The View on Raccoon Ridge
Fall Raptors
by John Smith
For those in New Jersey that fancy the habits of our wild avian friends (such people are know as "birders"), fall is the season to head for the hills to observe the annual raptor migration. A raptor is a bird of prey--a general descriptor that includes eagles, hawks, falcons, and vultures. The mountain ridges that run through the northeast US are highways for the raptors as they ride the thermals on their annual trip south. In New Jersey, this migration begins in late-August, peaks in September and October, and then trails off through November and early December. Some species, like the northern goshawk, golden eagle, and red-tailed hawk actually increase in numbers in November, but each species has its own window of time.
Hawk Mountain, near Allentown, PA, is world famous for hawk watching and, during a good day on a weekend in the fall, it would not be uncommon to find hundreds of people huddled together on the rocks there with binoculars and spotting scopes awaiting the air-show. On the other hand, the Skyland's own Raccoon Ridge, which shares a common ridge line with Hawk Mountain, will typically chalk up raptor counts only 10-15% below Hawk Mountain and, while somewhat more difficult to reach--at least for the foot part of the journey--will generally be a lot less populated.
Depending
on when you visit Raccoon Ridge, you will have an opportunity to see
the migration of any of the following: northern goshawk, Cooper's hawk,
sharp-shinned hawk, red-tailed hawk (left), red-shouldered hawk, Broad-winged
hawk, rough-legged hawk (above), golden eagle, bald eagle, northern harrier,
osprey, peregrine falcon, merlin, American kestrel.
New Jersey is one of the top birding and hawk spotting areas in the USA. And, in 1994, the 12 New Jersey hawk-watches tallied 160,000 hawks during the fall migration. Raccoon Ridge alone, averages about 15,000 raptor sightings each year, during the September to December period.
Raccoon Ridge is most easily accessible from Yards Creek Power Station, just outside Blairstown. (Map) Take Interstate Route 80 to Exit 4 and Route 94 North towards Blairstown. Drive about 4 1/2 miles until you see a sign on your right directing you to Yards Creek. Turn left on Walnut Valley Road and go 3 miles up the hill.
As you enter the facility, you will need to register at the guard station. This is a good time to pick up some material about the power station and a map of the area. GPU permits parking at the lot to the right, just past the guard station, and allows foot access to the trail to Raccoon Ridge. From this upper parking area, it is a 10 minute walk to the gate, and another 10 minute walk to the lower parking area. When you reach the lower parking area at a former Boy Scout camp, proceed another 100 feet and you will see what looks like a grassy jeep trail to your left.. This is the trail to the ridge. It starts about 100 yards before the scout cabin with the large stone fireplace. An attempt is being made to convince GPU to leave the gate open during raptor migration season, but at this point the gate is still closed.
Pay attention early. On our trip last year we saw many interesting things as soon as we got out of the car. For one thing we noticed a red-bellied woodpecker hanging upside down over our car, searching for a juicy morsel. Then, tuning in to our surroundings, we noted several clusters of bluebirds in the field--they are always great to see.
The Delaware River snakes through
the valley below Raccoon Ridge.
To climb to Raccoon Ridge, you will face a moderately strenuous 30 minute hike up a well-marked trail to join with the AT. From the summit, at slightly over 1500 feet, you will have a relatively short hike (5-10 minutes) south along the AT to the Raccoon Ridge overlook. The trail to the top is wide and well marked with a blue blaze. And, while not excessively steep, it is rock-strewn and relentless in grade. So, be sure to wear good hiking boots or a turned ankle will likely await you, especially if you try sneakers or walking shoes.
The lower trail is bordered by a pretty stream and wild rhododendron. After a cold night, the area along the stream is often bejeweled with icicles. The views down the slope to the lower reservoir at Yards Creek are delightful, and serve as useful excuses to slow down the heart rate without confessing to your colleagues that you are definitely feeling the ascent. Woodpeckers seem to own this area, along with the ever-present chickadees, tufted titmice, and nuthatches. Last year, our trip to the top was cheered on by the "wikka, wikka, wikka" of several pileated woodpeckers. While we saw four species of woodpeckers before returning to our car, the giant pileated was certainly the most spectacular. Look for them about 15 minutes from the parking area.
About 30 minutes up the trail, there is a pile of rocks marking a smaller trail to the left that is a short-cut to the Raccoon Ridge overlook. The small trail joins the AT, which is marked with a white blaze. If you miss the turn-off, you will still reach the AT, but the miscue will add an additional mile hike to your outing, as you head back south. If you elect to take the side-trail, mentally mark the area where it joins the AT, as it will be easy to miss this trail on your return trip--last year we did just that.
Once on top of the ridge, if the day is clear, you will see panoramic views of the Delaware Valley, the best being from the Raccoon Ridge overlook itself. You will know you are there because there is a large pile of rocks that serve as a table for the official counter. If you visit there during the count, you will likely find quite a few folks taking in the show. If you are a novice, listen to the experts--they will usually call out key sightings.
Bring a picnic lunch and binoculars. The activity is best on a sunny day, when the wind is out of the northwest, but in any case the action often seems to come in waves--so be patient. If your legs need more action or you want more privacy for lunch, continue south on the Appalachian Trail. After a scenic walk of a little over two miles, and you will reach the north side of Sunfish Pond--a very nice place to have your banquet. But, be sure to return to the overlook to spend some time with the birding folks. (Trail Map)
Raptors are wonderful to see. They glide quietly and effortlessly as they ride the thermals but, with the exception of the Osprey (the fish-hawk), most raptors will avoid crossing large bodies of water--they must conserve energy and need thermals to help gain altitude. That is why Cape May is such a good spotting area. The raptors will funnel down to Cape May and spend a lot of time thinking (oh that's right, birds don't think) about how to get to Delaware. They cluster there, and many will go back up the west coast of NJ until they feel better about crossing the Delaware Bay. Others will wait for a hefty tail-wind to help in the crossing.
Two species of raptors migrate well into South America. For example, the six-week-long caravan of broad-winged hawks will make a right turn when they hit the Gulf of Mexico. At that point they will follow the coast through Texas and Mexico as they head for central South America. The Osprey are somewhat more at home with water and will migrate all the way to Argentina, crossing both the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean--island-hopping along the way. Experts in navigation, all species of raptors will usually return to the same area year after year, often pairing with the same mate.
Birding is a wonderful pastime and, for many of us, it can become quite habit forming. But it is also very relaxing, and can carry you away from the noise and cares of the everyday working world.
Find out more about raptors and birding in general with a visit to the New Jersey Audubon headquarters at the Scherman-Hoffman Sanctuary in Bernardsville (Phone: 908-766-2661). The gift shop there has many books on birding, and it is a nice place to browse.
Hope to see you on the mountain.
John Smith is a principal author and photographer for the revised book, "Exploring the Little Rivers of New Jersey", originally written by James and Margaret Cawley, and published by Rutgers University Press in 1993.
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