THANK YOU to everyone who made the 2024 Lehigh Gap Area Feeder Watch a big success! This year’s 44 participants counted over 2,859 birds representing 50 species.

Here is the breakdown of the Feeder Watch data:

Cooper’s Hawk – 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk – 2
American Kestrel – 1
Wild Turkey – 16
Mourning Dove – 196
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 32
Hairy Woodpecker – 21
Downy Woodpecker – 52
Northern Flicker – 4
Pileated Woodpecker – 4
Blue Jay – 80
American Crow – 67
Chickadee Sp. – 50
Tufted Titmouse – 73
White-breasted Nuthatch – 76
Red-breasted Nuthatch – 0
Brown Creeper – 1
Carolina Wren – 14
Northern Mockingbird – 1
Cedar Waxwing – 2
European Starling – 142
Eastern Bluebird – 7
American Tree Sparrow – 5
Fox Sparrow – 20
Song Sparrow – 83
White-throated Sparrow – 49
White-crowned Sparrow – 11
Dark-eyed Junco – 240
Northern Cardinal – 79
Red-winged Blackbird – 28
Common Grackle – 6
Brown-headed Cowbird – 2
Purple Finch – 99
House Finch – 127
Common Redpoll – 3
Pine Siskin – 7
American Goldfinch – 61
House Sparrow – 164

We send a special thanks to the Pennsylvania Game Commission for installing a beautiful new sign to welcome visitors to the hawk watch this season! Interested in volunteering at the hawk watch? Email us at mail@lgnc.org to learn more!

We are extremely grateful for a generous $20,000 donation from The Neffs National Bank in support of LGNC’s educational outreach to area schools! Donations such as these, made through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit program, allow LGNC to make nature and science accessible to students who might otherwise not have the opportunity to benefit from environmental education. Thank you!​

At LGNC, we mourn the passing of one of our most important, long-time partners, Elissa Garofalo. When we began planning the Lehigh Gap Restoration Project in 2002, Elissa directed the Carbon County office of the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor and became an early supporter, advisor, and friend. It was Elissa who nominated LGNC and the D&L Corridor for the Community Conservation Partnership Award from the U.S. Department of Interior, which we received in 2006. She also led the Lehigh Valley Greenways partnership in its early years, and we served on its steering committee. Later, she became Executive Director at the D&L Corridor when Allen Sachse retired. She always remained an important partner, a great colleague, and a friend. Perhaps Peter Kern said it best:

“Elissa was a unique Carbon County asset and a presence that will be missed. I can’t say enough about her contributions. She was pragmatic and firm in her convictions. I know I am not alone in recognizing her importance. May she rest in peace knowing that she made a difference.”

Lehigh Gap Nature Center is looking for volunteers to help with our information desk, our education programming, and the Bake Oven Knob Hawk Count!

• Are you interested in meeting new people and helping visitors who are looking to make the most out of their visit to LGNC? Our Information Specialist volunteers play an important role in keeping our building open daily year-round!
Commitment: 3 to 3.5-hour shifts available year round during business hours
Responsibilities: Staffing the Osprey House front desk; greeting and helping visitors; selling merchandise

• Would you love to teach and engage young people in environmental science? Our Education Team volunteers assist the staff during field trips when nearby schools visit the Nature Center in the fall and spring. Their help allows us to continue inspiring students with our story and connecting them to the outdoors.
Commitment: 2-4 hours per field trip September-November and March-June
Responsibilities: Leading field trip stations for students in grades pre-k through high school

• Have you ever wanted to count migrating birds of prey while enjoying beautiful views? For over 60 years, our Hawk Count volunteers have counted migrating birds that fly past Bake Oven Knob in the late summer and fall. The data collected during these counts are entered into an international research database.
Commitment: 4 to 8-hour shifts available Fridays and Saturdays August-November
Responsibilities: Counting migrating birds and recording data

For all volunteer positions, LGNC will provide training, supplies, and a great experience! There is no obligation to volunteer on a regular basis. Only help out if it fits your schedule.

Our volunteers play a vital role in helping LGNC fulfill its mission. We are so grateful for their dedication, and we would love to welcome more volunteers into our organization!

Please email us at volunteering@lgnc.org or call us at 610-760-8889 if you are interested in learning more.

Here is the link to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/LGNC_YouTube

Be sure to like our videos and subscribe to our channel!!!