Hawk Ridge News - May 2025

 

 

Dear Hawk Ridge Friends,

Here's to hoping our true spring has finally arrived here in Duluth! May is always an interesting month with big fluctuations in temperatures and confusion with if we should put away our winter clothing or bring out our summer gear. It can also be a great time for interesting bird observations during migration. A cool, damp, foggy day in mid-May led to a "fallout" of migrating birds, where reports of a great diversity of warblers and other songbirds were seen sheltering in trees and on land - proving birding can be exciting even during inclement weather days! 

Our amazing spring staff and volunteers have been documenting the migration at the West Skyline Spring Count with 45,000+ birds counted since March 1st, including over 25,000 raptors of 15 species. Follow along live via HawkCount HERE for our current raptor count totals and for our full bird count information via Trektellen HERE. There is still about 1 week left to visit us in person through May 31st (click HERE for directions)! You can read more in the Spring Count update and upcoming events below!  

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. 

West Skyline Spring Count Update

April was the month of the Turkey Vulture! Over 4,000 vultures were counted migrating over West Skyline this April, breaking our previous season record of vultures! We saw high numbers of Bald Eagles and good numbers of Broad-winged Hawks as well (including 2,625 Broad-wings during a very exciting flight on April 24th)—and two Red-shouldered Hawks, which are always a treat. Red-tailed Hawks were notably down in numbers, though the best Red-tail flight days of the season coincided with days of extremely poor visibility, no doubt affecting the count. 

Non-raptor-wise, we saw incredible numbers of American White Pelicans, plus exciting flights of ducks and loons. We hope to see you at the count now through May 31st and this fall season starting August 15th! THANK YOU to all of our volunteers and spring naturalist staff (Lydia Ihde, Chris Schnurbusch, Peter Mundale, & new to the crew this month - Dawn Mackety)! Here’s to many more birds and good spotting!

Marie Hosch

Spring Counter

P.S. 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!  

UPCOMING EVENTS

Everyone Can Bird: Accessible Birding Series

August 21st & October 11th, 2025

The first of 3 events was a success held on May 4th - you can read more about it HERE. All are invited to attend the second in a series of three free events designed for birders of all skills and abilities. Join “Everyone Can Bird: Spring Migration,” 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Millennium Trail/Woodstock Bay in Superior, WI. Designed with accessibility in mind, the event will provide accessible parking, American Sign Language interpretation and binoculars with a wheelchair mount. A track chair – an all-terrain, electric-powered chair that can be used on hiking trails – is also available for use. Sit or walk along a packed gravel path throughout the park with expert bird guides to lead discussion and aid observation. 

Free bus transportation is provided from the UW-Superior Parking Lot 2 (behind Burger King) to Woodstock Bay. We encourage you to ride the bus to save the limited on-site parking spots for those who need to drive. Please register below to reserve your spot on the bus. Learn more or register HERE.  Registration is encouraged, but not required.  People who would like to request additional accommodations should email Luciana.Ranelli@wisc.edu or call Luciana at 715-399-4085 at least 10 days before the event.

The Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve, Duluth Parks and Recreation, Embark Supported Employment, Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, Lake Superior Reserve, Minnesota Land Trust and Wisconsin Sea Grant are hosting this series. In addition to the August 21st event, “Everyone Can Bird” and Oct. 11th at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve in Duluth. 

Hawk Weekend Festival

Save the Dates! 

Sept. 19th-21st, 2025

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! 

We are happy to announce our keynote speaker, Dr. Neil Paprocki! Neil is an ornithologist studying differential migration in Rough-legged Hawks and other avian species with the Idaho Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit with the University of Idaho. You can find out more on the amazing Rough-legged Hawk Project HERE. Several of the tracked Rough-legged Hawks have been documented migrating past Hawk Ridge, including 4 that flew past Nov-6-11, 2024! Neil also served as a Conservation Biologist for HawkWatch International. Registration and more info coming soon!

Stay tuned for more info and registration opening in June HERE!

 

International Birding Tour

Tanzania: August 3-17, 2025

Birds and Wildlife of Tanzania 

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. 

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 (note: trip has reached minimum enrollment, so it is a go with only a few spots remaining!). 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, but also mid/late Aug & Nov at times). 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 fall season. 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 Seeking Board Members!

Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory (HRBO) is seeking motivated and creative volunteers to join our Board of Directors. Qualified individuals will serve as ambassadors of our mission to promote conservation of raptors and other birds in the Western Lake Superior Region through research, education, and stewardship. We are looking for mission-aligned individuals, particularly those with interest or experience in fundraising, public relations, event planning, and/or marketing activities. 

To apply please click HERE. You can also find more info about the board position HERE at hawkridge.org or under About Us-Board. Applications preferred by Friday, June 20th, but will accept until filled.

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! 

Volunteer with Hawk Ridge! 

Hawk Ridge has amazing volunteers! Volunteers help move the bird conservation mission of Hawk Ridge forward by helping in a variety of ways - from visitor services during the fall migration at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve, assisting with the bird migration count & banding research, maintaining trails, helping teach others about birds, assisting with events, serving on committees & Board of Directors, and so much more! 

In 2024, our volunteers have given an outstanding 1,715 hours to Hawk Ridge! Thank you volunteers for your time and talent - we couldn't achieve what we do without you. If you are interested in volunteering with Hawk Ridge, please click the link HERE to fill out the volunteer application and for more information. You can also email Valerie at volunteer@hawkridge.org

Support Hawk Ridge by Shopping! 

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) 

Bonfire (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 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