Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

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Wishing everyone a happy International Hawk Migration Week as we enter into peak broad-winged hawk season! Species counted since our last update on September 4th (including September 4th) include 2 turkey vultures, 109 ospreys, 171 bald eagles, 27 northern harriers, 377 sharp-shinned hawks, 54 Cooper’s hawks, 2 red-shouldered hawks, 4,609 broad-winged hawks, 72 red-tailed hawks, 104 American kestrels, 50 merlin, and 9 peregrine falcons. **These numbers have been updated as of Tuesday, September 15th at 4 PM. Please check hawkcount.org for the most recent numbers! And don’t forget—now through Sunday, September 20th, we are challenging our visitors to guess the total number of broad-winged hawks we count through September 30 for a chance to win a Family + Membership and a day in the pit with the counters at North Lookout! To enter the contest, stop by the Visitor Center between Saturday, September 12 - Sunday, September 20 to submit your entry. Entries are accepted in person only during the week of International Hawk Migration Week. The winner will be notified in early October! Our trails are open daily, but if you can’t make it to North Lookout stay connected with our weekly e-Update, delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe to our mailing list today: https://www.hawkmountain.org/hawk-mountain-news-and-updates Cover photo by Andy Wlasniewski

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It was the kind of day counters dream about. On September 4th, 2026, we broke our single day bald eagle count record at North Lookout. The previous record of 48 eagles was shattered 76 years to the day with an impressive 64 eagles! David Barber reflects on his record-breaking day in our latest blog post—link in bio! David Barber reflects on his record-breaking day in our latest blog post; read it here: www.hawkmountain.org/blog/on-the-mountain/september-4th-the-kind-of-day-counters-dream-about

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Closing out International Hawk Migration Week highlighting Waggoner’s Gap, a sister site to Hawk Mountain! Waggoner’s Gap is located along the Kittatinny Ridge just north of Carlisle, PA. The site was established in the late 30s after local people, inspired by Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, sought to find their own hawkwatching site in the area. Since then, the site has been maintained by several organizations on and off, but mainly by a team of dedicated volunteers, including the current site coordinator Dave Grove. In 2023, the Pennsylvania Game Commission took ownership of the property, ensuring the longevity of the hawkwatch and helping to establish better infrastructure, including maintained trails and a paved parking lot. In 2024, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and the Pennsylvania Game Commission formalized a partnership to oversee management of the site, including hiring of a seasonal lead counter and an education specialist to work with volunteers to maintain daily operation through the watch season. The partnership has continued to this day with the most recent hired counter, Tom Filip, leading the tally for the 2026 season. The official count at Waggoner’s Gap runs from August 1st through December 31st, so there is plenty of time to make a trip to see the site for yourself!