Hawk Ridge News - July 2025

 

 

Dear Hawk Ridge Friends,

Summer is flying by and the birds will soon be flying south! Our fall bird migration count and banding research start in just a few weeks on August 15th! Our education and visitor services staff will be at the main overlook daily 9am-4pm beginning September 1 - October 31st. Registration is open for our annual Hawk Weekend Festival Event Sept. 19th-21st - Early Bird discounted rates end August 15th!

P.S. If you missed our last e-newsletter (includes West Skyline Spring Count 2025 Summary), you can view that and older versions by clicking HERE. Keep up with recent news by following us on Facebook and Instagram. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Summer Songbird Banding Programs

Last Program this Saturday, August 1st (backup Sun 8/2)

Come join our Hawk Ridge songbird banding team and experience the wonder of seeing wild birds up close! Whether you are an experienced birder, an avid citizen scientist, or simply curious about nature, Hawk Ridge can offer you an unforgettable opportunity to learn more about birds by going behind the scenes to see our songbird banding research station in action. Why do we band birds? What can we learn from studying birds in the hand? How can bird banding make us better birders, scientists, and stewards of nature? Learn all of this and more by visiting us during our summer MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) banding season! 

Bring water, snacks, insect repellent, and come dressed for the weather! If you are interested in checking the bird nets with our banders, be prepared to hike over muddy (muck boots often needed!) and uneven ground. This program is offered on selected Saturdays, with the Sunday date in parentheses being a weather back-up day in case there is rain or excess wind on Saturday. Dates : June 21(22), July 5(6), July 12(13), July 26(27), and August 1(2) from 8 to 10 AM. Registration is limited to 8 people per session with no minimum number needed. Note that bird banding can be cancelled or rescheduled at any time due to rain or high winds. Make sure to include an email and cell/text contact so that we can inform you of any changes in plans for the program. 

Cost is $20 per member, student or Master Naturalist participant, and $30 for non-members. Register in advance via email: naturalist@hawkridge.org or via phone at 218-428-8722. Payment link will be emailed to you after registration is confirmed. Hope to see you this summer!

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

REGISTRATION IS OPEN! (Early Bird Discount Ends 8/15)

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. 

Many of our field trips, evening owl programs, workshops have limited space, so be sure to register HERE today! Early birds get the worm with the EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT available through August 15th. All registration closes on September 15th. 

Other News

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 accepted until filled.

Save the Dates for 2026!

Birding the Ruins of the Yucatan

February 11-21, 2026 

Explore a fun mix of birding and historical Mayan Ruins. These jungle archeological reserves in addition to having been critical to the Mayans are also great locations for the rainbow array of birds that inhabit the Yucatan. We will hunt for endemic species on the peninsula's North Coast, take boat rides on Bacalar Lagoon and Celestun River, and keep our eyes on the skies for fantastic soaring raptors, and much more. 

Optional Extension- Birds and Monarchs February 21-25, 2026 Travel on from the Yucatan to the higher elevations of the Central Mexico and Mexico City region. We'll travel to the Angangueo area, and visit El Rosario, the largest Monarch butterfly overwintering site, and enjoying the birds along with the butterflies at the mountain top, and all the way up and back down the mountain! We will also enjoy Agua Blanca, and other birding hotspots in the area.

Raptor Research Foundation Conference

October 26-30, 2026

Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory is excited to announce we are hosting the international Raptor Research Foundation Conference next year! The conference will be held October 26-30, 2026 at the Holiday Inn Downtown Duluth. This year's 2025 conference is being held this fall in Costa Rica. We look forward to sharing more information with you later this fall/winter! Find out more about the Raptor Research Foundation go to: raptorresearchfoundation.org.

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. Volunteer Welcome Orientation Potluck will be held Thurs. 9/4. More info coming soon. 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. Gas cards for our trainees/apprentices (Circle K/Holiday, Kwik Trip) can be mailed to Hawk Ridge, P.O. Box 3006, Duluth, MN 55803 or dropped off at our office by coordinating with Janelle at jlong@hawkridge.org or at our merchandise trailer Sept. 1- Oct. 31. 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! Wishing you a beautiful bird-filled summer and hope to connect with you this fall at Hawk Ridge! Feel free to reach out by email or phone or find more info at hawkridge.org.  

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