The Broad-winged Hawk Project: A Trip to the Allegheny National Forest

May 23 to May 26, 2016

Zach, Randy and I set out on our road trip to the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) early Monday morning. The forecast for the next couple of days was looking good, and the potential of confirming Broadwing nests in the ANF was promising. Upon arrival we were greeted by our hosts Don Watts and Scott Stoleson. Dr. Scott Stoleson is the Research Wildlife Biologist at the USFS Northern Research Station lab and a Research Associate of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute. Don Watts is a biological technical assistant for the USFS, monitors Kestrel nestboxes and assists with breeding bird surveys, nest finding and the Christmas Bird Count in the ANF. Both are Master Banders and are very knowledgeable about bird calls, identification and nesting!

In 2015 Scott, Don and others were able to gather nesting data for us at 5 sites. This year they were on the lookout again, and prior to our trip already confirmed 1 nest- including other areas where birds were seen and thought to be nesting.

At 5:45am on Tuesday morning we awoke to the sounds of forest birds, turned on the coffee maker and got dressed for a day of nest searching. Don and Scott arrived an hour later and we jumped in our cars to head off to the one confirmed nest site in the southwest portion of the forest. Don pointed out last years nest tree, a Black Cherry, where at least one young fledged and just 50 yards away in a Red Oak was a Broadwing incubating. We took down the GPS location, jotted down a few notes in the field notebook and made our way to the next site. The second location had Broadwings in the past, but in recent years they have been unable to pinpoint any new nests.

We all spread out to search the area. Don and Scott went to scope out two very large nests that were 2+ years old, in Black Cherry trees. I immediately ruled the nests out due to their size, it looked to me like they were more Red-tail like than anything. Boy, was I wrong. After using the scope to zoom in on the nest, we confirmed a female Broadwing incubating! I was very surprised to see this and realized I was too quick to judge the size of that nest.

We continued to drive to other known Broadwing territories and by the end of the day had a total of 3 nests confirmed. We got back to our cabin around 7pm, made dinner, recapped our day and were in bed by 10.

The next morning, Don treated us to a traditional breakfast at a local restaurant in Warren. We then made our way to the ranger station in the northeast to meet with Dani, a wildlife tech for the USFS, who has been helping Don and Scott track the Broadwings in the ANF. Our first stop was a nest that fledged young last year. On our way to that spot Don showed us a nest that was not active last year but once belonged to a raptor. We approached the dead Beech tree to find loads of white down scattered on the stick nest. It was active! We put the scope on it, and not too long after... the call of a Broadwing. Hooray! Nest number 4.

We continued searching at other locations and when it was time to head back to the cabin, we were driving on a forest service road and Randy shouted out to stop the truck. Dani pulled over and we all grabbed our binoculars and what do you know, there was a Broadwing sitting on the nest, with its head barely visible! Zach went to GPS the nest in an Ash tree, and we all got back in the truck feeling relieved that we were now up to 5 nests.

The forecast was calling for rain Thursday afternoon so we decided to spend the morning searching before we headed back home. Scott and Don arrived at the cabin at 7 am and we were in the woods by 7:30. We stopped at a few more sites and were able to confirm our 6th and final nest before noon. We celebrated at a local pub with burgers and sweet potato fries!

The trip to the ANF was very exciting and rewarding. We came out with 6 confirmed Broadwing nests and a few more territories that the ANF crew will continue to monitor. We had spectacular hosts, Don, Scott, and Dani. We thank you for spending time with us in the field, providing us with a place to stay, treating us to meals, showing us other raptor nests, and taking us on a tour of the old growth at Heart's Content. We can't wait to return in a few weeks in hopes of putting two transmitters on your birds up there! :)