, plastic buckets stacked on top of each other and secured to the ground with stakes. Half- to full-circle holes are cut on either side of the bucket along the ground, allowing anything smaller than a mink to enter the trap. The motiondetecting trail camera is set up inside the inner bucket, lens pointed down to photograph any animal drawn in by the attractant. This technique has been used successfully with small mammal surveys prior, but weasels are an entirely new trial.

Ammo boxes are the most recent method being tested at the Sanctuary, involving a trail camera placed on the lid of an ammo box, facing inside. Two holes are cut into either side of the far wall of the box, with a clear PVC pipe going through. There is an opening in the pipe which allows a small mammal to enter the box, leading to where researchers place the attractant. Ammo box cameras have been identified as a successful survey method for weasels, but this technique requires comparative testing with other methods to determine which is the most effective and efficient method of camera trapping these small carnivores.

Open camera sites involve the simplest setup of the three: a trail camera attached to a tree or post, which faces the attractant. The attractant is placed in view of the camera, so if an animal approaches to investigate the bait or lure, it can be picked up on the motion-detecting camera. In the frame there is also a piece of PVC pipe marked by centimeters so researchers can approximate the size of any animal the camera picks up.

Long-tailed weasel family, illustration by Doug Pifer, courtesy of the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Long-tailed weasel seen at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary by John Lwasz.

The other two camera set-ups also have a method of measurement, usually a simple plastic ruler positioned at the entrance of the bucket or box. Having a form of measurement in photos is important, as the three weasel species vary slightly in length and size but are extremely similar in appearance, which can make it hard to differentiate in trail camera photos.

Identification between weasels with similar morphology and overlapping habitat preferences can prove extremely challenging—even the experts can get stumped. Furbearer biologists, wildlife biologists, and expert trappers share their trail camera photos with each other to get peer feedback and to “double-check” identification conclusions. Even in poorquality trail camera footage, there are slight morphological differences that can be noted if a person knows what to look for. Long-tailed weasels are the largest, approximately 15-23.5 inches in length, and can be identified by their tail-length, which is nearly equivalent to their body length. They have dark brown fur with a blacktipped tail and white on their chins, chest, and underside. Some northern populations may turn white in winter, but this is less common in Pennsylvania. American ermine are slightly smaller, approximately 9-15 inches in length, but similar in coloration. Their tails are approximately half their body

length and also have a black tip. American ermine also undergo a white molt in the winter, making identification slightly easier during that season. Least weasels are the smallest of the trio, approximately 6-8.5 inches in length. Like the others, coloration is brown above with white below, but they lack the black-tipped tail.

With the footage gathered from Hawk Mountain so far in the study, Haines and collaborators have identified the presence of long-tailed weasels at the Sanctuary, but no confirmed American ermines or least weasels. Study sites were set up around the Acopian Center from April to December, but have since been relocated to new sites along the Lookout Trail, off-trail to avoid human influence by visitors. The results of this study will not only indicate weasel presence at Hawk Mountain, but may also identify effective survey strategies for weasels. Efforts are being continually expanded to other parts of the state to try to cover as much potential habitat as possible. With these results, researchers may also be able to determine the preferred habitats of weasels, as the landscape of Pennsylvania is ever-changing and past habitats may not exist in abundance anymore. The goal is to identify non-invasive survey techniques for weasel populations to learn more about the population dynamics and behavior of these elusive species, and if surveys provide reliable data on population, more can be done to implement effective conservation efforts, if necessary.

To support this effort or learn more, please contact Dr. Aaron Haines, aaron.haines@millersville.edu, or Tom Keller, thkeller@pa.gov.

American ermine with its winter molt, illustration by Doug Pifer, courtesy of the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Chasing a Passion for Biodiversity Conservation

By Giovanne Tampos, Spring 2010 Conservation Science Trainee

Honestly, I had not seen myself in the arena of conservation. However, my influences upon growing up molded my consciousness in this realm, which, eventually for me, was an opportunity to serve.

My greatest influence is my father, or as I respectfully call him, Tatay. His life story inspires me, which depends mostly on nature. He was a born farmer and started tilling the land for crops at 12 years of age to support his siblings. He developed a strong affinity for nature, and growing up, I saw his virtues and his respect for nature. As he always emphasized, “we get rain from nature.” Possibly this childhood experience is what brought me into this field of science. When I was in the sixth grade, the idea of becoming a field biologist began to sprout. I happened to browse an old copy of Reader’s Digest, and I saw a picture of a woman painstakingly studying the behaviors of a troop of chimpanzees. I read the story behind the pictures, and that’s when I discovered Dr. Jane Goodall. After reading the whole story, I became more curious about the life and work of a field biologist.

However, living in a third-world country, I was confronted with finding a course that would allow substantial earnings. Nonetheless, as my parents advised me to follow my interest, I enrolled to get my Bachelor of Science degree in biology. As a biology student, I experienced joining researchers and the studies of my professors. But still, I caught myself asking where the road would lead me as a biology graduate, since there were very few local organizations doing research. I wondered if there would be opportunities

in the Philippines like that on the National Geographic Channel.

My worries and wonders halted when in 2005 I was one of the fortunate students to join the research expeditions of the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) in Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary. PEF is a non-government organization dedicated to saving and protecting our national bird, the Philippine eagle. During that fieldwork, I met various experts in the country working on different taxa such as birds, rodents, bats, reptiles, and amphibians. These experts showed me the real world of a field biologist. I greatly admired all of their work, especially after reading their names in publications. I recalled the magazine I read in grade school that featured the research of Dr. Goodall, and frankly, this experience with the PEF cemented my passion for research and conservation.

Trapping of wild Philippine Eagles to install satellite transmitters in order to understand habitat use and their home range.

My first interest was studying frogs. I joined the team of PEF conducting inventory on the different species of frogs from the dipterocarp forest up to the montane and mossy forest of a tropical rainforest. At night, we crossed different transect lines to capture frogs until midnight. During daytime, we processed the captured frogs for description and identification. I was taught how to properly obtain the measurements and identify morphological differences of the species. The data on species richness and the microhabitat of the species became part of my undergraduate thesis.

After graduating college in 2006, I decided to join the research fieldwork of the PEF as a volunteer in the mountain ranges within Eastern Mindanao Corridor. These mountain ranges are identified as Key Biodiversity Areas of the country but with no clear inventory of the assemblages of biodiversity. The research fieldwork served as the preliminary and baseline information on the biodiversity of these areas. I joined three of their expeditions in different mountain ranges, covering two to three

weeks of fieldwork. I specifically joined the team for herpetofauna—amphibians and reptile research.

Eventually, the organization invited me to join their fieldwork on Philippine eagle research. In September 2006, I had the chance to see a Philippine eagle in the wild. It was so surreal that I could not explain my emotions seeing a pair of Philippine eagles for the first time. I was just so happy seeing a large bird that I never imagined existed. In December 2006, I was invited again to join a team that would locate a nest in Central Mindanao. After tough and grueling fieldwork in a dense montane forest, a nest was located nestled on a huge branch of a tree, Dacrycarpus cumingii. It was a feeling I could not contain, and I demanded to myself to have more experiences like this. Fortunately, just before Christmas Day, I joined another fieldwork team that did eventually locate another Philippine eagle nest.

I still asked myself why I endured this long, tough, and very tiring hike. But as soon as I saw a Philippine eagle freely soaring above the tree canopy, heard the loud voice of a

Senior high school students are invited for a raptor encounter at the counting and monitoring site of migratory birds in Cape San Agustin.

female when the male eagle delivers food for the mother and the growing chick along with the vulnerable calls of the young eagle as it sat down on the nest, I recognized the comfort and joy doing what I do. I did not know if this is what they called passion. I started to realize that many people may be called to work for conservation, but unfortunately, only a few have responded due to its high physical and mental demand. But when the PEF offered me a job as a junior field biologist on February 7, 2007, I immediately accepted without a single doubt. That day marked a milestone in my journey in raptor conservation; it was a rare privilege to do something good for the benefit of biodiversity and the community in general.

In this position I first handled the test releases of captive-bred and rehabilitated eagles. The goal was to fine-tune the release protocol either for a captive-bred or a rehabilitated bird. It was certainly a test of my skills as a leader and as a researcher. I did primarily pre-release preparations, such as coordinating with government agencies and communities, but the bulk of the tasks fell on post-release monitoring. Released birds must be followed and observed at all times, and behaviors must be clearly documented to determine their responses in the wild. The team can then respond

with appropriate interventions if needed. Despite these intense experiences, I still wanted to learn more. Eventually, my supervisor at the time introduced me to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. I then applied and became one of the Spring trainees in 2010. It was very memorable because it was also my first time traveling out of the country. I was afraid, but my enthusiasm and interest to learn were heavier than my emotions.

The Acopian Center for Conservation

Learning at Hawk Mountain brought me into the world of raptor conservation. It walked me through the different research aspects of raptor research from different parts of the world, and I was exposed to the vast and well-coordinated conservation measures with different organizations. Above all, I was impressed by the conservation culture of the community and the people within the Sanctuary.

I also had the privilege to converse with a known person in raptor research and conservation, Dr. Keith Bildstein. He shared not just his various experience but also how to become a leader in conservation science, especially in raptor research.

I was excited to bring all that I learned to my home country. I was inspired and thus embraced the leadership tasked to me as a Senior Field Biologist. I helped PEF in its two-pronged approach to conservation— continued research to generate information on the home range of a pair of Philippine eagles and the dispersal pattern of young eagles and to involve the communities around the nest areas to help protect the bird. I was directly involved in trapping wild eagles, using large bow nets and installing satellite and radio transmitters. In the same manner, I worked with local communities by organizing their members to help in monitoring the eagles, especially during the breeding season.

After a decade of working for the organization, I decided to transfer to an academic institution to primarily share my knowledge with younger generations

In a makeshift platform built on a tree, the tropical forests are scanned for a chance to see a Philippine Eagle.

as I also pursued my personal growth by earning a master’s degree. I became a faculty of the Bachelor of Science in Biology program at Davao Oriental State University. Apart from teaching, I also trained students in various research techniques on biodiversity assessment.

I worked to continue raptor research by establishing a monitoring site on migratory birds that follow the peninsula of Mount Hamiguitian Range before exiting in Cape San Agustin and heading down to Indonesia. Hawk Mountain and Dr. Laurie Goodrich provided me with the technical and financial support to sustain this research. Just recently, I presented my observations from this site at the 2022 Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network Conference, sharing the data collected from 2018 to 2021. I plan to continue conducting this long-term monitoring of raptor migration.

Aside from raptor research, I am still involved in the inventory of biodiversity, specifically on birds, amphibians, and mammals in a Key Biodiversity Area in our province. Biodiversity information is integral to the aspirations of the local government to declare the area as a watershed and to formulate conservation management plans for habitat protection. We play a role in facilitating the government by providing scientific information for their conservation measures.

I also just earned my Master of Science in Biology in 2022. I focused my study on the temperature and humidity profiles of the microhabitat and habitat of frogs against their respective critical thermal maxima. My interest is to understand the responses of species to climate change.

Right now, I am designated to handle the vertebrate research laboratory of the newly created Institute of Tropical Regenerative Biodiversity of the university. This is another opportunity for me to share all my learnings with younger generations who will pursue vertebrate research. And to further develop my expertise, I will be pursuing a doctoral degree this year, and I am hoping to secure

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Giovanne was featured in the 2018 multi-award winning documentary Bird of Prey, which explored the critically endangered status of the Great Philippine Eagle and the team of people determined to save this species from extinction. Learn more at birdofpreymovie.com.

Rescuing an injured Philippine Eagle.

Obtaining the morphological measurements of the captured frogs to aid in identification.

HAWK MOUNTAIN HAPPENINGS

SPRING EVENT

Friday, May 12, 6 PM

Online Auction: May 12 – May 31

Join us for an evening of mingling, live music, and a wonderful selection of hors d’oeuvres, all to benefit Hawk Mountain. The event will take place at Folino Estate Winery in Kutztown, PA, just 20 minutes from the Sanctuary.

The accompanying online silent auction will kick off the night of the Benefit and run through Wednesday, May 31. Browse a diverse selection of art, apparel, experiences, and more to support the Sanctuary. Visit hawkmountain.org/benefit for details. Those interested in attending or sponsoring the event can contact Tammy Jandrasitz at jandrasitz@hawkmountain.org.

Come visit the Mountain and be surrounded by the beauty of nature and live musical performances of local ensembles. Performances take place in the Hawk Mountain Amphitheater and are followed by light refreshments and a live raptor meet-and-greet. Admission is $25, $20 for Mountain Members, and registration is at hawkmountain.ticketleap.com.

Berks Sinfonietta

Saturday, June 10 • 2-4 PM

Gabriel Chamber Ensemble

Saturday, September 9 • 2-4 PM

SPRING EVENT

Saturday, August 12 • 5 - 8 PM $60, $30 for those not

tasting

Come spend a late summer evening on the Mountain in support of the Sanctuary and to celebrate the beginning of another autumn migration season! Enjoy unlimited tastings of beers, ciders, seltzers, wines, and more, along with live music and delicious food from The Brickhouse Grill. Admission is $60, $30 for those not participating the tastings.

Tickets sell fast! Get yours at hawkmountain.org/birdsandbrew

Member Exclusive Events

Register now at hawkmountain.ticketleap.com

Springtime Hike to North Lookout

Sat, Apr 15 • 10 – 11:30 AM • $10

Join Master Naturalist Gordon Bosler for a guided hike to the North Lookout while looking for signs of spring along the way.

Signs of Spring Walk with the President

Thu, Apr 20 • 8 – 10 AM • $5

Explore springtime at Pine Swamp with President Sean Grace.

Moonlight Hike

Fri, May 5 • 8 – 10:30 PM • $10

Join us for a two-mile hike in the moonlight to North Lookout and get to meet a LIVE nocturnal raptor.

Kestrel Encounter

Fri, June 2 • 10 AM – 12 PM • $10

Meet a live kestrel or see a possible nestling, then learn about the importance of conserving grasslands for raptors that are in decline.

Vulture Encounter

Fri, July 7 • 10 AM – 12 PM • $10

Meet a live black vulture, then learn about vultures’ role in nature and how Hawk Mountain is researching and conserving the species.

Summer Nature Camps

Appalachian Ecology Course

Friday, June 16 – Sunday, June 25

This June, Hawk Mountain is once again offering a 10-day, immersive course experiencing and learning about the ecology of the Appalachians. Designed for teens ages 15-17 who are interesting in becoming a future conservation professional, this course is based on the principles of service learning and will expose students to a variety of conservation field skills, including raptor and songbird field research, forest research, forest ecology, habitat management, GIS/ GPS, herpetology, entomology, native plant propagation, and more, along with a focus on building valuable life skills. This is a residential course, where all participants will live on site for the full duration.

Details and information on how to apply can be found at hawkmountain.org/ AppEcologyCourse.

Scholarship opportunities available!

Designed for youth entering grades 1 – 6, these week-long day camps get kids outdoors, developing a deeper connection with the natural world through fun and educational activities. Campers can choose one week or join us for the entire summer!

Registration closes two weeks before start of chosen camp. Discounted price available for Mountain Members and those signing up for more than 4 weeks. Visit hawkmountain.org/ summercamps for details. Scholarship opportunities available!

JUNE 19 - 23

Art of Nature

JUNE 28 - 30

Wild Survivors

JULY 3 - 7

Predators & Prey

JULY 10 - 14

Surviving in the Wild

JULY 17 - 21

All About Animals

JULY 24 - 28

Wild Discoveries

JULY 31 - AUG 4

Woodland Games

AUG 7 - 11

Young Naturalist

SAVE THE DATE Rosalie’s Ramble in NYC

Friday, April 26, 2024

Celebrate Hawk Mountain’s 90th anniversary with a birding excursion to New York City’s beautiful Central Park! Join HMS staff and volunteer naturalists for a guided birding experience in the Ramble, one of Hawk Mountain founder Rosalie Edge’s favorite birding spots. Stay tuned for more info!

Banner Year for Broadwings

By David Barber, Senior Research Biologist

On the afternoon of September 18, we watched as the last of the broadwinged hawks streamed out of site, and then looked at each other—we were all at a loss for words. For an hour we had watched a continuous stream of broadwings pass over the lookout. Birds started kettling over #1 and #2, and when they reached the top of the thermal, they then turned towards the lookout. As birds streamed out the top, more joined the kettle at the bottom of the thermal. And so it continued for an hour, and at the end we counted 1,915 total broadwings. Maurice Broun talked about “red letter days” as “those days when hawks flood the Sanctuary skyways, as in fulfillment of a hawk-lover’s hopes and dreams.” We had just witnessed a “red-letter” hour.

AUGUST 2022

Broad-winged Hawk by Bill Moses

AUGUST • Overcast skies and barely a breath of wind greeted Biologist-Naturalist Bracken Brown on the first day of the official count. The first migrant of the season, a juvenile broad-winged hawk, appeared at 10:24 AM and soared past the lookout. A juvenile sharpshinned hawk joined the count a couple of hours later, but the skies remained empty for the afternoon. A total of two raptors for the day offered an inauspicious start to the count.

Raptor migration remained light through the first week of the count, but early morning songbird flights did not disappoint. On the 20th, volunteer counter Paul Heveran tallied 13 species of warblers and a dickcissel, a species not recorded at North Lookout in over 40 years. A single-day record of 118 red-eyed vireos and

11 warbling vireos were tallied on the 23rd by Director of Conservation Science Laurie Goodrich. Strong songbird flights continued the next day when volunteer counter Jason Deeter and former trainee Patrick Maurice recorded 12 species of warblers, including a blue-winged warbler, an uncommon migrant at North Lookout.

The best raptor flight of the month occurred on the 27th; volunteer counters Holly Merker and Jeremy Scheivert counted an August-high 63 raptors, including 3 northern harriers, 47 broadwinged hawks, 4 ospreys, and 2 bald eagles.

Bracken Brown swept the swallows on the 29th, tallying 2 purple martins, 24 tree, 2 cliff, 61 barn, 8 bank, and 3 northern rough-winged swallows.

AUTUMN MIGRATION REPORT

SEPTEMBER • Clear skies and overnight northerly winds produced a nice songbird flight on the morning of the 1st; 11 species of warblers were tallied, including 38 Cape May warblers and a season high 20 scarlet tanagers. Ruby-throated hummingbirds also were on the move, with 67 recorded throughout the day.

Light winds, cloudy skies, fog, and rain stalled the raptor flights for the next week, but birds were on the move once the rain cleared. A total of 232 birds were seen on the 9th, including 10 bald eagles, 2 northern harriers, 197 broad-winged hawks, 12 redtailed hawks, 4 American kestrels, 2 merlins, and an early flock of 9 migrating turkey vultures. Another pulse of 235 raptors soared past the lookout on

SEPTEMBER 2022

the 10th before rain once again shut down the migration.

A late-day flight of 192 broad-winged hawks between 6 and 7 PM on the 15th was the start of a five-day parade that would total over 10,500 broadwings. Counters tallied 1,536 broadwings on the 16th, but the big push occurred on 17th when volunteer counters Beth Sassaman and Adam Carter recorded 2,883 broadwings. The flight on 18th started slow, and volunteer counters Doug Wood and Caroline Fegley thought the big broadwing flights had passed until the skies opened between 3 and 4 PM. A large kettle of broadwings could be seen over the ridge with birds entering the bottom and exiting out of the top and streams of broadwings passing over the lookout. By the end of the hour a jaw-dropping

1,915 had passed, leaving counters and visitors speechless. The last large broadwing flight occurred the next day when an additional 2,783 broadwings were counted moving ahead of an approaching front. Osprey also took advantage of the strong thermals during those four days; a season high 24 ospreys were tallied on both the 17th and 18th.

Gusty northwest winds greeted me when I arrived on the lookout on the 23rd. The composition of the raptor flight had shifted: migrating sharp-shinned hawks (159) now outnumbered broad-winged hawks (150), and the first big flight of American kestrels occurred with 37. The blustery winds also produced a season high 38 bald eagles, including 22 eagles after 4 PM.

A strong cold front on the 28th produced another pulse of 319 migrants. Senior Scientist JF Therrien

recorded 12 bald eagles, 182 sharp-shinned hawks, 23 Cooper’s hawks, 32 broad-winged hawks, 34 red-tailed hawks, 10 American kestrels, 8 merlins, and a season high 6 peregrine falcons. The parade continued the next day with 5 ospreys, 17 bald eagles, 87 sharp-shinned hawks, 17 Cooper’s hawks, 23 broad-winged hawks, 34 red-tailed hawks and the first golden eagle of the season. The 34 redtailed hawks seen both days were unusually high counts for September.

Blue jay numbers started to build during the last week of September. The migrating flocks were eerily quiet in contrast to their often-raucous behavior and could be seen silently flapping past the lookout or flying low through the valleys. A season high of 1,043 jays was counted on the 30th. Also seen on the 30th was the first pine siskin of the season.

BLVU Black Vulture

TUVU Turkey Vulture

OSPR Osprey

BAEA Bald Eagle

NOHA Northern Harrier

SSHA Sharp-shinned Hawk

COHA Cooper’s Hawk

NOGO Northern Goshawk

UNAC Unidentified Accipiter

RSHA Red-shouldered Hawk

BWHA Broad-winged Hawk

RTHA Red-tailed Hawk

RLHA Rough-legged Hawk

UNBU Unidentified Buteo

GOEA Golden Eagle

AMKE American Kestrel

MERL Merlin

PEFA Peregrine Falcon

UNFA Unidentified Falcon

UNRA Unidentified Raptor

Osprey by Bill Moses

OCTOBER • Rain and drizzle cut counts short on the first four days, but once the weather cleared, numbers of sharp-shinned hawks started to build. Accipters were on the move on the 7th, despite the southwest winds. I tallied 130 sharp-shinned hawks, 17 Cooper’s hawks, and an immature northern goshawk, the first of the season. Also seen were season highs of 4 yellow-bellied sapsuckers and 22 red-bellied woodpeckers.

Late in the day, the winds shifted to the northwest, setting up the 8th for one of the best flights of the season with 12 species recorded and season highs for several species. Volunteer counters Scott Morrison, Jon Levin, and Andy Price recorded season highs for sharp-shinned hawk (283), Cooper’s hawk (32), American kestrel (55), merlin (10), and peregrine falcon (6). Strong flights of sharp-shinned hawks continued through the third

OCTOBER 2022

week with multiple days of triple-digit sharpie counts including 171 on the 15th, 185 on the 18th, 174 on the 20th, and 142 on the 21st.

Most people don’t think of white-breasted nuthatches, a common Pennsylvania breeding resident, as migratory, but we observed whitebreasted nuthatches flying down ridge past the lookout on several days; a season high 11 nuthatches were counted on the 7th, followed by 10 more on 15th.

Numbers of migrating turkey vultures started to build during the end of the first week, starting with a flock of 10 vultures observed on the 5th. Turkey vultures peaked on the 19th, with 66 migrants counted, including a flock of 51 moving through late in the afternoon.

Northwest winds typically produce the best conditions for raptor flights the second half of the season, and the 27th was a prime example. Laurie Goodrich recorded a season high 128 red-tailed hawks soaring on the 8-18 mph winds, along with 63 turkey vultures, 24 bald eagles, 2 sharp-shinned hawks, 10 Cooper’s hawks, 6 red-shouldered hawks, 4 kestrels, and 5 merlins. Laurie also tallied two red bats flapping past the lookout.

A flock of five evening grosbeaks were spotted on the 31st, the season’s first sighting of this irruptive winter finch. Other winter finches spotted on the 31st included 22 purple finches and 12 pine siskins.

Red-tailed Hawk by Bill Moses

NOVEMBER • Volunteer counters Rob Feldman and Karen Lutz started off November on a high note with 13 bald eagles and a golden eagle recorded on the 1st, but unseasonably warm temperatures and light winds during the first week slowed the golden eagle flight. Only seven goldens were counted during what is typically their peak migration period. Nonetheless, a very late osprey was observed on the 4th and migrating monarch butterflies were recorded on both the 4th and the 5th.

Sightings of irruptive winter finches continued in November with the first crossbills of the season: a red crossbill on the 5th and a flock of seven whitewinged crossbills on the 9th. Season high

NOVEMBER 2022

counts of 58 purple finches were tallied on the 6th, 23 evening grosbeaks on the 23rd, and 26 pine siskins on the 26th.

Flights of red-tailed hawks remained steady but in low numbers through November. Research Biologist Rebecca McCabe and former trainee Marzia Verduci tallied 55 red-tailed hawks on the 7th, but the high redtail day of the month was on the 13th. Volunteer counters Jeremy Scheivert and Doug Wood counted 56 redtails along with 24 bald eagles, 2 northern goshawks, 6 red-shouldered hawks, and a season high 10 golden eagles.

Volunteer counters Caroline Fegley and Scott Morrison braved the single-digit wind chills on the 20th and were rewarded with excellent looks at migrating eagles; 11 bald and 7 golden eagles were observed along with 3 northern harriers, 29 red-tailed hawks, and 2 merlins. Several large flocks of migrating gulls were also observed on the 20th—ring-billed gulls were the most common, but Caroline and Scott also recorded several herring and Bonarparte’s gulls as well.

Bracken Brown recorded 11 bald eagles soaring together in a thermal on the 28th, and by day’s end he tallied a total of 24 bald and 10 golden eagles. Murders of migrating crows were also observed on the 28th, with a season high 428 counted.

Northern Harrier by Bill Moses

DECEMBER • The strong eagle flights continued in December with 19 bald eagles and 6 golden eagles on the 1st. Laurie Goodrich tallied 32 birds on the 8th, the last big count of the season that included 9 black vultures, 17 bald eagles, 5 red-tailed hawks, and 1 golden eagle.

Waterfowl migration was light for most of the fall, perhaps due to the warmer than average November, but geese were moving “en masse” from the 3rd through the 8th. A total of 6,647 snow geese and 7,836 Canada geese were tallied those days, with a high of 3,871 snow geese on the 10th and 3,748 on the 12th.

The last official count day on the 15th was cancelled due to rain, but on the 14th, volunteer counter Matt Wlasniewski had a stellar late-season day with two bald and six golden eagles, and a subadult golden eagle was the last bird of the official count season. Matt also counted two common redpolls, the only redpolls on this year’s count.

Counters couldn’t resist heading to North Lookout on cold, windy days after the official count ended, and they were rewarded for their perseverance. Twenty birds were observed after the official count ended during seven hours of observation over three days. Bracken Brown observed two golden eagles and two adult abieticola red-tailed hawks on the 18th. The abieticola redtails are

DECEMBER 2022

Sharp-shinned Hawk by Bill Moses

Other Migrants of Note • Autumn 2022

May Warbler by Bill Moses

Snow Geese by Bill Moses

White-breasted Nuthatch by Bill Moses

MIGRATION SUMMARY • In every season there are going to be winners and losers—counts of some species will be above average while others will be below average. Unfortunately, there were not a lot of winners this year. The big winners were broadwinged hawks, as their count of 12,503 was the ninth highest count in Hawk Mountain’s 88-year count history. The other big winner was bald eagles; while not a record setting year, the 591 total was a close second, and the peak day of 38 balds was the fourth highest single-day count.

Nine of 15 species had below average counts; most notable were northern goshawk, 71% below average, osprey, 33% below average, red-tailed hawk and golden eagle, both 21% below average, and northern harrier, 16% below average. The red-tailed hawk total of 1,296 was the third lowest count recorded at the Sanctuary. Hawk Mountain was not the only watchsite in Pennsylvania that experienced a below average flight this year— northern goshawks and ospreys were below average at all watchsites in the state. However, there was some variation among sites: golden eagle and red-tailed hawk flights were below average at eastern Pennsylvania watchsites, while central and western Pennsylvania watchsites had above average counts. The low count for golden eagles could be due to wind conditions during late October and early November when winds were often light and out of the east and southwest, ideal conditions for a site like Allegheny Front in western Pennsylvania, but poor conditions for Hawk Mountain.

For osprey, northern harrier, and red-tailed hawk, this year’s counts are a continuation of their long-

2022 AUTUMN MIGRATION SUMMARY

term declines in numbers at Hawk Mountain. The causes for these declines vary among species. For northern harriers, it is likely loss of native grasslands that they use for breeding; for osprey, it may be the increase in the bald eagle population; for red-tailed hawks, it could be due to global climate change with increasing temperatures changing their migratory habits.

For species that had average counts this year, such as sharp-shinned hawks and American kestrels, we shouldn’t be complacent thinking everything is okay, because one year’s worth of data doesn’t tell the whole story. If we look at the trends for the last 10 years, we see that counts of both species are declining at the rate of 5-6% per year. The cause(s) of these declines have yet to be determined, but we hope to find out in the near future. For more information on count trends of your favorite species at Hawk Mountain, visit the Raptor Population Index website at rpi-project.com.

Hawk Mountain counters also tallied 70,019 nonraptors, including 1,663 butterflies, 581 dragonflies, and 2 mammals. The most abundant non-raptor was Canada goose with 14,164 counted, followed by snow goose (6,724), blue jay (5,719), common grackle (5,097), and cedar waxwing (5,003). Morning songbird flight numbers seemed low overall. Warbler diversity was high with 23 species recorded, but there were few days with large quantities counted. Winter finches were present in good numbers, with counts of purple finch (679), red crossbill (62), and evening grosbeak (68) all above average. In addition, quite a few uncommon non-raptors were observed this fall, including cackling goose, lesser yellowlegs, Bonaparte’s gull, sandhill crane, brown thrasher, yellow-throated warbler, and dickcissel.

Thank You

TO OUR COUNTERS

STAFF:

David Barber, Bracken Brown, Laurie Goodrich, Sean Grace, Rebecca McCabe, Jean-Franҫois Therrien.

VOLUNTEERS:

Zach Bordner, Adam Carter, Jason Deeter, Chris Farmer, Caroline Fegley, Rob Feldman, Paul Heveran, Dave Kruel, Jon Levin, Karen Lutz, Holly Merker, Scott Morrison, Andy Price, Beth Sassaman, Jeremy Scheivert, Matt Wlasniewski, Doug Wood.

COUNT ASSISTANTS AND DATA VOLUNTEERS:

Chris Arndt, Jacob Becker, John Hilbish, Rudy Keller, Bill Moses, Rich Rieger, Lee Simpson, Marzia Verduci, 2022 Conservation Science and Education Trainees.

SUMMER 2023 EDUCATOR WORKSHOPS

Hawk Mountain hopes to inspire public, private, formal, and non-formal educators with new tools, activities, and curricula for the classroom. For 2023, Hawk Mountain is once again collaborating with regional environmental organizations to offer these professional training workshops. Visit hawkmountain.org/educatorworkshops for details and registration.

RAPTORS OF PENNSYLVANIA: SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES

Tuesday, June 13 • 9 AM – 3 PM | $25

Explore the world of Pennsylvania’s raptors, reviewing successful recoveries and the challenges of the future. Join environmental educators from the PA Department of Environmental Protection, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, and Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center as they profile recovered species, as well as species that require continued efforts to maintain and expand the population. Held at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center

STREAM HEALTH CHECKUPS WITH BIRDS, MACROINVERTEBRATES, AMPHIBIANS, AND MORE!

Saturday, August 15 • 9 AM – 3 PM | $25

Join Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and Stroud Water Research Center educators for a day learning how to protect our watersheds through the lens of aquatic life, including macroinvertebrates, amphibians, and birds. Get your boots in the river as we perform water health surveys and related lessons with the help of our winged and slimy friends. Meet at the Hawk Mountain Education Building

Conservation Field Courses

CAPTIVE RAPTOR MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP

Saturday, December 2 – Sunday, December 3

$325, $300 for Members

Join us to learn about the methods and techniques that we, as global leaders in the raptor world, utilize to manage our captive raptor collection. During this two-day workshop there will be interactive demonstrations of raptor beak and nail trimming, presentation and restraint handling, raptor equipment creation and management, and general raptor husbandry. Also learn how falconers train raptors and experience the thrill of holding a falconer’s raptor and having it fly from your arm. No experience necessary.

INTRODUCTION TO RAPTOR FIELD TECHNIQUES

Thursday, July 13 – Sunday, July 16 | $675, $625 for Members

This four-day workshop will help you build confidence in your raptor field techniques. Learn new methods or hone existing skills through hands-on learning experiences with raptors, including trapping methods, handling, bird banding, blood sampling, satellite telemetry, and more. Students will participate directly in real research projects with significant individual interaction and training. No previous experience is necessary, and the class is open to the public.

APPALACHIAN FIELD INSTITUTE WORKSHOPS

These one- to three-day field-oriented workshops are designed for the amateur or professional naturalist who is interested in learning more about the natural history and ecology of the central Appalachians. Certificates of completion will be provided to all attendees, and no experience is required other than ability and gear for hiking rocky terrain on Hawk Mountain trails. Visit hawkmountain.org/AppFieldInstitute for details and registration.

Apr 28-29 – Appalachian Geology: Legacy of the Hawk Mountain Landscape

May 20-21 – Amphibians and Reptiles of the Hawk Mountain Region of Pennsylvania

Jun 10 – The Living Stream: How Aquatic Insects Tell Stories

Sep 16-17 – Migration Magic: Enjoying Neotropical Migrant Birds on the Move

Autumn 2022 Education Trainee

DALÍ TÉLLEZ GIRÓN JIMÉNEZ

Dalí received a bachelor’s degree in Social Anthropology from the National School of Antrhopology and History in Mexico City and then traveled to the Yucatan peninsula to host environmental education programs in rural and indigenous communities. He attended the Birds, Professional Careers & Conservation workshop at Cornell Lab of Ornithology in 2018, and then, in 2019, he began working at Veracruz River of Raptors where he discovered Hawk Mountain. After having to return home due to the pandemic, Dalí worked at an animal shelter in Solferino, Quintana Roo. Dalí now leads his own conservation and environmental education project called “Kunk’uk Wildlife Tours & Conservation,” which works to protect wildlife on Holbox Island in Quintana Roo, México, and is a fire performer with his company, “Delirio Místico.”

NEW Conservation Education Internship Opportunity

Hawk Mountain has launched a new Senior Education Internship, which is a ninemonth long immersive experience that provides a broad range of competency and skill development in the field of raptor conservation and environmental education. Senior Education Interns also have many opportunities to participate in on-site field courses and professional development with conservation experts. Visit hawkmountain.org/ SeniorEduInternship to learn more.

Autumn 2022 Conservation Science Trainees

BEKZHAN BERDIKULOV

Almaty City, Kazakhstan

Bekzhan attended the University of Lorraine in France where he studied Forest and the Environment and obtained a master’s degree. He is also a graduate of the Al-Farabi Kazakj National University in Kazakhstan where he obtained his master’s degree in biology, along with his bachelor’s degree in 2016. Bekzhan currently works as a Junior Researcher at the Institute of Zoology, Ornithology Center in Kazakhstan. After his traineeship Bekzhan would like to study raptors in Kazakhstan, analyze count data from Chokpak, and obtain his doctorate. Bekzhan also plans to write a book about the birds of Kazakhstan using up-to-date data in the Kazakh language.

GRACE MUENCH

Pottsville, Pennsylvania

Grace is a student at Pennsylvania State University, Schuylkill, where she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biology, with a General Ecology Option. Grace has been a field assistant for Penn State for the last two years where she has been capturing and banding birds, searching for target nests, and monitoring nests. Grace is also a biology research assistant where she assists in compiling data for a project on mosquito host preferences. Grace recently completed a Summer Field Experience at Hawk Mountain where she assisted in the Broadwing Project along with many other research projects. Grace’s future plans are to complete her bachelor’s degree and then attend graduate school where she would like to study population ecology of songbirds.

YHON GIRALDO GOMEZ

Armenia, Colombia

Yhon is a 2019 graduate of the University of Quindio where he received his bachelor’s degree in biology. Yhon is currently the Coordinator of Conservation Projects and Bird Watching Guide at Penelope Birding in Colombia where he co-designs and develops strategic conservation and research projects, along with guiding bird watching groups. Yhon was also a research assistant on a project studying the crested eagle in Colombia. After his traineeship Yhon would like to continue to work in avian research and birding tourism.

BINTA SAMBOU MEHTA

Abuko, The Gambia

Binta is a 2014 graduate of the College of African Wildlife Management where she received her diploma in Wildlife Management. Binta also holds certificates in Natural Resource Management from the Southern African Wildlife College and Arts. Currently Binta is a Wildlife Conservation Officer and an Environmental Education Assistant of The Gambia Department of Parks and Wildlife Management where she conducts awareness programs on the importance of wildlife and environment conservation in schools and communities in protected areas in The Gambia. Binta is also involved in species inventory/surveys with flamingos, vultures, and other avifauna. After her traineeship Binta would like to enhance her educational background with training on the management and conservation of wildlife species.

LINDSEY CZOPEK

Clay, Michigan

Lindsey is a 2022 graduate of Kent State University where she received her bachelor’s degree in Zoology. Lindsey was a Wildlife Sanctuary Intern at the Raptor Hallow Sanctuary in Alliance, Ohio, where she cared for resident animals, flight trained raptors, led education programs, and more. Lindsay recently completed a summer research internship in Zimbabwe where she learned field research methodology for mammals and birds. After her traineeship Lindsey would like to work in wildlife research that supports the conservation of birds.

EMILY RITTER

Beach Lake, Pennsylvania

Emily is a 2021 graduate of Millersville University where she received a bachelor’s degree in biology with a concentration in animal behavior and also minored in studio art. Emily worked as a field technician for the USGS Small Mammal and Disease Ecology Department where she live-trapped black-tailed prairie dogs around the Badlands National Park and Buffalo Gap National Grassland research plots. Emily also volunteered for the USGS Breeding Bird Survey program where she conducted aural and visual surveys along the Rockyford and Cedar Pass breeding bird survey routes in the Badlands National Park. After her traineeship Emily plans to look for a master’s or Ph.D. position with research that can benefit the conservation of imperiled species of birds. Her goals are to eventually teach ornithology at the university level to educate future generations.

LEAVE A LEGACY

Barton and Kristina Smith

A match made in medical heaven, Barton met Kristina in 1963 when Kristina was a pediatric nurse and he was a senior at Cornell University Medical College in Manhattan. They married soon after and returned to Berks County where Barton spent the next three decades practicing gastroenterology at The Reading Hospital. Together they raised two sons, worked for many charitable organizations, and traveled broadly, visiting more than 70 countries. With a keen interest in birds and birding, Hawk Mountain has always been in their lives. Barton first visited the Sanctuary in 1959.

“I spent time with and got to know Maurice Broun, one of the most impressive men I ever met. Today we feel President Sean Grace has proven a great successor to lead the Sanctuary,” he says.

The couple also believes the staff has earned their support for preserving what Barton calls “a landscape that is as beautiful as any in the world, one for all our flora and fauna.”

For that reason, the two made the caring decision to support the Sanctuary at a level that qualifies them as members of the Rosalie Edge Society. If you, too, intend to make a legacy gift and want to share your story, please contact us today.

We are particularly glad to be able to support Hawk Mountain’s growing influence around the world and its programs directed at children and young people who must become leaders in the preservation of what Charles Darwin called ‘this wonderful world.’

Leadership Donors make a Difference

Leadership Donors embody what it means to be a hero for raptor conservation and help sustain the Sanctuary, inspire the next generation, and safeguard raptors globally. Entry begins at the $250 donation or the Merlin-Club level, and we celebrate your support by offering exclusive events. Our goal is to connect you with other leaders, the Sanctuary you protect, and its professional scientists and educators.

BENEFITS

• Complimentary invite to a spring and autumn President’s Circle.

• Invitation to select opportunities to interact with scientists and educators.

• Standing invitation to observe in-the-field experiences with live raptors.

• Guided tour of facilities with President Sean Grace for the ultimate chance to learn more about our staff and programs.

If distance or your schedule prevents you from participating in a planned event, we can always schedule a personal visit, share written reports, or set up a phone or zoom update. Let us know how we can best meet your needs and interests.

Members of the Rosalie Edge Society have taken their leadership commitment beyond the ordinary. For them, our raptor conservation mission has inspired an investment of $25,000 or more through a planned gift or a cash gift to an endowment or the Land Conservation Fund. Their support ensures the legacy of Hawk Mountain endures for generations to come.

To learn more about the Rosalie Edge Society, join as a Leadership Donor, or explore other giving opportunities, please contact us today.

Mary Linkevich Director of Development linkevich@hawkmountain.org

610-756-6000 x212

Exclusive for Leadership Donors and Rosalie Edge Society Members:

Spring President’s Circle

Saturday, May 20 at 10 AM

AMPHITHEATER

Complimentary Brunch

Autumn President’s Circle

Saturday, September 9 at 10 AM

AMPHITHEATER

Complimentary Box Lunch

Invite only. Meet President Sean Grace, hear an investor’s update, and enjoy a presentation by a senior staff member. Mix and mingle, then spend the afternoon on the Mountain.

Both events are ADA accessible.

A jack of many trades, Kay Black’s current volunteer position at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is just another feat on this impressive woman’s resume. Kay began volunteering in 1995, starting first at the trail gate and bookstore, checking membership status and welcoming visitors. Hawk Mountain appealed to her after she needed a change of scenery from her day job.

Kay worked for the state police for nearly 24 years, starting as a scientist and working her way up to crime lab manager. After retirement, Kay began looking for an opportunity to work with fellow nature lovers. She was familiar with Hawk Mountain, and when her good friend began volunteering here, she knew exactly where she wanted to be.

“Birders are nice people, and I thought, ‘yeah, that’s a good idea.’ I like it up here, I like nature, and I like birds—it just kind of fits.”

Kay also volunteered her time in the Visitor Center parking lot, directing traffic and helping guests find parking during events. She still serves as a parking assistant from time to time, but she eventually landed in her current position in the Julian W. Hill Library housed in the Sanctuary’s Acopian Center. About once a week she comes

Kay Black

By Laura Berry

in to contribute to the maintenance and organization of the collection. The Julian W. Hill Library and Archives contains more than 1,500 volumes and periodicals relating to the global conservation of raptors—a daunting task to some, but nothing a professional like Kay can’t handle.

Her job involves data entry, preparing journals for binding, accessing books, and organizing the vast collection with the goal of creating a more user-friendly experience for the scientists and trainees who access the literature. Kay is involved in the acquisitioning of the library, including both current materials and new as they come in. She photographs and creates a record of each book, then sends them to Kutztown University for labeling. As they return, Kay determines the proper place for each in the Acopian Center’s two-floor library.

After helping around Hawk Mountain for many years, Kay says the best part of volunteering is the company: “My favorite thing would have to be the people. Volunteers, I think, generally feel appreciated, both by the visitors and the staff.”

The staff at Hawk Mountain undoubtably value Kay’s dedication and time spent maintaining one of the largest collections of raptor literature in the world.

We rely on volunteers to assist in the day-to-day happenings of the Sanctuary and would love to find a space for you on our team. If interested, contact Tammy Jandrasitz at jandrasitz@hawkmountain.org.

Blackburnian Warbler by Bill Moses