Statistics, music, a slideshow and some donated books were all included in a program at the Hawkwatchers' Dinner at Lehigh Gap Nature Center on Nov. 15.

Bob Hoopes, a member of the board of director, compiled the number of each type of bird counted at the Bake Oven Knob site.Hoopes said it was the 54th season at Bake Oven Knob and the season will continue another two weeks.Sean Bankos, a student at Kutztown University, was the intern who did most of the counting.Black vulture numbers have been above average with 293 counted, and turkey vultures were below average with 884.Bald eagles started out high in September and continued through the season for a total of 283, the second highest, with 388 counted in 2013. Sharp-shinned hawks had been declining but jumped this year. The decline was probably due to habitat destruction.The Coopers hawk number was the lowest since 1997 with 18 sighted. The Northern goshawk only came through with 13 but it is believed that number may go up in the next two weeks.The broadwing hawk is always seen frequently with 4,051 counted this year.Putting up nesting boxes helped kestrels make a comeback but the number is going down again. Starlings are using kestrel-preferred sites.Peregrine falcons had the highest count at 67 since the 76 in 2007.Sometimes it is difficult to identify a bird. Cloud cover can make colors appear different than they really are. It is also more difficult to determine size when one bird is alone so there is nothing for comparison.Hoopes said he does not identify birds, he recognizes them by looking at the whole. To identify you have to check the various field marks. To be able to do that the markings must be written down until you have a field guide on hand. What is retained in the head is not enough.There were only three days when they were rained out.On Oct. 3 a merlin harassed a turkey vulture for several minutes before they continued their way west. A merlin perched 100 feet away from the counters on Oct. 11.Bankos thanked board member Kathy Romano for urging him to apply for the position as intern.Don Heintzelman donated some of the books he wrote during his long career as a birder and conservationist. He was behind the founding of the Wildlife Information Center, which had a storefront office in Slatington and became the Nature Center and Wildlife Refuge.Rick Gaeta sang a song about the joys and woes of being on the Knob.Dave Levandusky provided a slide show of the raptor pictures he took in the past year. Occasionally he will wait hours to get just the picture he wants.