Date: 10/22/25 3:45 pm From: Hawkcount.Org Reports <reports...> Subject: Waggoner's Gap (22 Oct 2025) 119 Raptors
Waggoner's Gap 40 km W of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 22, 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- BV 0 11 11 TV 8 1058 1058 OS 0 19 148 BE 22 161 392 NH 1 31 110 SS 80 1138 2453 CH 3 125 187 AG 0 2 2 RS 0 21 25 BW 0 18 10265 RT 4 190 323 RL 0 0 0 GE 0 25 27 AK 0 46 165 ML 0 28 49 PG 1 30 51 UA 0 24 38 UB 0 7 19 UF 0 4 6 UE 0 0 0 UR 0 25 45 SK 0 0 1
Observation start time: 07:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 9 hours
Official Counter: Jess Cosentino, Ron Freed
Observers: Betsy Shaver, Dave Grove, Debbie Spinelli, Gene Wagner, Jeff Thompson , Joe Lavella, Katherine Weber, Ron Freed
Visitors: 7
Weather: High of 57 F, Winds from the southwest shifting to more west by midafternoon, Blue sky early in the count period with a dense overcast cover moving in by afternoon, Brief light drizzle around 1 PM DST
Raptor Observations: The blustery southwest winds brought a light-to-moderate flight primarily along the south side of the ridge, as Sharp-shinned Hawks and Bald Eagles dominated the count.
Raptors were appearing up the ridge, passing low along the south side - at times just below or at eye-level, providing excellent looks. Sharp-shinned Hawks were often darting down the spine of the ridge at full speed just above the tree tops, before passing the counters below just a few feet away.
A procession of Bald Eagles continued to file southward on the same flight lines, passing relatively low along the south side of the ridge. Light drizzle in the afternoon seemed to coincide with a dramatic decline in movement down the ridge, with the remainder of the afternoon having minimal-to-no migration activity
Good overall species diversity with seven migratory raptor species documented throughout the count period
Non-raptor Observations: Common Loon 4, Red-bellied Woodpecker 1, Eastern Phoebe 1, Blue Jay 1, Carolina Chickadee 2, Tree Swallow 30, Golden-crowned Kinglet 5, Red-breasted Nuthatch 1, American Robin 2, American Pipit 1, Purple Finch 19, American Goldfinch 6, White-throated Sparrow 2, Yellow-rumped Warbler 2, warbler sp. 1
LFE 22 Monarch 0 Hummingbird 0
Predictions: West/Northwest winds for the next two days. Conditions are shaping up to potentially be good days for raptor movement into the weekend ======================================================================== Report submitted by WG Counter ()
