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2009 Events
Next event is Saturday, March 14
Hawk Mountain Spring Fling
Spring is finally approaching and this event is sure to get you in the spirit. Activities include a children's birdhouse craft, story hour, and two live raptor programs (11 am and 2:30 pm). Free trail admission for children and complimentary soft drinks provided.
11 am-3 pm, Visitor Center.
APRIL Programs
Spring Migration Watch
April 1-May 15
Trail fee applies
Staff, interns and volunteers help spot and identify northbound hawks. Peak of migration is April 15 through April 24.
9 am-4 pm, North Lookout
75-Cent Fridays
April 1-August 31
Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary by encouraging a friend, neighbor or relative to make a first-time visit! Admission will cost just 75 cents for each visitor on Fridays, April 1 through August 31, so this is a great opportunity to introduce new faces to the Mountain.
Salamanders of Hawk Mountain
Wednesday, April 1
$10, Members $5
Begin indoors with a natural history talk, then head out to the field to search for salamanders in the wild. Bring flashlight, wear boots and outdoor gear. This program fills fast, so call soon to register.
6-8 pm, Meet in Common Room. Advance registration required (610-756-6961)
Raptor Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 11
Egg hunt limited to 50; Participating children must pre-register.
Welcome spring with a focus on raptors, including live raptor programs at 11 am & 2 pm, and a raptor egg hunt at noon. Complimentary lemonade available in the Visitor Center. Call 610-756-6961 to register child's name and age.
Egg Hunt: Noon-1 pm, Amphitheater; Advance registration required.
Discover the River on Earth Day
Wednesday, April 22
$20, Member $10; Ages 12 and up; Limited to 10.
Explore by canoe eight miles of the Little Schuylkill River and discover the wildlife found along the base of Hawk Mountain - an ideal Earth Day evening! Map will be mailed for starting location. Trip ends at Hawk Mountain Road; shuttle back to vehicles.
4:30 pm, Starting Point. Advanced registration required. (Call 610-756-6961)
Earth Day on the Mountain
Saturday, April 25
Make a Puppet from recycled materials.
Spring Migration Watch (North Lookout)
Wildlife Painting Workshop (See below, registration required and carries a fee)
Learn-Your-Trees Walk with Dr. Sacchi (see write up; no extra fee; sign up day of event)
Mountain Member Walk (see below; registration required and carries modest fee)
11 am-3 pm; Trail fee applies for non-members.
Mountain Member Forays
Saturday, April 25 (Earth Day)
Saturday, May 2 (International Migratory Bird Day)
Sunday, June 7
Saturday, July 18 (Summerfest)
Members only, $5. Limited to 10. Advanced registration required (610-756-6961)
Following a decades-old tradition, Hawk Mountain Biologist Laurie Goodrich will lead a series of morning hikes designed exclusively for Members. Each walk will explore a different portion of the 2,600-acre forest to seek out birds, butterflies and other discoveries, including some areas normally closed to the public. No experience required, except good hiking boots, water, ability to walk for two or more hours and abundant good humor. Members may bring one guest for $5 trail fee and should carry water and wear weather-appropriate clothing.
8 am-11 am, Visitor Center.
Nature Sketching Workshop
Saturday, April 25
$10, Members $5, Advance registration required. (610)-756-6961
Part of Hawk Mountain's Earth Day celebration, join wildlife artist Dave Hughes and learn how to capture your outdoor experiences in a sketchbook. Lesson will focus on nature (and raptor!) sketching for the beginner. Indoors and outdoors. Fee includes guest trail pass.
9-11 am, Common Room
Earth Day Learn-Your-Trees Walk
Saturday, April 25
Free with trail fee. Limited to first 20 who sign up day of event.
Join Dr. Chris Sacchi for a laid-back tree lesson to commemorate Earth Day. Dr. Sacchi will show you how to identify common trees by examining bark and leaves and learning about seeds and fruit. Rain or shine.
1-2:30 pm, meet in the Visitor Center.
Spring Migration Celebration
Sunday, April 26
Trail fee applies.
Join a counter and Hawk Mountain interns at North Lookout to celebrate the spring raptor flight and welcome broadwings back to the Mountain. Overview of raptor identification skills for beginners will take place from 10-10:30 am, and then we'll try to spot and identify 75 spring hawks before 2 pm.
10 am-2 pm, North Lookout
Volunteer Appreciation Week
Saturday, April 18 - Sunday, April 26
In honor of the Sanctuary's 220 dedicated volunteers, and in the spirit of volunteerism, volunteers from other non-profits will receive free trail admission during the above dates. Bring volunteer pin, ID, roster, or other proof of service for admittance.
Monthly Mountain Moonwalks
Ages 12+, limited to 15, fills fast
$20, Members $10
See the full moon rise over the Kempton Valley on a guided trail walk (2 hours). Listen for owls and other nocturnal wildlife and discover what it is like to be a creature of the night. In case of questionable weather, call 610-756-6961 x227. June, July and August walks lead all the way to North Lookout.
April 9 8 pm
May 9 8 pm
June 7 8:30 pm
July 7 8:30 pm
Aug 6 8:30 pm
Sept 4 7:30 pm
October 4 7:30 pm
MAY Programs
International Migratory Bird Day
Saturday, May 2 -- all day event
Celebrate and learn more about migratory birds and the challenges they face during long-distance migration. Activities will include:
Full-day spring migration watch (North Lookout)
Raptors Up Close (11 am & 2 pm, Outdoor Amphitheater).
Decorate a Birdfeeder activity
Make an eagle, owl or raven
Falcon Mask Making
Basket Birdhouse (see description below; carries extra fee and advance registration)
Broadwing Mobile and Raptor Food Chain activities
Mountain Member Foray at 8 am (see write up under ‘April'; carries modest fee and advance registration).
Build a Basket Bird House
Saturday, May 2
$30; $20 Members; Plus additional $12 materials fee payable to instructor on day of event.
Limited to 12 people ages 12 and up. Advance registration required (610-756-6961)
Join Melissa Lynn and learn how to weave your own small birdhouse using round reed and seagrass. Complete with a gourd roof, this handwoven piece will make an ideal home for wrens! Bring sharp pruning scissors and water bottle.
9 am, Common Room.
Springtime Warbler Walks
**EARLY MAY - DATES STILL BEING CONFIRMED**
Rain or shine. For ages 12 and over
$10, Members $5. Advance registration required (610-756-6961)
Join a Hawk Mountain volunteer educator on a guided walk in pursuit of elusive wood warblers and other neotropical migrants. Bring binoculars and field guides. A map will be mailed to all participants. This program fills fast, so register early.
7-10 am at starting location near the Sanctuary Visitor Center. A map will be mailed to registered participants.
Tour of Volunteer Gardens
Saturday, May 9
$10, $5 Members. Limited to 12. Advance registration required (call 610-756-6961)
Group will tour the native plant gardens of several Hawk Mountain volunteers who live between Leesport and Allentown to learn how you can turn your property into a low-cost, low-maintenance, pesticide-free habitat for wildlife.
Noon-4 pm
Mother's Day Canoe Trip
Sunday, May 10
$20, $10 members; Limited to 10; Ages 12 and up. Advance registration required (Call 610-756-6961)
Celebrate Mother's Day with a relaxing journey along eight miles of the Little Schuylkill, a Pennsylvania Scenic River. Map will be mailed to meet at starting location. Trip ends at Hawk Mountain Road; shuttle return to vehicles.
1 pm, Starting Point. Advanced registration required.
Open House at Historic Schaumboch's Tavern
Saturday, May 16 from Noon to 4 pm
Saturday, June 6 from 11 am to 4 pm (Part of Hawk Mountain Arts Tour)
Friday, September 11 from 1 to 3 pm (Part of 75th Anniversary Weekend Celebration)
Free. No registration required.
Walk down Hawk Mountain Road from Visitor Center or
Parking nearby in marked lot above Common Room.
Residence of Maurice and Irma Broun, staging point for education programs, and first official Hawk Mountain headquarters, Schaumboch's Cottage is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and can be traced back to 1793 in tax records. In 1876, Albany Township maps identified the building as residence of Matthias Schaumbacher, and "Schaumboch's Tavern" it has been ever since. Learn about local folklore surrounding the cottage from your hosts Fred Wetzel, a long-time friend of Maurice Broun, and current resident Todd Bauman.
Native Plant Sale
Saturday, May 16
Sunday, May 17
Native plants benefit wildlife, and as an added bonus, require little maintenance. Learn more about native plant species and how to use them in your home landscape. Native wildflowers, vines, shrubs, ferns and trees will be for sale, all to benefit Hawk Mountain. Programs and activities for both children and adults will be held throughout the day. Schedule to be posted prior to sale.
10 am-4 pm, Visitor Center
Bike Ride Benefit: 75 Miles for 75 Years of Raptor Conservation
Saturday, May 30
Sunday, May 31, Rain date
$75 charitable contribution if paid before May 15
Join Hawk Mountain supporters and other biking enthusiasts for a benefit bike ride to honor the 75th Anniversary of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Travel throughout the scenic valley below Hawk Mountain and discover the unspoiled countryside from the vantage point of your bike. The $75, tax-deductible flat entry fee includes option to ride a 25-, 50- or 75-mile loop as well as complimentary overnight camping (first-come, first-serve basis). Begin and end at Hawk Mountain Visitor Center.
8 am, check-in; 9 am, Start. Advance registration required before May 15.
CLICK HERE for more information, to register or read description of the route.
JUNE Programs
3rd Annual Hawk Mountain Arts Tour & Sale
Saturday, June 6
FREE auto tour; 20-mile loop
Celebrate summer with the annual Arts Tour, where all roads lead to the discovery of local craftsmen and women and their art. This year features special 75th Anniversary guest, steel sculptor Mary Taylor at the Hawk Mountain Visitor Center, Todd Gladfelter and Frank Fretz at the Common Room and an open house at historic Schaumboch's Cottage (across road from Common Room).
Other art for sale and display throughout the Kempton Valley will include hand woven baskets, wildlife paintings, redware pottery, hand carved cherrywood spoons, photography, and more. Link to a map will be posted here prior to the sale. Each location marked with large wooden tent sign.
10 am-4 pm
Mountain Member Foray
Sunday, June 7
Members only, $5. Limited to 10. Advance registration required, call 610-756-6961 to sign up.
Join Hawk Mountain Biologist Laurie Goodrich for a morning Member hike to explore little known areas of the Sanctuary. Participants must call ahead to reserve spot, and wear good hiking boots, carry water, have abundant good humor and the ability to walk for two or more hours. Members may bring one guest for $5 trail fee and should wear weather-appropriate clothing.
8 am-11 am, Visitor Center.
Appalachian Trail Hike
Saturday, June 13
$20, $10 members; Limited to 15; Ages 12 and up.
Advance registration required, call 610-756-6961 to sign up.
Join Todd Bauman for a 10-mile guided hike along the Kittatinny Ridge via the Appalachian Trail to Hawk Mountain. Participants must have ability to walk more than 10 miles over rocky terrain providing their own water and lunch. Be prepared for historical discovery as we look for remnants from the past.
9 am, Meet at Common Room.
Children's Nature Hike
Wednesday, June 17
Wednesday, August 5
$10, Members FREE; Ages 8-12; Limited to 12. Advance registration required, call 610-756-6961 to sign up.
Join Educator Denise Peters on a guided walk to North Lookout in search of nests and other signs of wildlife and to learn about our Appalachian forest ecosystem. Children must bring and carry his or her own lunch and water in a daypack and wear sneakers or boots.
9 am-1 pm. Meet at Common Room, end at Visitor Center.
Hawk Mountain Online Auction
Open for bids on Earth Day!
Can't make our Benefit for Birds but would like to support Hawk Mountain? Browse our online selection of items and place bids from the comfort of your own home. Highest bid at close of online auction will carry over to live event, but you *still* can ‘be there' through absentee bidding options. Online auction ‘opens its doors' on April 22 and will close June 16, 2009. Link will be posted in early April to preview items.
Benefit for Birds
Friday, June 19
$125 Ticket includes dinner and donation
Join us at the beautifully restored Glasbern Country Inn for a gourmet buffet grill under the tented patio next to the pond and gardens. Enjoy up close looks at a variety of impressive raptor species from "Talons" including the European Eagle Owl, the largest owl species in the world. Silent and live auction will offer wide variety of treasures.
6 pm, Check-in, drinks, silent auction. 7:30 pm, Buffet opens
Charcoal Hearth Hike
Saturday, June 27
$10, Members $5. Limit of 15, age 12 to adult. Advance registration required, call 610-756-6961 to sign up.
Learn about the cultural and natural history of Hawk Mountain's 75 years from Educator Jeremy Scheivert as he leads you to the charcoal hearth, a remnant of early industry, and reviews the making of wood charcoal in the early 1800's. This rigorous, four-hour hike will require ability to traverse both steep and rocky terrain.
10 am-2 pm. Advance registration required.
JULY Programs
SummerFest
July 18-19
Trail fee applies for non members.
Celebrate Appalachian summer at Hawk Mountain with two full days of free activities for children and adults. Take the summer tour and learn about Hawk Mountain cultural and natural history. Take your provided passport to each station, receive a stamp, and return your completed booklet to the Visitor Center for a prize!
Time: 11 am-3 pm
Begin at Info Pavilion, End at Visitor Center.
Raptor Day Camp *
July 13-17 (session 1)
July 27-31 (session 2)
$150, $120 Members. Limited to 12 per session. For students entering 4th or 5th grade.
This fun and educational five-day "raptor camp" focuses on birds of prey and Hawk Mountain's natural history. Activities include live bird demos, raptor tracking techniques, binocular use, hikes, crafts and more. Choose one of the two sessions. Sessions held Mon-Fri, 9 am-3 pm.
To receive a registration packet, call Jeremy Scheivert at 610-756-6961.
Vulture Day
Thursday, July 23
Trail fee applies for non members. Ages 10 and up; Advance registration required, call 610-756-6961 to sign up. Limited to 20. Take a guided walk to North Lookout to watch for and learn more about both the Turkey and Black Vulture. Known as the "everywhere birds," you will learn about Hawk Mountain's Turkey Vulture Migration Project, and how you can follow their movements using the Internet.
10 am-1 pm. Meet at Visitor Center
AUGUST Programs
Maurice Broun Birthday
Saturday, August 8
Trail Fee just 75 Cents!!!!
Honor on his birthday the many contributions of Hawk Mountain's first ornithologist, warden and educator Maurice Broun. Free children's conservation crafts, Slide presentation on the life of Maurice (see description below), and live raptor programs at 10 am and noon. Birthday cake served at 1 pm, while supplies last
10 am-3 pm
Hawk Mountain Early History (part of Maurice Broun Birthday event)
Saturday, August 8
Join Matt Spence, a long-time friend of Maurice Broun, and learn first-hand about the early days at Hawk Mountain. Matt will present a slideshow of historical photos and share interesting antecdotes and natural history facts. This is a great way to get to know Hawk Mountain, both the place and the personalities!
2 pm. Visitor Center Gallery
Using Hawk Mountain as a Learning Resource
Sunday, August 9
Trail fee applies for non-members. Limited to 15. Advance registration required, call 610-756-6961.
Leading your class or group to Hawk Mountain this autumn? Join us for an orientation to raptors, migration and making the most of your visit to Hawk Mountain. Education materials provided. Includes guided hike to North Lookout. Bring backpack, lunch, and plenty of water.
10 am-3 pm, Meet in Visitor Center.
72nd Annual Autumn Hawkwatch
Saturday, August 15
Trail fee applies for non-members.
The marathon migration watch begins! Join us at North Lookout daily to watch for passing migrants. Ospreys, American Kestrels and Bald Eagles are among the early migrants. Sign up for our eUpdate on our home page to get a weekly migration report. (click here to link to homepage)
Daily, 9 am-5 pm, North Lookout
Off the Beaten Path
Saturday, August 15
$20, $10 members; Limited to 15; Ages 12 and up. Advance registration required, call 610-756-6961.
Explore with Todd Bauman the remote corners of Hawk Mountain and see a variety of habitats. Participants must be able to hike 10 miles, negotiate steep, rocky terrain and provide their own water and lunch. Hike concludes at North Lookout to celebrate opening day of the Annual Migration Count during our 75th anniversary year!
9 am, Visitor Center.
SEPTEMBER Programs
Optics Fair
Saturday, September 5
Meet with representatives from a variety of the best optics manufacturers to compare products and learn more about what sets apart a good pair of field glasses from the rest.
9 am-4 pm, Common Room.
Dawn Warbler Watch
Weekday morning in September, as yet to be determined. Visit here closer to event for final date selection.
Trail fee applies.
Early mornings at North Lookout are one of the best places to see migrant warblers and other songbirds as they drop to feed among the lookout bushes. Join Hawk Mountain counter Rudy Keller on his morning walk to North Lookout to watch for and learn more about their autumn migration and how Hawk Mountain monitors other migrants.
75th Anniversary Weekend Celebration
September 11-13
Join us to honor Hawk Mountain and its 75 years in raptor conservation during this three-day anniversary celebration. Special guest speakers will include former Curator Jim Brett, nature author and Hawk Mountain Board Member Scott Weidensaul, and author and ornithologist Pete dunne as well as talks on the life of Rosalie Edge by her biographer Dyana Furmansky, slideshows by Hawk Mountain coffee table book author Jim Wright and photographer Kevin Watson, Tree Walks by botonist Dr. Chris Sacchi, as well as additional, walks, an outdoor dinner and activities for all ages. Please return this summer for complete itinerary and fees.
Broadwing Basics
Wednesday, September 16
Friday, September 18
Trail fee applies
Learn more about the amazing passage of broadwings. Information covered will include identification, migration and other interesting facts, peak day of passage, and how weather affects when the birds fly. This program takes place during the typical "noon time lull", and following the presentation, participants may join staff at South or North Lookout to watch (with luck!) the afternoon fall-out of broadwings.
12:30 pm, Laurelwood Niche, located between trail entrance and South Lookout.
Renewable Energy Festival
September 18-19-20
Kempton Community Center
Visit http://www.energyfest.org/ for information
AUTUMN LECTURE
Hawk of Mercy: The Activist who Saved Nature from the Conservationists
Saturday, September 26 at 6 pm
Rosalie Edge biographer Dyana Furmansky will discuss Hawk Mountain's founder, the ‘woman who saved conservation' during the years she fought the Audubon Society and founded and grew Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.
Visitor Center
Hawk Mountain Art Show & Sale
Held Offsite at Cabela's, Hamburg
Sat, Sun, Sept 26 and 27
Meet award-winning artists and view a mix of wildlife and nature-inspired art. Paintings, prints, jewelry, sculpture, carvings and more. Cabela's is located just 7 miles from Hawk Mountain, just off the I-78 and Route 61 intersection. Artshow will take place in "Deer Country." Follow signs from entrance.
10 am-5 pm, Cabela's, Route 61, Hamburg
OCTOBER Programs
AUTUMN LECTURE
Hawk Mountain: The World's First Raptor Sanctuary
Saturday, October 10
Author Jim Wright and Photographer Kevin Watson will share stories and photos from two years of regular visits to Hawk Mountain that resulted in the new large-format book produced especially for the Sanctuary's 75th Anniversary. See a slide show that consolidates the hundreds of year-round images taken during this time and hear stories that resulted from dozens of member, staff, volunteer and intern interviews.
AUTUMN LECTURE
Hawk Mountain: Cradle of Raptor Conservation
Saturday, October 17
Dr. Keith Bildstein, the Hawk Mountain Sarkis Acopian Director of Conservation Science will describe Hawk Mountain's impressive contributions to conservation science, from its discovery of a Golden Eagle flyway in eastern Pennsylvania in 1934 to its watershed meeting on satellite tracking migrant birds of prey in 2009. A great retrospect on Hawk Mountain's work, as well as insight on where the Sanctuary's conservation science work is headed in the future.
Children's Raptor ID Workshop
Sunday, October 25
$20, Members $10; Limited to 10 participants ages 8 to 12. Advance registration required, call 610-756-6961.
Perfect for the up-and-coming young birder! Using slides and video, Laurie Goodrich and Denise Peters will help children learn to ID birds of prey with a special focus on buteos and eagles. Indoor lesson followed by a hike to the lookout to practice newly-learned skills. Children should bring and carry lunch, wear sturdy shoes, carry something soft to sit upon and dress warmly. Binoculars will be provided and program will include a lesson on their proper use.
10 am-1:30 pm, Visitor Center. Parents may observe.
"Owl"oween on the Mountain
Saturday, October 31
Trail fee applies.
Enjoy a variety of owl-themed crafts and activities throughout the day.
11 am-3 pm, Visitor Center.
NOVEMBER Programs
Autumn Eagle Watch
Saturday, November 14
Trail fee applies.
Celebrate the 75th Anniversary at Hawk Mountain by trying to see both eagle species in one day during the peak of eagle migration. Meet up with Laurie Goodrich at North Lookout for eagle identification tips and a relaxed day of eagle watching. Dress for weather. Rain cancels.
10 am-2 pm, North Lookout
Holiday Open House
Fri and Sat, November 27-28
WINTER 2010 EVENTS
Snowflake Flurry, January 10
Owl Prowl, February 19 and February 26
Feed the Birds, February 20
Spring Equinox, March 20
2009 ECO TOURS
Visit Veracruz with Pat & Clay Sutton: The Amazing 5 Million Raptor watchsite
Click here to see trip itinerary and registration forms.
October 10-October 18, $2,450 for nine-day tour
Optional 3-day (Oct 19-21) southern extension birding trip, $575
Fees based on double occupancy. Single room add $250. Does not include airfare
Registration/deposit deadline is June 30.
Take the hawkwatching trip of a lifetime to Veracruz, Mexico, where the aptly-named "River of Raptors" boasts more than 100,000 migrants daily. This eco-tour includes the chance to meet local conservationists, see native birds and butterflies, enjoy pre-colonization ruins, and enjoy Mexico's rural landscape, all with your hosts, wildlife authors Pat & Clay Sutton. New this year will be the chance to hawkwatch from the second-floor viewing deck of the site's new education center. Cost includes guides, food, lodging, ground transportation, and a charitable gift to the local raptor conservation program. Airfare is NOT included, but can be arranged through Hawk Mountain. Full itinerary available on the Hawk Mountain website. For more information, call Laurie Goodrich at 570-943-3411 x106 or email goodrich@hawkmtn.org.
COLLEGE-LEVEL COURSES:
Academic credit available through Cedar Crest College, or, Hawk Mountain Members may take each course for $175 without college credits. Members call Annie Trexler in the Business Office to register (610-756-6961), otherwise register through Cedar Crest by calling 610-740-3765.
BIO-251 Neotropical migrant birds (1 credit)
April 24-26; Friday 7-9, Sat/Sun 8-4.
Instructor is Dan Hinnebusch, Hawk Mountain Research Biologist
BIO-111 The Human Agenda: Environment (4 credits)
May 18, 29-31, June12-14, 26-28, July 10-12. Friday class held at Cedar Crest. Instructed by Cedar Crest College Faculty.
BIO-252 Field Ornithology (2 credits)
September 5-7, October 3-5; Friday 7-9, Sat/Sun 8-4.
Instructor is Dr. Chris Farmer, Hawk Mountain North American Monitoring Coordinator
BIO-253 Dynamics of Raptor Migration (1 credit)
September 26, October 17; Saturday 8-4. Instructor Dan Hinnebusch, Hawk Mountain Research Biologist
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AUTUMN LECTURE SERIES
Each author will be available to sign books following his or her lecture and copies will be available for purchase.
Hawk of Mercy: The Activist who Saved Nature from the Conservationists
Saturday, September 26 at 6 pm
Dyana Furmansky, Author Hear Rosalie Edge's biographer discuss Hawk Mountain's founder, the ‘woman who saved conservation' during the years she fought the Audubon Society and founded and grew Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.
Hawk Mountain: The World's First Raptor Sanctuary
Saturday, October 10
Author Jim Wright and Photographer Kevin Watson
Hear Wright and Watson describe their new large-format book produced especially for the Sanctuary's 75th Anniversary and see a slide show that consolidates the hundreds of year-round images taken over a two-year period.
Hawk Mountain: Cradle of Raptor Conservation
Saturday, October 17
Dr. Keith Bildstein, Director of Conservation Science, Hawk Mountain
Hear Dr. Bildstein describe the Sanctuary's congtributions to conservation science from its discovery of a Golden Eagle flyway in eastern Pennsylvania to its watershed meeting on satellite tracking migrant birds of prey. |
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