The bird count is in from Hawk Mountain. Here are the big migration numbers.

Volunteers and staff in Berks County spent more than 1,000 hours across 95 days to scan the skies for migrating birds.

At Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, bird watchers found it was a good year for broad-wing hawks but a less successful year for other species.

The sanctuary looks at 10-year trends. Counters spotted 12,503 broad-wing hawks, which is nearly 5,000 higher than the 10-year. The peak hourly count occurred on Sept. 18 when 1,915 hawks streamed past. Between Sept. 16-18, counters spotted 10,159 broad-wings.

“I was actually very blessed and lucky that I was at the count for many of those big days. I had multiple big days this year at Hawk Mountain,” said Sean Grace, president of the sanctuary.

The season ended with the sanctuary’s ninth-highest count on record for broad-wings. Good weather patterns made the difference. He said broad-wing hawks have a tight two-week window for their migration in September and they were plentiful this year.

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The sanctuary reports sharp-shinned hawks and the three falcon species managed to hit their 10-year averages, while nine of the species were below average. Northern goshawks numbers were down 71% and they spotted 33% fewer osprey, with below-average counts from across the state.

The red-tailed hawk and golden eagle counts were down by 21%, though, he said hawk watches in western Pennsylvania noted above-average numbers for both those species. He believes a lack of the strong sustained northwest winds and favorable conditions to their north may have caused migrant shortstopping.

For bald eagles, the sanctuary reported seeing 586 this fall, compared with the 10-year average of 486. He credits the increase in birds to a change in farming practices with the elimination of DDT in pesticides. That chemical compound was found to weaken the eggshells of raptors. Banned in the United States in 1972, it can remain in the environment for years. It is still being used in other countries.

Osprey numbers were down at 219 birds compared with the average of 329.

“The goshawk is a really depressing story," Grace said. One year in the 1970s, the sanctuary counted 542 Northern Goshawks, and this year counters found four. He believes they are susceptible to West Nile Virus, which has been found in several states in the northeast region including Pennsylvania.

“Some raptors are doing well, and we’re seeing steady recoveries. Some birds tend to be dropping off," Grace said of the trends.

The autumn season finished with 20,327 migrant birds which is a 25% increase on their 10-year average. This increase was attributed to the increase of bald eagles and broad-winged hawks they found.

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He pointed out the sharp-shinned hawks numbers were in line with past years. They found 3,574 birds, which is close to the 10-year average of 3,624. However, in the long-term data, the number of sharp-shinned hawks is on the decline.

The counters also noted some of the larger hawks, like red-tailed, are not migrating south unless there are really cold temperatures or heavy snow loads that prevent them from finding prey like mice and squirrels.

In addition to declining number of sharp-shinned hawks and goshawks, Grace said American Kestrels are declining.

“In my lifetime, we’ve seen a 95% decline in kestrel numbers,” the 56-year-old said about the East Coast.

The sanctuary has the longest set of data in the world on migratory birds, dating back to 1934, and it is working with other data collections sites in migration corridors in other countries.

While the bird counts are done for science, there are personal benefits as well.

“Do I feel a sense of awe and inspiration when I’m up there on a big flight day? Absolutely.” He said there’s a spiritual connection the counters and visitors have when spending time on the ridge looking at majestic birds.

The facility is open throughout the year for people who want to hike the trails and see a variety of birds including songbirds and some eagles.

In addition to visiting Hawk Mountain, he suggests hanging a bird feeder near your home. “It’s a fun distraction and a good way to stay in touch with some of the birds that are out and around.”

Brian Whipkey is the outdoors columnist for USA TODAY Network sites in Pennsylvania. Contact him at bwhipkey@gannett.com and sign up for our weekly Go Outdoors PA newsletter email on this website's homepage under your login name. Follow him on Facebook @whipkeyoutdoors.

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This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Bird counters look for eagles, hawks, raptors, sharp shinns broad wing