Hawk Mountain Sanctuary joins a partnership on six continents in a pledge to introduce new people to birds and birding during Pledge to Fledge Weekend on April 27 and 28.

On hand will be celebrity birder Richard Crossley for a 6:30 p.m. lecture on Saturday, and returning Sunday morning for ‘birding and bagels.” Both programs are free, although donations to support Pledge to Fledge are encouraged.

“There’s no better place to connect people with birds than at Hawk Mountain, and spring is a great time to be outside,” explains Dr. Laurie Goodrich, the Senior Monitoring Biologist at Hawk Mountain who organizes the annual raptor counts and other monitoring programs. As part of Pledge to Fledge, Goodrich will lead her annual RaptorThon at the North Lookout, a fun way to raise funds for raptor conservation.

“Our focus is on raptor migrants, but we’ll count and report anything that passes the Lookout, and anyone is invited to join in the fun,” she says. The RaptorThon will be held from 9 am until 5 p.m., and a trail fee applies.

Other events that may require a trail fee include a Beginner’s Bird Walk at 9 am and a Birding with Binoculars program at 10, both held near the South Lookout. Also near the Lookout, visitors can meet international trainees, who will present at 11:30 am Trapping and Tracking, a program that shows the tools used to study long-distance migrants.

Indoors at 12:30, visitors can sit back and enjoy a photo slideshow and short video clips during “Bald Eagles: A Look inside the Nest.” Just steps away in the Outdoor Amphitheater, the signature M&T Bank “Raptors Up Close!” program will be presented at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Visitors at the North Lookout at noon can benefit from “Name that Raptor,” a laid-back review of common raptors seen at Hawk Mountain, complete with tips on the shape, size and notable field marks of each. Also at North will be counters conducting the annual spring migration watch along with Dr. Goodrich, who will be stationed throughout the day to conduct her RaptorThon.

Saturday will close with Richard Crossley’s talk, “The Past, Present and Future of Birding” held inside the Visitor Center and followed by a book signing. Crossley is the world-recognized namesake behind the revolutionary “The Crossley ID Guides,” a collection of field guides that show bird species in the context of their habitat, and in a variety of positions.

The latest “Crossley Guide to Raptors,” which was released in early April, is available for sale at the Visitor Center and features a plate showing the view from Hawk Mountain. Richard also is a passionate proponent of Pledge to Fledge, and during his lecture will explain the logic behind his new guides, how they can help all birders improve ID skills, and especially how they will interest new birders of any age, especially young people.

Richard returns on Sunday for “Birding and Bagels” from 10 a.m. to Noon, a chance to spend time chatting informally while watching for birds at the feeder windows. To reserve one of Richard’s books or to have one signed in your absence, simply call the Visitor Center at 610-756-6961 with a Visa, MasterCard or Discover Card on hand. Hawk Mountain suggests a $3 donation for Birding and Bagels to cover cost of breakfast items.

Those interested in supporting Dr. Goodrich in her RaptorThon can make a flat donation, a pledge for every raptor she spots that day, or a pledge for every bird species.

To learn more go to the Hawk Mountain website, or complete a pledge form at the Hawk Mountain Visitor Center. Visitors also may email Laurie at: goodrich@hawkmtn.org.

NewsClip: Hawk Mountain Pledges To Fledge New Birders

4/22/2013