Hawk Mountain To Host Fall Native Plant Sale Sept. 19-20

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County will host its annual Autumn Native Plant Sale on September 19 and 20 outside the Visitor Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring a wide selection of native trees, grasses, vines, shrubs and flowering plants.

The sale is open to the public and all proceeds benefit Hawk Mountain conservation programs.

Hawk Mountain’s plant sale volunteers make the sale convenient, educational, and enjoyable, says Hawk Mountain president Jerry Regan. "They carry your purchases to your car, store them in our holding area until you’re ready to leave, and offer great gardening tips,” he explains.

Native plants available for purchase during the sale will include asters, goldenrods, milkweeds, coneflowers, brown-eyed susans, and more. Visitors also can take home free pamphlets about using natives in home gardens and have the chance to consult with volunteer experts on plant selection and care.

The bookstore also offers a year-round selection of native plant gardening books for those interested in learning more.

The sale also offers a good excuse to explore the trails and scenic overlooks, where migrating hawks can now be seen soaring south in increasing numbers. In fact, mid September is the peak of broad-winged hawk migration, the Sanctuary’s most numerous migrant, so big flights are possible.

“By the end of this week we can see more than 1,000 broadwings in any given day and September weather is always great for spending time outside,” Regan says.

First Autumn Lecture

To learn more about this small, round-winged hawks, Director of Long-term Monitoring Dr. Laurie Goodrich will present the first autumn lecture on September 19, “Chasing Broadwings to Brazil and Back,” at 5:30 pm in the Visitor Center. All lectures in the series of free of charge and sponsored by First Niagara Bank and Materion.

“It’s a great way to end your day at the Lookout and this lecture will focus on Hawk Mountain’s latest telemetry study of broad-winged hawks, which migrate as far as central South America,” Regan explains.

Celebrating more than 80 years in raptor conservation, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is the world's first refuge for birds of prey and an international center for raptor conservation.