Lehigh Gap Nature Center intern Katie Rittenhouse was saying her goodbyes to the new friends she made during the center's annual hawk count on Bake Oven Knob and at the Osprey House.

The Nature Center needs an intern because members have to fit their hawk-watching hours around their jobs.

Her mother, Linda, said Katie learned so much. She is thankful other hawk watchers were good mentors for her daughter.

In addition to her mother, her father Wayne and sister Emily accompanied her to the banquet held annually at the end of the season.

Some days she would stay at the Knob later than normal and often saw a lot of birds.

Katie, who was a lifeguard other years, said the birds were more interesting.

She is applying for a field job to work with birds and has sent out several résumés.

Her family came up to Bake Oven Knob to visit Katie on the job.

They said they learned a lot in that one day.

Katie found a mouse friend who came for lunch but it was a "no touch" relationship.

Mary Coover, who is an information specialist at the Nature Center, said she was out early one day in her garden and saw the mist rising. That meant there would be good thermals along the ridge.

She raced to Bake Oven Knob and some of the birds were just leaving their overnight homes in trees.

She demonstrated how she threw up her hands and exclaimed, "All these birds" as the birds flew up, mostly broadwing hawks.

After dinner, Rick Gaeta sang a song accompanying himself on the guitar and read a poem, "Raptors Sea in Blue," which was framed and given to Katie as a going-away gift.

He wrote both pieces himself in honor of hawk watchers past and present.

Bob Hoopes said when Katie was interviewed for the position as intern, she was promised a company chair that is a big rock.

She lived at the Osprey House and amazed people when the kitchen was spotlessly clean. They were used to it being messy.

Hoopes said there were 298 bald eagles this season and 166 golden eagles. The day after Hurricane Sandy there were 42 in one day.

Bad weather often leads to a high count.

He said Katie had not had a lot of experience but she learned fast.

A picture, part of a PowerPoint presentation showed 11 black vultures standing on a log and all facing the same direction.

Each was emblazoned with the name of a hawk watcher.

"It might have been because of the weather," said Hoopes explaining the high counts. The storm coming in from the west directly after Sandy may have pushed them east.

The identification of a northern goshawk was disputed, but the head counter, this year Katie, is the one who makes the decision that goes into the record book.

Identification is often by elimination of individual identifying factors.

"You are forever among the Bake Oven Knob faithful," Hoopes told Katie.

She said it had been a great experience. The changing of the seasons was awesome as were all the people who kept her company.

Dan Kunkle, Nature Center director, said everyone is welcome.

"If you are a hawk counter you contribute," Kunkle said. "If you don't know anything about hawks, you can still say 'There's a bird over here.' We are a volunteer organization. It's amazing what happens here."

He suggests to each intern that they read the book "Hawks in Flight."

Kunkle handed out the door prizes, including books and a fruit basket.

On the cake served for dessert was written, "Bake Oven Knob, 52 years."