Dear Hawk Ridge Friends,
Happy Spring! It certainly seemed like spring arrived early and migrants have been on the move! The West Skyline Spring Count started March 1st and will continue through May 31st. You can read highlights from the first few weeks below. We are excited to share more bird education and research with you with several events coming up soon! Join us for our Spring Migration Celebration Weekend April 26th-28th! Find out more below on how to register and other upcoming events!
P.S. If you missed our last e-newsletter, you can view that and older versions by clicking HERE.
West Skyline Spring Count Update
The first half of March has flown by, with warm, sunny days and migrating birds! Over 1,900 raptors (about 90% being Bald Eagles!) and over 3800 other birds of close to 50 species have been counted thus far (plus one butterfly)! Early March is typically a cold, snowy start to the spring count, but this year breaks that mold. Temps soared to 65F on the warmest day, and Lake Superior and the St. Louis river are ice free. Eagle numbers are fairly average thus far, and the biggest stories in the raptor world are early arrivals of a Turkey Vulture and Northern Harriers. Buteo numbers are slightly above average.
In non-raptor news, geese and swans have been abundant, robins and blackbirds have made some small arrivals, a few Northern Shrike, and on March 6, the earliest ever Sandhill Crane was seen flying northward! A huge THANK YOU to our many supporters of the spring watch. From baked goods and spotting skills to pleasant conversation and site maintenance, the work of our volunteers and friends of Hawk Ridge is greatly appreciated. Fear not! Migration is truly just beginning and thousands of birds are still to come. The count continues every day at Enger Tower or Thompson Hill (NE winds).
Wanting minute to minute updates on what’s going on overhead? Click HERE or via the live count button at hawkridge.org. You can also still find our daily raptor counts and summary via
HawkCount HERE. Thanks and hope to see you at the watch!
Sean McLaughlin
Spring Counter
UPCOMING EVENTS
Spring Migration Celebration Weekend
.jpg "Eagles Spring Count 2021 F Nicoletti (2)")
March 1 - May 31, 2024
2024 marks the 7th consecutive, full spring season of bird migration monitoring research at the West Skyline Spring Count in Duluth, MN! This is one of the premier spring bird migration sites in North America with record numbers of Bald and Golden Eagles, as well as other raptor species. Approximately 24,000 raptors and thousands of other birds are counted at the West Skyline Spring Count. Over 100 different bird species were recorded in 2023! Spring migration highlights include an amazing diversity of 15-20 different raptor species, as outlined:
Peak for each species (high counts listed)
- Eagles: around March 25 (Bald: 100-500/day; Golden: 10/day)
- Rough-legged Hawks: April 10-20 (up to 75/day)
- Red-tailed Hawks: April 10-20 (1,000-2,000/day)
- Broad-winged Hawks: May 1-10 (3,000-4,000/day)
- Sharp-shinned Hawks: April 10-20 (up to 450/day)
Sept. 20th-22nd, 2024
Come and celebrate the amazing fall bird migration with us! Hawk Weekend is the annual festival held by Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory in Duluth, MN. Bird migration research and education programs have been shared with visitors throughout the world each fall at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve for over 50 years! Join us for a fun weekend with a variety of birding field trips, nature hikes, programs, and activities for all ages! Registration and more info coming in late Spring HERE!
Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory and Holbrook Travel are off on another fascinating international birding adventure in the fall of 2024. Guatemala is a richly diverse cultural center and a lush and vibrant paradise for birders. Set in the heart of Central America, it sits within one of the Western Hemisphere’s prime migratory corridors. Join Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory’s Margie Menzies and an expert local guide to explore a variety of low and high altitude habitats and see firsthand many of the rare and endemic species that inhabit this biodiverse area. Learn about local conservation efforts, including the Panajachel-based Asociación Vivamos Mejor, which seeks to train nearby residents to become birding and nature guides.
Highlights include birding the lower and upper trails at Los Tarrales, a natural reserve with diverse forest types and a 340-species bird list that includes regional endemics like the Horned Guan, Highland Guan, Azure-rumped Tanager, and Blue-tailed Hummingbird. Explore Santiago Atitlán, a town on a bay of Lake Atitlán known for its many women’s cooperatives, traditional textile weaving, and rich Maya culture. Visit Corazón del Bosque Reserve for a chance to see Mountain Trogon, White-naped Brushfinch, and with luck, the uncommon Pink-headed Warbler. Navigate across Lake Atitlán to visit the archaeological site of San Andrés Semetabaj to look for species like the Inca Dove, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Vaux’s Swift, and more. Meet representatives of Asociación Vivamos Mejor, a private nonprofit organization committed to improving the quality of life in communities surrounding Lake Atitlán.
Each day provides a variety of opportunities to make the most of the birding/nature touring available, as well as options for individual exploration and leisure time. You will be traveling with other nature enthusiasts to all share an amazing spectrum of bird experiences and knowledge. All meals are included and dining is often arranged outdoors or in private group seating. Your guides will be Hawk Ridge Education Director, Margie Menzies, and an expert local guide.
Don’t miss this incredible experience! Space on this trip is limited to 10, and final payment for the trip is due July 17, 2024. Click HERE for registration, pricing, itinerary, and more! Questions? Contact Debbie Sturdivant Jordan at 866-748-6146 or debbie@holbrooktravel.com, or Margie Menzies mmenzies@hawkridge.org. Hope to see you in October!
Hawk Migration Association of North America
50th Anniversary Conference in Duluth, MN
SAVE THE DATE! November 7-10, 2024
.jpg "HMANA 50th Logo FINAL")
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 in Nov. 2024! Hawk Ridge is helping host and details are coming together! The conference will be held at the Holiday Inn & Suites Duluth-Downtown with field trips to Hawk Ridge and other birding hotspots in the area. 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 gift shop last fall. 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)
The Mug Experience (direct ship)
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 again 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
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