The spotter’s voice sounded to my right, “Bald eagle over Pinnacle.”
My gaze swiveled toward the landmark ridge visible along the nearby Appalachian Trail and, there, the eagle flew, sweeping out of the clouds in all its majestic glory then disappearing into the clouds once more.
I kept my binoculars trained on the same spot, hoping the eagle would reappear, and it didn’t disappoint. Once more, it flew across the sky before disappearing to the south.
Each season, an average of 18,000 birds of prey soar over the sanctuary’s rocky North Lookout, a 1,500-foot outcropping along the Kittatinny Ridge in east-central Pennsylvania. And, what luck—those of us in the Harrisburg area have this amazing spectacle of nature practically at our doorstep.
From Hunted to Saved
Eighty years ago, hunters would have blasted that same eagle from the sky.
The history of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary dates back to a time when the Pennsylvania Game Commission first placed a price tag on the goshawk’s head. In 1931, Richard Pough, an amateur ornithologist, was opposed to the widespread movement to kill wild predators and became determined to do something about the senseless murder of these raptors.
Pough visited Hawk Mountain later that year. He watched men scattered about the rocks, shooting and killing hundreds of hawks, apparently just for sport. After the slaughter was over, he gathered the carcasses and took photographs. Frustrated, he mailed the photos to a number of people, including Rosalie Edge, a conservation activist living in New York.
Horrified by what she saw, Edge traveled to Hawk Mountain and installed a protection system on the 1,400 acres she leased. Maurice Broun and his wife Irma, both New England bird enthusiasts, became the first wardens to protect these birds.
The program proved effective in preventing the killings and, that same year, Edge opened the sanctuary to the public. She raised funds to purchase the land, and, in 1938, deeded the 1,400 acres to the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association, a new nonprofit.
Three-Legged Stool
During my visit, my long-time friend and Hawk Mountain President Jerry Regan played host. I asked Regan about the facility.
“Our mission,” he said, “is broken down into three elements, much like a three-legged stool, because each depends on the other. The first is the sanctuary itself where people come to view the birds. The second is education, and the third is research.”
Regan pointed at the wooded terrain as we hiked along the trail to the North Lookout. “We’re best known for our sanctuary. People flock here from all over the world for a glimpse of the birds and the Appalachian Mountains scenery.”
He told me he was particularly proud of the dedicated staff and volunteers, who point out and identify approaching birds to visitors.
“This makes hawk watching easy and enjoyable,” he said.
Rare Treat
The phenomenon of migration “is an age-old story,” said Mary Linkevich, communications director for Hawk Mountain.
“Raptors have followed the Appalachian Mountains southward for longer than we probably know,” she said. “They use pockets of rising air called ‘thermals’ to fuel their long-distance journeys. Thermals allow birds of prey to ascend quickly, then glide in toward their destination.”
I asked her about the best time to visit and watch the hawks move through.
“It’s fun all year-round,” she said, “but the premier time is early to late fall. And best of all, you don’t have to walk far to enjoy both the mountains and the migration.”
South Lookout is just 100 yards from the parking area, and here the trails are smooth and wide. For those with limited mobility, an all-terrain wheelchair is available at the visitor center. A golf cart is on hand during autumn weekends.
Once at the Lookout, visitors are enraptured at the flight of these graceful birds.
Passing through in late summer and early fall are ospreys, bald eagles and American kestrels. In mid-September, the numbers of broad-winged hawks increase. If your timing is right, you can spot hundreds in one afternoon, sometimes more than 1,000. For example, on Sept. 12, 2007, counters recorded an incredible 7,639 broad-winged hawks, the largest one-day flight recorded at Hawk Mountain since 1978.
By mid-October, northwest winds bring the greatest species diversity—16 in all—and fall foliage is at its peak. During prime conditions, visitors can view red-tailed, red-shouldered, rough-legged, sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawks, northern harriers, peregrine falcons and merlins.
In November, the migration begins to ebb, but this is when hawk watchers can expect to see golden eagles and northern goshawks. By December, the skies have emptied, but the North Lookout draws visitors seeking solitude and an occasional bald eagle.
“Fall is not the only time you can enjoy Hawk Mountain,” Linkevich said. “The sanctuary offers exceptional hiking, birding and wildlife watching all year long. Ridge-top trails and scenic overlooks offer jaw-dropping views, ideal spots for nature photography or quiet reflection.”
Come spring, the bird-spotting picks up again, as anywhere from 50 to 300 migrating raptors may pass through during that migration. Songbird viewing peaks in early May, when colorful wood warblers and other migrants dart about the valley treetops during the early morning hours. In all, the sanctuary’s bird checklist includes nearly 200 species.
“And finally,” Linkevich adds, “our native plant garden boasts more than 250 plant species that attract up to 40 species of butterflies, as well as ruby-throated hummingbirds. The deck overhanging a small pond offers a spot to watch for painted turtles, spring peepers and newts.”
School in the Clouds
The Hawk Mountain research program is headquartered at the Acopian Center for Conservation Learning, where a five-member professional team develops and conducts integrated programs in research, monitoring and education.
“We have a professional relationship with a number of organizations worldwide,” said Regan. “This includes the Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network in Japan, the Belize Raptor Project, Bird Studies of Canada and the Hawk Migration Association of North America.”
The programs are local to international in scope. David Barber, one of the researchers, spoke of the center’s program focused on turkey vultures.
“Tracking individual turkey vultures offers an intimate look into the lives of these often misunderstood scavenging birds of prey,” he said. “Understanding where they go helps me to better protect them.”
In 2008, Hawk Mountain celebrated its 75th anniversary as the first refuge for birds of prey. The Acopian Center hosted an international workshop for nearly 40 scientists to establish a common repository for collecting satellite telemetry data on migrating raptors.
General education also is a big part of Hawk Mountain’s mission. For example, teacher guides, classroom lessons and PowerPoint presentations are designed as resources for schools. A few of the topics include raptor biology, migration, Appalachian ecology and Hawk Mountain history and early land uses.
“Hawk Mountain conducts programs year-round,” Linkevich said,” but people are invited to do a tour on their own around the grounds. And if you can’t come to Hawk Mountain, we have a virtual educational program where we can bring Hawk Mountain into your classroom via videoconferencing.”
Hawk Mountain is only a short, one-hour drive from Harrisburg. Maybe that bald eagle will return just for you. But you’ll have to visit to find out.
Don Helin published his first thriller, “Thy Kingdom Come,” in 2009. His recently published thriller, “Devil’s Den,” has been selected as a finalist in the Indie Book Awards. He lives in central Pennsylvania, and his next thriller, “Secret Assault,” will be published in the spring. Contact Don on his website, www.donhelin.com.
Going There
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is located in Kempton, Pa., about seven miles north of I-78 and Cabela’s. The visitor’s center, the “Wings of Wonder” raptor gallery, bookstore and gift shop are open year-round, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the autumn. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.
Trail fees cost $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $3 for children ages 6 to 12. Children ages 5 and under are free. On weekends, September through November, trail fees increase to $8 for adults and $4 for seniors. For more information, call 610-756-6961 or visit www.hawkmountain.org.
