Hawk Ridge News - November 2023

 Dear Hawk Ridge Friends,

 

November is always a special month to reflect on all the wonderful people that put Hawk Ridge into action during the fall - we had an amazing crew of staff and volunteers that we're so grateful for. Thanks to your support, we were able to continue sharing in the magic and beauty of the fall bird migration at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve with visitors of all ages, abilities, and from throughout the world. We appreciate each and every one of you! Our bird migration count and raptor banding research continues through November 30th. Over 270,000 birds have been counted so far, including over 41,500 raptors of 18 species. You can also check out the live bird migration count totals on Trektellen HERE and HawkCount HERE. Find out more in our October research & education summary reports below! 

P.S. If you missed our last e-newsletter featuring our September bird migration count and raptor banding summaries, you can view that and older versions by clicking HERE. Keep up with recent news by following us on Facebook and Instagram. 

 

Give to the Max for Hawk Ridge!

NOW through Thursday, November 16th

 

The annual MN Nonprofit Giving Day - Give to the Max is HERE! As we're enjoying the beauty of Golden Eagles at Hawk Ridge, you can also help us win a $500 Golden Ticket! Any gift is eligible and Golden tickets will be awarded every 15 minutes all day long on Thurs. Nov. 16th. Please help us meet our goal of $7000 on this special giving day! 

You can easily make your gift online by visiting GiveMN.org and searching for "Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory" or by simply clicking HERE to Give to the Max in support of Hawk Ridge! We truly appreciate your support and invite you to enjoy the Golden Eagles and other raptors at Hawk Ridge now through November 30th!   

October Bird Migration Count Summary

Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory (HRBO): Migration Count Overview (October 2023) The Fall 2023 migration count at Hawk Ridge continued through October with a total of 303.6 count hours over 31 consecutive days by the end of the month. This was the second highest October hourly total for count hours ever recorded during the fall count (High being October 2000 = 305.75 count hours). A total of 20,531 raptors across 17 different species were documented from the platform during the month. 

The most abundant raptor species counted were: SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (8,207), RED-TAILED HAWK (4,231), BROAD-WINGED HAWK (3,506), BALD EAGLE (1,740), TURKEY VULTURE (1,726). The following species had above-average October count totals: TURKEY VULTURE, OSPREY, NORTHERN HARRIER, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, AMERICAN KESTREL, and PEREGRINE FALCON. The following species had below-average October count totals: BALD EAGLE, COOPER'S HAWK, AMERICAN GOSHAWK, RED-TAILED HAWK, GOLDEN EAGLE, and MERLIN. 

This month recorded HRBO site high record October totals for: BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, TURKEY VULTURES, and PEREGRINE FALCONS (86), meaning the highest October totals ever documented for each species. The delay in both Broad-winged and Turkey Vulture southward movement could have been related to several weeks of poor weather/wind conditions in September earlier this year. If migrant raptors remained held up at northern latitudes, their later passage along the Ridge into October could have been a result when, historically, migrant Broad-winged Hawks are documented in September (For reference, this past September experienced one of the lowest Broad-winged Hawk monthly totals ever recorded at HRBO for October). 

The large October Peregrine flight during the first week of the month was also really impressive! The two back-to-back days (Oct 3 and 4) brought 46 migrant Peregrines combined - absolutely incredible to witness from the Ridge. The first day (Oct 3) Peregrine Falcon day count total of 25 birds tied the second highest HRBO site day count record for this species (Tied with September 19, 2019). 

Additionally, the October BROAD-WINGED HAWK movement was an atypical spectacle to witness. Typical fall migration patterns have nearly all migrant Broad-winged Hawks passing HRBO by mid-to-late September, so to stand and witness kettles totaling 2,542 on 10/4 (which included one DARK-MORPH BROAD-WING!) felt special. The month also brought an adult RED-SHOULDERED HAWK close along the west side of the Ridge on 10/27 during a large buteo and eagle flight, and three SHORT-EARED OWLS (10/8, 10/18, 10/29) both along the Ridge directly overhead and down the shore. 

The non-raptor flight along the Ridge gained momentum over October, with 91 non-raptor migrant bird species documented. The most abundant non-raptor species documented throughout the month were: AMERICAN ROBIN (19,932), AMERICAN CROW (7,665), RUSTY BLACKBIRD (7,408), PINE SISKIN (6,717), PURPLE FINCH (5,684), UNIDENTIFIED WARBLER SPECIES (5,196), COMMON GRACKLE (3,778), YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (3,446), CANADA GOOSE (3,276), BLUE JAY (1,275).

Other non-raptor migrant highlights from the month include: A late male BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER during morning flight and first HARRIS'S SPARROW of the fall at the feeders on 10/2, Large RUSTY BLACKBIRD (4,107) and AMERICAN ROBIN (5,277) movement down the shore on 10/6 during morning flight, HRBO site day record for SANDHILL CRANES (1,132) on 10/7, First BOREAL CHICKADEE of the fall on 10/8, First BOHEMIAN WAXWING of the fall on 10/10, Big migrant AMERICAN CROW movement (1,159) down the shore on 10/12, late CHIMNEY SWIFT on 10/16, late EASTERN PHOEBE passing along the Ridge on 10/31, seven migrant BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS throughout the month, and two TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES (10/15 and 10/16 - possibly the same bird).

To view all species (raptor and non-raptor) totals for the Fall 2023 migration count at Hawk Ridge, visit: https://www.trektellen.org/site/totals/3670/2023

By Jess Cosentino

Lead Counter

October Raptor Banding Summary

After a rather anticlimactic end to September, October started out strong with some of our busiest days of the season in the first week. However, the theme of the season was still poor weather, and we were plagued with a long stretch of just one to two birds a day in mid-October. The last week of the month picked up significantly, however, with a solid flight of Red-tailed Hawks and nice looks at typical late-season birds like Rough-legged Hawks and Golden Eagles. American Goshawk numbers have been extremely low this season, with only 6 banded in October and 7 for the season to date (compared to the 12-year average of 88.4 per season). These low numbers are hopefully indicative of a high prey density in the breeding range resulting in birds not needing to move far in search of food, rather than a decline in overall numbers. Most of the month of October was quite warm and wet, which did not promote strong movement of hungry birds. 

Despite the lower numbers for the month, we put in a valiant effort with three stations covered a total of 62 days. The Hawk Ridge and Moose Valley stations were covered primarily by Abbie Valine and Kara Beer, respectively, while Frank Nicoletti ran Paine Farm as well as relief days at Hawk Ridge. Banding apprentices Liv Fortuna and Doris Rodriguez made excellent progress throughout the month refining their banding and trapping skills, while trainees Megan Hanson, Marie Chappell, and Sarah Needles solidified the basics of raptor handling and banding. 

The biggest highlight of the month was a juvenile Swainson’s Hawk banded at Moose Valley—only the 5th one banded in 51 years, and the first since 2016. Other highlights included a juvenile male Bald Eagle captured at Moose Valley, and a new daily record of 16 Northern Harriers captured at the Hawk Ridge station.

 

October Raptor Banding Totals: 

Northern Harrier – 30 

Sharp-shinned Hawk – 427 

Cooper’s Hawk – 8 

American Goshawk – 6 

Swainson’s Hawk – 1 

Red-tailed Hawk – 60 

American Kestrel – 4 

Merlin – 17 

Peregrine Falcon – 5 

Bald Eagle – 1 

Northern Shrike – 3 

Total – 562

By Abbie Valine

Lead Bander

October Owl Banding Summary

Hoot-hoot everyone! For the second half of the Hawk Ridge fall owl banding season, the banders were able to run mist-nets for 13 nights from October 16 to November 10. Snow, rain, high wind speeds slowed down banding operations for a few nights, but our resilient banders put on extra layers to stay warm and their extraction skills remained sharp, as they removed thousands of leaves from their nets. 

Migration certainly slowed for Northern Saw-whet Owls (NSWO) during the second half of the season. 185 NSWO were banded and 5 Saw-whet’s that already had a band were processed. The final big push of the season brought 45 Saw-whet’s to our station on October 20th. This may seem low compared to our big night of the season that consisted of 150 plus Saw-whet’s during the night of October 7th. But it served as a nice farewell to the high Saw- whet movement. On October 28th apprentice Sarah had the honor of banding a celebrity Saw-whet—the 1000th NSWO of the season. This was a major milestone for the season since this number had not been reached since 2020. 

Saw-whet Owl Numbers (Oct. 16-Nov. 10)

Sex: Male 2, Female 143, Unknown 40 

Age: Hatch Year 100, Second Year 31, After Hatch Year 36 

Our previous owl banding update highlighted the charismatic Saw-whet Owls, but the spotlight of the second half shifted to the Long-eared Owls (LEOW). We had steady LEOW numbers during the first half of the season and twenty seven individuals were banded by October 15. Owl banders had three big LEOW nights. The first of these three nights happened during the morning of October 22. By 1:00 am, banders had only caught one single Saw-whet owl. At 1:15 am they caught a Long-eared owl. Three more LEOW’s were caught during the next net check. As our owl bander was in the process of releasing the banded owls, he almost looked as shocked as Long-eared Owls look when he noticed that eight more LEOW were caught in the nets. What a time! He was able to extract all eight individuals thanks to the support of two of our dedicated volunteers. By end of the night they ended up banding thirteen Long-eared Owls. 

Our next big Long-eared night took place on November 3rd. We ended up banding twenty LEOW. Fifteen of these were caught from 8:00 pm to 11:30 pm. The remaining five came in from 1:00 am to 5:00 am. One LEOW per hour. This night was not only special because we ended up banding 20 LEOW (our season high), but also because we banded our 75th LEOW of the season. But After Second Year 17 Unknown Age 1 what truly made this night special was that we had our full banding team including our Lead bander Abbie, our diurnal bander Kara and our banding apprentices Doris and Liv. We wouldn’t have banded as many LEOW without their support. 

On the night of November 7 we caught eleven more LEOW. Prior to this night we had a total of 95 LEOW. We knew this was going to the be the night we made it to 100. Fortunately everything lined up; weather, flight and the 100th Long-eared of the season was caught at 2:15 am. A great milestone for the season. 

Long-eared Owl Numbers (Oct 16-Nov 10) 

Sex: Male 30, Female 55, Unknown 7 

Age: HY 11, AHY 45, ASY 23, Unknown 13

By Kevin Garcia Lopez

Owl Bander

 

October Education Summary

Another fall education season has quickly flown by. A few hints of snow, but nothing too serious this year, just enough to remind us that winter is truly coming. Plenty of activity going on at the overlook during October. For school and private programming September is just a warm up for the main attraction in October. This October we had 60 school and private program groups during Monday through Fridays at the Ridge (compared to 21 school and private programs in September), an additional 28 general public programs over the weekends, 6 owl programs, and 48 visiting birds from the banding stations for demonstrations and public releases, totaling about 142 programs with more than 3100 participants! And a good time was had by all! 

On October 14th, we celebrated World Migratory Bird day with a cooperative venture of area groups working to make birding accessible to all by celebrating our 4th Everyone Can Bird day at Hawk Ridge with our largest turnout so far with about 35 who came for the morning programming and migration tracking. Thanks to the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), Friends of the Lake Superior NERR, Minnesota Land Trust, Wisconsin Sea Grant, and Embark, and our ASL interpreters for teaming up with Hawk Ridge for this event! The 14th was also our fall Duluth Community Day Celebration and we recorded a total of 293 visitors through the course of the day celebrating Duluth and fall migration.

Thanks to Bob Rosenfeld, for baling out our Oct. 21 Owl program with his captive Great Horned Owl (a non-releasable bird with eyesight issues). The rain that day was supposed to quit, first by noon, then by 3, but was still going strong at 6, when we opted for plan B an indoor Owl Public Owl Program at the Limnology Lab. Another Lake Superior special day- that’s what I call it when the big lake makes weather hang on longer than it should! Of course we weren’t able to have any guests from our Hawk Ridge Owl banding station, but were so lucky to have Bob and his Great Horned Owl to fill in the live owl component for the program! It was truly a night not to be missed, and we all learned an amazing amount about owls and Great Horned Owls in particular. Thanks so much to Bob Rosenfeld, retired professor from University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, and his owl for making the rainy day owl program a smashing success!

The end of the formal education season at Hawk Ridge traditionally is always Halloween day, October 31st. Which unfortunately I missed this year with the excuse of being in Costa Rica with the Hawk Ridge tour observing the migration there- which was amazing!! But back to the Halloween festivities- I was provided with a great summary of the wide range of costumes that appeared to celebrate this last day of the season. Included in the staff entourage were: A flock of migrating birds flying through blue skies and clouds, A festive Halloween pin model, A female Sharp-shinned Hawk in a Pringles can being transported for demonstration purposes, a Shark, A butterfly and its caterpillar (still trying to figure out how we had both at the same time!) An Angry Bird, A Kingfisher, An adult male Grey Ghost Northern Harrier, A mist net full of captured birds for banding, A fancy Ketchup package, A discology of Taylor Swift, A Hawk- still working on speciation for this one, a Grey Catbird, and Last but not least all the way from Africa, a Secretary Bird! Thank you Tania for sharing the fun long distance! Not all of the amazing education and operation staff are represented in this great photo- but I can’t put the season to bed without expressing how grateful we are for such an incredible group of staff and volunteers to share the wonder of the wonder of the fall migration with our visitors! 

A quick summary of the fall season is also in order here to put the whole education season in perspective for the fall. Sept. and October program numbers combined indicate that we provided more than 311 formal education opportunities to about 7,400 participants! It was an amazing and busy season!!

By Margie Menzies

Education Director

Fall Raffle at the Ridge

We held our annual fall Raptors Raffle at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve this October with drawing on October 31st. Thank you to all that purchased tickets in support of our bird research and education programs at Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory! Congratulations to the following raffle winners:  

1) Vortex Viper HD 8x42 Binoculars (winner: Ralph Larsen, Duluth, MN)

2) Guided Winter Birding Daytrip for 2 with Frank Nicoletti (winner: Carissa Scanlan, St. Paul, MN)

3) $100 Gift Certificate for Merchandise from the Hawk Ridge gift shop (winner: Jeanne Wright, Chippewa Falls, WI). 

International Birding Trip Update 

Ecuador - Birding the Choco-Andes Region

February 25th - March 5th, 2024 

(Trip is FULL - watch for our next trip in summer or fall 2024!) 

Please contact Hawk Ridge Education Director, Margie Menzies, mmenzies@hawkridge.org with future birding trip ideas and to be first on the list to know!

Hawk Migration Association of North America

50th Anniversary Conference in Duluth, MN

SAVE THE DATE! November 7-10, 2024

Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory is happy to announce that the Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA) is holding their 50th anniversary conference here in Duluth, MN next year in Nov. 2024! Hawk Ridge is helping host and will keep you posted on details. You can check out the conference link HERE! 

 

Thank You for Your Support!

Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory thanks all of our supporters. We appreciate you! As a nonprofit organization, we are primarily funded by individual gifts to put our bird migration research and education programs in action. Below are some of the ways you can help us keep sharing the magic of the bird migration!

Support Hawk Ridge by Shopping!

 

Thank you for the wonderful support by shopping at our fall season gift shop this Sept/Oct. If there was an item you were hoping for, please check out our online shopping options below with some of our merchandise or contact jlong@hawkridge.org. 

Big Frog (direct ship or pick up at Duluth store)

Bonfire (direct ship)

The Mug Experience (direct ship)

Thank you Whole Foods Co-Op Duluth!

A special thanks to Duluth Whole Foods Co-Op and members for the Community Giving round-up program in support of Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory! As the September recipient and through your generosity, we received over $5,500 in round-up donations! P.S. If you know of other businesses that have special ways to support nonprofits, like Hawk Ridge, please let us know by sending an email to jlong@hawkridge.org. Thank you! 

Become A Member Today!

 

If you're already a member of Hawk Ridge, we sincerely appreciate your support! THANK YOU! If you're not a member and have enjoyed your experience with Hawk Ridge, we invite you to renew or join as a Hawk Ridge member today! Our memberships and donations help drive our bird conservation research and education programs. You can check out our exciting membership benefits and join or renew online HERE!

 

Simply Donate

 

You can always simply donate online by clicking HERE or by mailing a check made out to Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, P.O. Box 3006, Duluth, MN 55803.

Thank you again for your wonderful gift of support! Hope to connect with you soon!  

Sincerely,

Janelle Long
Executive Director
Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory

Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory
P.O. Box 3006
Duluth, MN 55803-3006
Call: 218-428-6209
Contact: mail@hawkridge.org
Visit: www.hawkridge.org
501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization

Federal Tax ID 76-0746366

Notes from the Ridge: Fall Migration Count 2023 (November 1 - November 15)

The final chapters of the fall migration season continued with pages into November. Staring out along the Ridge at the bare treeline, the early days in August seem like a distant dream. The warblers and shorebirds that passed throughout September have likely reached Central and South America by now, finding quiet refuge in dense tropical forests or remote coastlines on the opposite hemisphere where days are gradually getting longer. The Broad-winged Hawks that passed along the Ridge months ago may now be settling into wintering territories throughout the Amazon River basin while the four Swainson's Hawks this season may already be hunting the open grasslands of Argentina. Despite the passage of time, the month of November still brings a multitude of migrant raptor species from northern latitudes that have still yet to make passage.

 

Young GOLDEN EAGLE passes along the Ridge on November 2 (Photo: Jess Cosentino)

 

The month began with southwest winds; however, a decent raptor flight unfolded. It was predominantly RED-TAILED HAWKS (27) and BALD EAGLES (29) with a few ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS (2) and NORTHERN HARRIERS (3) as well. A late TURKEY VULTURE slowly lingered down the shoreline - quite possibly the last migrant we will document this fall as it is getting quite late. A late migrant ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER flitted throughout the dense vegetation below the count platform in the early morning hours. An afternoon subadult/adult GOLDEN EAGLE slowly passed high along the Ridge and provided excellent views for three minutes or more while riding into the slight headwind.  

 

November 2 brought more southwest winds and the day saw a slow but gradual flight with decent movement of RED-TAILED HAWKS (76) and BALD EAGLES (97), as well as several GOLDEN EAGLES (6) mixed in throughout the count. Several large groups of SNOW BUNTINGS (54) fluttered by overhead. A pair of FOX SPARROWS lingered at the count platform feeders throughout the day while good finch movement took to the skies with nice diversity, including: RED CROSSBILLS (63), WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS (15), AMERICAN GOLDFINCH (169), PINE SISKINS (540), and the first sizeable flock of migrant COMMON REDPOLLS (16) observed pushing south along the Ridge this fall. 

 

The following day (November 3) brought northwest winds and a great flight took place! Taking a while to gain momentum throughout a slower morning, migrant raptors gradually began to pour in with the assisting winds. RED-TAILED HAWKS (87) and BALD EAGLES (146) were moving consistently throughout the late morning hours, while GOLDEN EAGLES (25) were popping up every hour throughout the morning. The day's Golden Eagle count pushed the season total over the 100-mark and the most exciting migrant of the 25 Goldens was one observed wearing a transmitter on it's back while passing along the Ridge! The birds passed slowly at treetop-level and was close enough to observe the tracking unit while it was in flight down the Ridge. A non-raptor flight highlight on the day was a great RED CROSSBILL (132) flight. While Bald Eagles dominated the flight on the day, the bulk of the movement came in the final hours before sunset as a steady stream of migrant eagles pushed steadily for close to 90 minutes down the shore and along the Ridge (with 74 migrants documented in the final two hours of daylight).

November 4 brought more southwest winds and a decent raptor flight passed the Ridge while the following day shifted to less favorable east winds. Despite poor wind conditions, there was a morning push of movement of BALD EAGLES (38) down the shore with several RED-TAILED HAWKS (14) seeming to liftoff in the morning hours. Many Red-tails spent the day hunting and riding the winds along the Ridge as wind speeds picked up off of the lake and the afternoon flight never gained much momentum. A group of TRUMPETER SWANS (7) passed high along the Ridge, echoing out their thunderous calls. Poor conditions continued into November 6 with heavy bands of rain moving north of the Ridge and remaining in that area throughout most of the day, shutting down any flight. November 7 continued with more heavy east winds; however, surprisingly witnessed migrant raptors pushing south in spite of this. Many BALD EAGLES (43) were pushing down the shore fast with minimal movement along the Ridge. Southwinds continued into November 8 with only a single migrant raptor passing.

Finally, west winds returned on November 9 coupled with a drop in temperature. The early morning west winds were funneling out towards the shore from sunrise onward; however, it took several hours for raptor momentum to pick up. The Ridge flight line was sparse with much of the movement taking place along the shore. A steady stream of eagle kettles (as many as 15 in a single group together!) pooled up along the shore and slowly worked their way south. GOLDEN EAGLES (13) began moving more by late morning with a steady trickle pushing down the west side of the Ridge low at treetop-level and moving quickly. A group of late migrant AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS (16) moved slowly down the shore in the early afternoon. A few adult female NORTHERN HARRIERS (3) passed throughout the day as well a nice pulse of ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS (14). Raptor momentum carried into the mid-afternoon hours but abruptly shutoff within a couple hours before sunset. This was a great early November raptor flight to enjoy along the Ridge.

 

 

 

An adult (top) and young (bottom) GOLDEN EAGLE pass along the Ridgeon November 10 (Photos: Jess Cosentino)

The following day (November 10) continued with another great eagle and buteo flight thanks to more northwest/west winds! It took until late morning to pick up and then migrant raptors began collecting on the shore as the winds pushed them out, and this continued for the next 4-5 consistently. Mixed-species kettles of BALD EAGLES (111), RED-TAILED HAWKS (103), ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS (30), and GOLDEN EAGLES (23) were pouring throughout the cold grey skies. To add to the excitement, another late AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN mixed in with the migrant raptors pushing down the shore as the northwest winds funneled birds southward!

Both November 11 and 12 shifted to south winds and experienced slower raptor flights in the wake of the fantastic one on the 10th. 

 

An adult BALD EAGLE (left) and GOLDEN EAGLE (right) spiral directly above the count platform on November 13 (Photo: Jess Cosentino)

However, November 13 shifted abruptly back to west/northwest and a massive mid-November flight unfolded. The best GOLDEN EAGLE (35) flight of the season passed throughout the count, tilting the season total over the 200-mark. Strong west winds were churning down onto the Ridge in the first hours of daylight which had many Goldens moving early (a total of 20 migrant Goldens being documented before noon!). Additionally, great BALD EAGLE (120), RED-TAILED (189) and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (30) flights passed along the Ridge and shore. For hours, it was just constant waves of all four species in large kettles slowly pushing southward down the shore. At times there were kettles of more than 25 Red-tailed Hawks spiraling over the shoreline as eagles and other raptors mixed in as well. The flight line along the Ridge was also productive as many migrant raptors offered some incredible views while making passage directly overhead while others passed at eye-level. This was a classic big mid-November day on the Ridge with excellent diversity, great looks, and an overall fantastic count by the time the sun began to set on Duluth.

 

Dark-morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK passes along the Ridge on November 13 (Photo: Jess Cosentino)

 

November 14 shifted back to less favorable wind conditions and unseasonably warmer temperatures, almost reaching 60 F by afternoon. However, a decent push of late morning migrant raptors did make passage but tapered off dramatically into the afternoon as blustery southwest winds (gusts up to 30 mph) created a formidale headwind. Southwest winds persisted into November 15 with a few more RED-TAILED HAWKS (22), BALD EAGLES (24), and GOLDEN EAGLES (5) - adding to what has shaped up to be a banner November and overall great season for Goldens!

The final pages of fall migration lay ahead before the blanket of winter envelopes the northern hemisphere. The second half of November offers only brief windows of diurnal daylight which each passing square on the calendar; however, with favorable conditions there can be fantastic late season raptor flights down the Ridge before the month is over. The air can feel raw and winds unforgiving to those standing on the overlook below, yet these can provide some of the best conditions to observe late season raptor migration here.

 

Follow the HRBO count daily here at: https://www.trektellen.org

 

Jess Cosentino

Lead Counter

 

Notes from the Ridge: Fall Migration Count 2023 (October 21 - October 31)

The bookend to October came with the typical drop in temperatures, blustery north winds that cleaned the remaining foliage from the blanket of trees, and waves of late season migrant raptors. October 21 brought rain showers and minimal raptor movement (ten raptors total throughout the entire count period); however, a late migrant OSPREY was a somewhat unexpected surprise as the soggy, M-shaped fish hawk came spiraling down the shore en route to more southerly climates for the winter season. South winds persisted for a second day (October 22) and the morning was very slow with practically no raptor movement; however, a nice push of ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS later in the day added some excitement. Six birds cut in from the shore together, forming a small kettle before circling around the backside of the summit. A ROSS'S GOOSE mixed in with a large group of SNOW GEESE heading down the shore while four late migrant SANDHILL CANES passed along a similar route later into the day. A large group of 18 late migrant AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS slowly meandered down the shoreline late in the day, seemingly in no rush to beat the sunset and ultimately deciding to roost on the water in front the UMD Limnology building in the final hours of daylight. It is still a long journey south for these pelicans before they reach the Gulf of Mexico and beyond, but for today, a brief respite on Lake Superior offered some rest before resuming their adventure south.

GOLDEN EAGLE passed high along the Ridge on October 24 (Photo: Jess Cosentino)

 

 

 

 

 

 

South winds persisted for another day, while October 24 shifted to northeast winds and promoted some raptor movement that had been noticeably absent for a few days. Three GOLDEN EAGLES appeared to the north of the Ridge around 3 PM and took the better part of 20 minutes to travel together down the shore before cutting inland and crossing directly over the summit. All three eagles (one adult and two young birds) offered incredible, lengthy views to those along the overlook before continuing southward down the Ridge. A late migrant PEREGRINE FALCON pushed down the shore, adding to what has shaped up to the best October species total for this species ever recorded at HRBO and one of the best season totals ever recorded. Additionally, a late migrant AMERICAN KESTREL made passage - another migrant kestrel in what is the highest HRBO species season total since 2005.

 

 

October 25 shifted to light east winds, which kept migrant raptors moving slowly once again. Another migrant BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER passed directly over the count platform early in the morning while heading south over the treeline, while a good late October pulse of RUSTY BLACKBIRDS (695), COMMON GRACKLES (330), and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS (78) in large mixed species flocks pushed southward all afternoon through the dreary weather. The following day (October 26) brought sloppy conditions and more strong east winds following light morning showers. Surprisingly, a pulse of RED-TAILED HAWKS (13) and BALD EAGLES (16) still pushed onward. Soggy Red-tails with bulging full crops spent the afternoon hunting the Ridge and lingering about in the poor wind conditions, possibly waiting for the next wave of northwest winds to continue on longer stretches of their migrations south. It was promising to see this much Red-tail movement in the face of poor wind conditions, which may mean birds were anxious to get moving south and this upcoming weekend's drop in temperatures coupled with north winds could be the recipe to push them out from more northern latitudes as well.

October 27: Northwest winds finally! Following a lengthy stretch of less-than-favorable wind conditions, the winds shifted and came blustering hard and raw from the north. One of the first birds of the morning included a low AMERICAN GOSHAWK popping up over the summit and gliding directly over the count platform before continuing quickly down the Ridge, passing close enough to catch the white flash of an eyebrow without the aid of any optics! The day also ushered in a huge RED-TAILED HAWK (365) flight. As the waves of large buteos passed quickly over the Ridge and down the shore, an adult RED-SHOULDERED HAWK quickly buzzed the west side while being harassed by ravens. This was the first Red-shouldered of the fall and the 18th raptor species documented! The day also brought good GOLDEN EAGLE (9) movement as well as flocks of northbound PINE SISKINS (290) - a trend we continue to see play out this fall as the small finches move north along the shore. The blustery north winds have successfully cleaned the last of the fall foliage from the Ridge and adjacent valley between the shore and the brilliant colors of autumn are now a not-so-distant memory until next year and its own migration.

 

GOLDEN EAGLE passes along the Ridge on October 27 (Photo: Jess Cosentino)

A cold front pushed through overnight and October 28 woke up to a light dusting of snow on the Ridge. Temperatures plummeted and winds continued to blow from the northwest: A perfect combination for a good late October flight!

The day brought another great RED-TAILED HAWK (573) flight, which was the best on the season-to-date and included SEVEN DARK-MORPHS! Additionally, great BALD (129) and GOLDEN EAGLE (21) movement followed in the wake of the favorable winds. At times, up to three Goldens were spiraling together in a mixed species kettle with Balds and several Red-tails. Raptor movement remained consistent down the shore and along the Ridge for hours upon hours throughout the entire day. The late day winds pushed flight lines far to both the west and east of the Ridge; however, migrant Red-tails and Balds were pushing south into the final hours of daylight. The day also brought a good pulse of late season AMERICAN ROBINS (442) and RUSTY BLACKBIRDS (111) - surely some of the final migrants clearing out from the northern forests, while a late migrant AMERICAN PIPIT called out briefly while passing overhead. Overall, this ended up being a great final weekend of hawkwatching along the Ridge while the skies whisper farewell to October.

 

DARK-MORPH RED-TAILED HAWK circles above the Ridge on October 28 - One of seven dark-morphs seen throughout the day (Photo: Jess Cosentino)

NORTHERN SHRIKE perches in front of the count platform on October 28 (Photo: Jess Cosentino)

GOLDEN EAGLE passes high along the Ridge on October 28 (Photo: Jess Cosentino)

 October 29 had long-time Hawk Ridge counter, Frank Nicoletti, join the count for the day which is always a welcomed addition. In the first hours following sunrise, the 5th SHORT-EARED OWL on the season passed distant along the shore while fantastic RED CROSSBILL (128) movement pulsed down the Ridge throughout the morning hours, chirping their jip-jip-jip calls overhead. A mix of PINE SISKINS (125), AMERICAN GOLDFINCH (51), COMMON REDPOLLS (3), PURPLE FINCH (21), and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS (11) added to the migrant finch diversity on the morning. Raptor movement took until late morning to pick up and birds were moving quite high from the beginning, and would remain throughout most of the day. The momentum of flight lines was slow as birds took their time patiently working down the shore, at times reaching the Ridge and drifting lazily to the west or directly overhead. RED-TAILED HAWK (367) movement was consistent throughout the entire count period, as birds pooled up in kettles of 20-30 at times mixing with BALD EAGLES (134) and migrant COMMON RAVENS (35)! This was the second consecutive triple-digit Bald Eagle and third consecutive triple-digit Red-tailed Hawk day which had made for fun counting following a stretch of slower days. The day also brought more great GOLDEN EAGLE (14) movement south, with several birds popping up over the summit and passing directly above the overlook slowly in succession while providing excellent views to all below. Goldens continued to fly late into the final hours of daylight - the golden hour - as the air began to crisp and the angle of sunlight lowers with each fading minute. As the Goldens move south into the cold sunset and more snow is forecaste for tonight, the chill of winter lingers close. While we gently say goodbye to autumn with another sunset, there is nothing quite like hawkwatching during that ephemeral golden hour with the low orange light gleaming off the hackles as the northern eagles slowly push south in the final moments of the day.

HRBO Lead counter Jess Cosentino (left) with Frank Nicoletti (right) on the count platform on October 29 (Photo: Megan Hanson)

 

 More west wind and cold temperatures (high 31 F) continued into the penultimate day of the month (October 30) and the frosty start to the morning had both RED-TAILED HAWKS (266) and BALD EAGLES (106) moving in the first hours of daylight. The bulk of the raptor movement seemed to occur in the hours before noon before dropping off precipitously in the afternoon hours. The day count pushed the RED-TAILED HAWK season total over the 4000-mark. A late migrant ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER flitted around the count platform during the morning hours and the first migrant PINE GROSBEAK of the fall passed over the summit late in the morning with deep undulating flight and ethereal singing while passing. The passage of the first Pine Grosbeaks along the Ridge is another sure sign that we have entered in the late season of migration.

 

RED-TAILED HAWK passing along the Ridge on October 29 (Photo: Jess Cosentino)

The final day of the month (October 31) brought a mix of clever Halloween costumes along the overlook, frigid north winds, and migrant raptors. A crisp start to another cold morning delivered a fresh blanket of snow as a forceful northwest wind wasted no time funneling down onto the Ridge. RED-TAILED HAWKS (351) were already on the move south in the first hour following sunrise, which is often a good harbinger of a larger flight yet to come down the shore. Raptor momentum picked up and in the first hours after sunrise, a brief scan across the Ridge yielded a mix of several GOLDEN EAGLES (15) and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS (31) overhead while an AMERICAN GOSHAWK (9) popped up over the summit, as a medley of RED-TAILED HAWKS of varying phenotypes and subspecies mixed in. A pair of late migrant TURKEY VULTURES pushed south as well, as this October continues to be the highest October total ever recorded for this species. The day ended with being the best ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK flight of the season-to-date, which also pushed the species season total over the 100-mark. A late migrant EASTERN PHOEBE quickly pushed down the Ridge, which added a brief moment of excitement. The flight continued well into the final hour before sunset, with lines of BALD EAGLES and RED-TAILED HAWKS remaining very high. Late day flights where birds remain incredibly high is always impressive to witness from below, as the birds push on with every sliver of daylight. Eventually, many Red-tails began to drop down from their high altitudes to roost nearby for the night. Falling from the sky into the darkened forests below and along the Ridge to wait for the next sunrise. One of the final birds of the evening being a non-adult GOLDEN EAGLE passing slowly just above treetop-level at 5:30 PM along the west side of the Ridge. Deep wing beats pushing the large bird just feet from the canopy while disappearing over the southern horizon into the orange and yellow wash of the setting set was absolutely beautiful. These are ephemeral moments on the Ridge that linger with you long after the final migrant bird has made passage south.

Fall migration continues to unfold, while the final chapters lay ahead. Daylight is slowly replaced by darkness, warmth for cold. The northern forests are quiet now and most the migrant raptors counted from Hawk Ridge have reached distant latitudes to the south by now. Crossing farm fields and open grasslands, following ancient coastlines and mountain ranges. Their moments in passing along the Ridge were just a brief snapshot of a greater adventure, yet in many ways the birds still feel connected to this place even after they are gone.

 

Follow the HRBO count daily here at: https://www.trektellen.org

 

Jess Cosentino

Lead Counter