Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County invites visitors to watch and monitor the annual passage of raptor migrants as they move south during the Autumn Hawk Watch, held daily August 15 through December 15, at the Sanctuary’s famous North Lookout.

This year the Migration Kick-Off Event will be held on August 12 with special programs from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Trail fees apply for non-members and cost $9 for adults, $7 for seniors, and $5 for children ages 6 to 12. Members are admitted free year-round, and memberships can be purchased online or at the Visitor Center.

This year, Hawk Mountain will kick off the 2017 season with an open house celebration that starts with a guided bird walk at 9:00 a.m., followed by opportunities to meet a naturalist in the Native Plant Garden at 10:30, noon, and 1:30.

At 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. an educator will present the famous Raptors Up Close! program in the amphitheater.

Director of Long-term Monitoring Dr. Laurie Goodrich will present a Raptor Identification program at South Lookout, and Director of Conservation Science, Dr. Keith Bildstein, will offer a book signing for his recent non-technical publication, Raptors: the curious nature of diurnal birds of prey.

All day, visitors can enjoy artwork in the Gallery by former Hawk Mountain Artist-in-Residence, Bryan Fellenbaum. His dynamic series, "Locations" includes nine pieces that feature various landscapes around Hawk Mountain and the Acopian Center.

Additionally, the annual Mountain Raffle drawing will take place at noon. The bird feeder station, Education Building open house, membership table, and optics specialist station will be free and available for all guests.

Click Here for more information on the Migration Kick-Off Event.

During the count itself, Sanctuary staff, trainees, and volunteers will be stationed at the lookouts to help visitors spot and identify raptors including broad-winged hawks, kestrels, vultures, ospreys, and bald eagles.

An average 18,000 raptors pass the Sanctuary each autumn. For raptor enthusiasts and those who cannot make it to Hawk Mountain, daily counts are posted throughout the season online.

Equipped with binoculars and a full daypack, visitors are invited to spend the day at North Lookout to enjoy the breathtaking autumn colors and soaring raptors. Binoculars can be rented at the Visitor Center, and staff members there can offer tips and suggestions for trails and lookouts.

The nearby South Lookout may be preferable to those with small children or with limited mobility, and it can be reached using the new wheelchair accessible Silhouette Trail.

During the fall migration, there will also be weekend programs included free with paid admission that run from September 2 through November 12.

Additionally, on Saturdays during September and October, several global speakers will give talks on their experiences and expertise as part of the Autumn Lecture Series.

Information about all of these programs can be found at the Hawk Mountain Events webpage.

The 2,500-acre Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is the world’s first refuge for birds of prey and is open to the public year-round by trail-fee or membership, which in turn supports the nonprofit organization’s raptor conservation mission and local-to-global research, training, and education programs.

For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary website or call 610-756-6961.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Sanctuary, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, visit them on Flickr, be part of their Google+ Circle and visit their YouTube Channel.  Click Here to support Hawk Mountain.

[Posted: July 26, 2017]

7/31/2017