This morning at the nature center, several Herring Gulls were flying along the river with a single Great Black-backed Gull, an unusual species for the refuge. A female Common Merganser was also seen in the river.

The annual Bake Oven Knob Area Winter Bird Survey was held on Saturday, January 16, 2010.  At around 7:30, three teams set out to count birds.  For the first time since the start of the count, a group stayed at the nature center.  The cumulative species total was 48 species, 25 of which were found at the refuge.

Here is the list of species found on the refuge on Saturday:

Canada Goose-86
Mallard-29
American Black Duck-16
Bufflehead-2
Common Merganser-5
Bald Eagle-1
Sharp-shinned Hawk-2
Red-tailed Hawk-3
American Kestrel-1
Herring Gull-3
Rock Pigeon-42
Mourning Dove-2
Downy Woodpecker-4
Hairy Woodpecker-1
American Crow-11
Black-capped Chickadee-17
Tufted Titmouse-3
White-breasted Nuthatch-4
Eastern Bluebird-14
American Tree Sparrow-4
Song Sparrow-1
Dark-eyed Junco-29
Northern Cardinal-1
Common Grackle-40
American Goldfinch-28

This morning at the refuge, several species of winter birds were seen. Many Dark-eyed Juncos were feeding along the edges of the LNE and D&L Trails. A few Common Mergansers were in the river near the Osprey House, while a pair of Hooded Mergansers were in the River, visible from the Bobolink Trail.

Other birds seen include:

American Black Duck-2
Hairy Woodpecker-1
American Tree Sparrow-3

This morning the Lehigh Gap Nature Center was filled with sparrows. Large numbers of Dark-eyed Juncos and Song and White-throated Sparrows were present. Most of the birds were along the D&L Trail. Other notable birds include a Northern Harrier migrating along the ridge and a Hairy Woodpecker.

This morning at the nature center there were several Milbert’s Tortoiseshell butterflies along the D&L Trail.  Other butterflies seen include Silver-spotted Skipper and Monarch.

There was also a good number of birds at the refuge, many of which were moving south.  A total of 489 Blue Jays were seen flying over the gap.  Several late-fall/winter birds have arrived at the center including an American Black Duck, several White-throated Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, and a Yellow-rumped Warbler.

This morning along the D&L Trail at the LGNC, a single Merlin was hunting in the grassland.  There were several Monarch butterflies, as well as Viceroys, Milbert’s Tortoiseshells, and Red Admirals.

Today, at around 4:00pm, several Turkey Vultures and a Broad-winged Hawk flew southbound, over the Osprey House. An Osprey was seen earlier in the day, fishing over the Lehigh River.