Fall is traditionally the time to enjoy raptor migration in Pennsylvania, and sites on the Kittatinny Ridge (Blue Mountain) in southeast PA are well known for their annual fall migration counts. Hawk Mountain near Kempton, PA, and Audubon's Waggoner's Gap Hawkwatch north of Carlisle are probably the two best ridgetop hawkwatches in the eastern U.S.; Waggoner's Gap in particular is excellent for golden eagles in late October and early November.
Allegheny Front hawkwatch near Bedford can also have great golden eagle flights when the winds are easterly. Check out Mark McConaughy's account and pictures of their record golden eagle flight!
Not too much is known about fall migration along Tussey Mountain, but recent counts from Jo Hayes Vista on Rt 26 have revealed good numbers of raptors following the ridge. However, organized hawkwatches on adjacent ridges to the west (Bald Eagle Mountain) and east (Stone Mountain and Jacks Mountain) show that thousands of raptors migrate south along the local mountain ridges each fall. In particular, the adult GE migration is great following strong cold fronts from November to early December (when viewing conditions can be brutal!). Some of the highest daily GE counts recorded in PA have been from Bald Eagle Mountain near Skytop just west of State College. Close to full-time counts have been conducted by volunteers for a number of years at Stone Mountain, showing a diverse migration of raptors with surprising numbers of the rarer falcons (Merlin and Peregrine) in October. Stone has an excellent observation platform, and is always looking for more volunteers to assist in the count - contact Greg Grove (gwg2@psu.edu) for more information.
Much remains to be learned about raptor migration through our region, but it is clear that it is worthy of more study and conservation.
