Dear Hawk Ridge Friends,
Spring is here and the migration is on! The West Skyline Spring Count started March 1st and will continue through May 31st. We invite you to come out and visit us (click HERE for directions) and/or follow along live via HawkCount HERE for raptors and for our full bird count via Trektellen HERE. You can read highlights from the first few weeks below, including the new daily record high for Golden Eagles!
We are excited to share more bird education and research updates & events with you. Join us for our Spring Migration Celebration day (Sat. April 26th) to learn about the science of migration and the spring migrants in our area through a guided day field trip to local birding hotspots and hawkwatching at the West Skyline Count site. 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. Keep up with recent news by following us on Facebook and Instagram. We hope you've had great start to the year! A special thanks to all those that helped support Hawk Ridge in 2024 - you can read our highlights HERE.
West Skyline Spring Count Update
The month started with a welcomed return of normal temperatures compared to last spring. As the temps have become warmer, Bald Eagles have started to move in larger numbers, with over 2,000 through the first 20 days of the spring count, a generally earlier-than-usual movement.
A truly mind-blowing day, the highlight of the spring so far has been the record-breaking Golden Eagle flight on March 11th, when 58 flew past the count site along with 613 Bald Eagles! The kettles of that day were a sight to behold, some with over 20 eagles swirling upwards together. The next day an additional 35 Golden Eagles migrated past Thompson Hill, and as of the 20th the season total of these sublime predators is up to 120.
While buteo movement has been relatively minimal so far, there has still been a steady trickle of early Red-tailed and Rough-legged hawks. Other highlights have included the season’s first American Kestrel and two early Turkey Vultures.
Non-raptor movement has been dominated by Pine Siskins (the only species to be present every day so far!); a single early Sandhill Crane pumping northward on March 14th was a welcome sight as well. No doubt, waterfowl and other passerines will increase in significant numbers in the coming weeks.
Raptors to look forward to include good movements of Red-tailed Hawks, Turkey Vultures, and of course, more eagles! As always, thank you to all our volunteers, supporters, and other admirers of our avian friends! Your presence and help are always appreciated.
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! Click HERE for more info on visiting the Spring Count!
Marie Hosch
Spring Counter
Research Project Update
Last fall we deployed cellular GPS transmitters on adult Sharp-shinned Hawks as part of a project funded through LCCMR to expand our knowledge of migratory connectivity for species of conservation concern in MN. These transmitters attach to the birds like a backpack and will collect GPS points and download those points when the bird is in cellular range. One adult female made the trip all the way down to El Salvador for the winter! With spring in the air, we are waiting to see if any of these birds will make the trip back north and settle into breeding grounds for the summer. Wish all these birds luck on their migration journey!
Emily Pavlovic
Research Director
Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). Transmitters were designed by Cellular Tracking Technologies(CTT).
UPCOMING EVENTS
Spring Migration Celebration Day
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March 1 - May 31, 2025
2025 marks the 8th 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. The spring migration count average from 2018-2024 is 24,000 raptors and thousands of other migrating birds. Over 120 different bird species were recorded in 2024! 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)
CLICK HERE to find out more info on visiting this spring! We will have a live count feature on our home page at hawkridge.org, so you can follow along. You will also be able to view our raptor count numbers via HawkCount HERE and live full bird count via Trektellen HERE.
International Birding Tour
Birds and Wildlife of Tanzania
Must register By APRIL 30th
Tanzania is home to the world’s greatest overland animal migration and is a must-see destination for any safari enthusiast. This is a country blessed with biodiversity and unique ecosystems including wetlands, coastal forests, grassland savannas, alkaline Rift Valley lakes, and block mountain forests. With so many incredible, larger-than-life mammal species hogging the spotlight, it is easy to understand why the country’s abundant bird life is often overlooked.
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On this 15-day birding adventure we will look to uncover Tanzania’s incredible list of avian species, beyond perennial safari favorites such as Marabou Stork, Gray Crowned-Crane, African Spoonbill, Secretarybird, and Kori Bustard. Many travelers might be surprised to learn that Tanzania’s bird list exceeds 1,000 species (31 endemics) and its lands contain an impressive number of vital habitats including 80 IBAs and 4 Ramsar sites! We’ll combine the best of both worlds as we journey to national parks, reserves, and wetlands in search of birds, while also soaking up some big game viewing along the way.
Highlights:
Spend a full day birding the savannas, wetlands and forested areas of Arusha National Park, under the shadow of dormant Mt. Meru. - Discover Tarangire National Park, known for having the second largest concentration of wildlife in Tanzania, including large herds of elephants.
- Explore Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in search of ostrich, raptors, flamingos, and more.
- Search for endemics such as Fischer’s Lovebird and Karamoja Apalis among the Serengeti’s larger-than-life “Big Five” game.
- Meet with members of the Maasai community and learn about their culture and semi- nomadic lifestyle during a visit to a traditional village.
Click HERE for an Overview, Itinerary, Pricing, Travel Information, How to Enroll and Resources. *Please note space is limited and requires a minimum of 10 participants. Make a trip deposit to reserve a spot on the trip, but wait to make airline reservations and pay the full trip amount until you receive notice that the trip has reached its minimum enrollment. For more information or questions, please contact Debbie Jordan at debbie@holbrooktravel.com or 866-748-6146 or Hawk Ridge Education Director, Margie Menzies at mmenzies@hawkridge.org.
Other News
Seasonal Hosts Needed for Hawk Ridge Staff
Hawk Ridge has amazing seasonal staff, trainees, and apprentices conducting the important bird research and education programs. Many of our staff are traveling from out of state to work for or train with Hawk Ridge for 2-3 months coinciding with the magnificent bird migration (primarily fall Sept-Oct & spring April-May, but sometimes summer work as well). We depend on wonderful hosts to provide lodging for our seasonal staff during that time. We are so grateful to all that have helped host through the years - thank you! We've also seen many special connections built between the host family and staff. We are currently seeking staff hosts for the 2025 spring-fall seasons. If you have a spare room, rental space, or even full house that you'd consider for hosting/leasing for any timeframe, please contact Janelle Long, jlong@hawkridge.org or call 218-428-6209.
Hawk Ridge is Hiring for Fall 2025
Hawk Ridge is hiring for the fall 2025 bird migration season! We encourage you to check out our seasonal positions for research (counters & banders), education (naturalists), & visitor services specialists. We also have traineeships & bird banding apprenticeships for those interested in furthering your career goals through an experiential training opportunity. The fall research and education staff of HRBO are key representatives in HRBO’s mission of promoting conservation of raptors and other birds in the Western Lake Superior Region through research, education, and stewardship. Job application and postings will be live in early April by clicking HERE or at hawkridge.org under About Us-Employment.
2024 Fall Research Summary Reports
Here are the links to our 2024 fall count & banding research reports:
Fall 2024 Bird Migration Count Report (raptor count totals HERE)
Fall 2024 Raptor Banding Report (raptor banding totals HERE)
NOTE: Other research & education summaries can be found in previous e-newsletters found 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!
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Thanks to those that have been shopping our Amazon Wish List for needed supplies! You can check out our list HERE. If you're looking to purchase Hawk Ridge merchandise, you can check out some items available through our online shopping options:
Big Frog (direct ship or pick up at Duluth store)
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 this fall at Hawk Ridge or feel free to reach out by email or phone!
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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