Dear Hawk Ridge Friends,
October is winding down, but the birds are still moving! Our count and banding research will continue at Hawk Ridge through the end of November. Our education and visitor services staff and volunteers will be at the Ridge until October 31st! Join us on October 31st for our 1pm raffle drawing and staff costumes (always fun bird themes)! There are still spots left in the remaining small group evening owl programs offered (Tues, Thurs-Sat) - send an email to owls@hawkridge.org for availability!
P.S. If you missed our last e-newsletter, you can view that and older versions by clicking HERE.
September 2025 Education Summary
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The fall season moves fast, when you're enjoying the amazing bird migration! We are down to the last few education programs for the fall season at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve. It has been amazing to see the variety of ages and audience types participating in programming at Hawk Ridge. During the month of September, we had participants ranging from college groups, multiple homeschool groups with preschool through adult participants, afterschool programs, Scout groups, many high school and middle school groups, preschool groups, elementary schools, and a number of adult centered program groups. And that does not include weekend general public programming which happens every weekend at Hawk Ridge.
Here's a glimpse of our groups in September - thanks for visiting! Scout Troop 221, Urban Bird Collective, UMD Outdoor Education, Many Rivers Montessori, Duluth East High School, Lake Superior College, Carlton Middle School, UMD Ecology, private owl programs, College of St Scholastica Field Biology, Bryant Elementary School, South Ridge Elementary School, VENT tour group, Minnesota Zoo, Ambleside Ashland Elementary, multiple homeschool groups and more!
We love sharing the joy of birds with all of our visitors, so no matter what type of audience you might bring to the Ridge there are plenty of ways we can find to engage and enrich our visitors. If you are interested in bird education programs, we would be happy to get your participants out exploring the birds or happy to bring programming to you with outreach opportunities. The birds have ever so much to teach us - come join us before October 31st! Sign-up for a Small Group Owl program, come for weekend Hawk Ridge Programming, or decide to stretch beyond the fall and explore the world of birds internationally with the Bird the Mayan Ruins of the Yucatan in Mexico scheduled for February 11-21, 2026, with an optional extension to see the Monarchs wintering grounds and higher elevation birds in Central Mexico (Feb. 21-25, 2026). So many ways to learn about birds! Stay tuned for the final fall programming update in November!
Broad-winged Hawk Project - DONATE TODAY!
We are collaborating with Hawk Mountain Association in Pennsylvania to study Broad-winged Hawks in the Central Flyway. To learn more about the goals of the project click HERE. To support the project through donating any amount or sponsoring a transmitter click HERE. Thank you for your support!
Hawk Weekend Festival 2025 Summary
Our annual Hawk Weekend Festival held September 19th-21st. Despite the rain and fog, we were able to still find time each day to enjoy the migration filled great birds and people. Nearly 160 people pre-registered for a variety of guided birding field trips, workshops, and programs at Hawk Ridge and around Duluth. Hundreds of other visitors also joined us at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve to view the migration and learn from our education naturalist staff and volunteers. We had nice views of low flying Sharp-shinned Hawks, Bald Eagles, and Peregrine Falcons. A total of over 400 raptors (of 10 species) and approx. 1200 other birds (approx. 40 species) were counted.
Here are some comments sharing the excitement the counters wrote about on Saturday, September 20th: A foggy Hawk Weekend Saturday. Slightly late start as the rain receded, and it took several hours for any kind of flight to develop. It was wonderful to see the roadside still busy with people despite the weather, including having the legend Frank Nicoletti calling us birds from the overlook! It seemed that if only the weather would open up a little bit, there was a potential for excellent movement. The opening finally arrived around 4:30, long after the crowds had dispersed. We enjoyed a pleasant flight of Sharp-shinned Hawks bubbling up from the lakeshore, small groups of Bald Eagles and one really excellent kettle of late day Turkey Vultures. 2 Peregrines entertained us, moving gracefully against the holes of blue sky, blue that we haven't seen in days. It was a special joy to share the platform with several visitors amidst this flurry, including 2 young hawkwatchers from the Twin Cities. Our new 7- and 9 year-old friends helped us out by dutifully clicking the vulture kettle, and even spotted the sharpies mixed in! Our next generation of hawkwatchers will be just fine!
Our kick-off evening event was held at the Great Lakes Aquarium with a fun social gathering, informative annual meeting with highlights of Hawk Ridge, and engaging presentation by the keynote speaker, Dr. Neil Paprocki on Raptor Movement Ecology: Strengthening Our Understanding of Migration Count Data. A Hawk Ridge Volunteer Appreciation Award was presented Mary Gabrys, as a long-time volunteer helping with many efforts, such as songbird banding, education, and behind-the-scenes. Thank you to Dr. Neil Paprocki, Mary Gabrys, Jim & Pat Sanders for refreshments, volunteers at the evening event, and the wonderful Great Lakes Aquarium staff!
It was an overall wonderful weekend with many new and return visitors from around the state, throughout the US, and beyond including a group of wonderful bird banders from Guatemala hosted by Zumbro Valley Audubon and our annual visitor friends from Japan bringing us yummy treats! We enjoyed the camaraderie and stories shared, as we watched the beautiful migration above and birds around us. Thank you to the wonderful field trip and workshop leaders: Dave Carman, Erik Bruhnke, Laura Erickson, Jackie Fallon, Margie Menzies, Clinton Dexter-Nienhaus, Bill Tefft, and Peter Mundale. Thank you to the optics vendors: Land Sea & Sky, Vortex Optics, Swarovski, & art vendor Gail Johnejack. We couldn’t do what we do without all of our amazing Hawk Ridge staff and volunteers, so a big thanks to all for sharing your passion with others!
Finally, thank you to all of the festival participants and visitors for joining us and supporting the bird conservation work of Hawk Ridge!
P.S. Save the date for the Hawk Weekend Festival 2026 – September 18-20th!
Give to the Max for Hawk Ridge! November 1st-20th
The annual MN Nonprofit Giving Day kicks off on November 1st with early giving! As we're enjoying the beauty of Golden Eagles at Hawk Ridge, you can also help us win a $500 Early Giving Golden Ticket (one gift each day Nov 1-19th) or Golden Tickets ranging from $500-$10,000 on Give to the Max Day on November 20th! Any gift is eligible and much appreciated, as we work towards our goal of $20,000 during this special giving opportunity! This funding is important to help continue our bird migration count, bird banding research, and education programs for all ages and abilities. Thank you for your support!
You can 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!
UPCOMING EVENTS
September 1st - October 31st, 2025
Daily 9am-4pm
Join us for the fall bird migration at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve in Duluth, MN - one of the premier fall bird migration sites in North America! We look forward to connecting with visitors of all ages from around the world! Here are some helpful links with information on visiting this fall:
Whoo doesn’t like owls? From large to small, seasonal travelers, and hardy residents, Minnesota hosts a fascinating diversity of owls, with some crazy habits, and some hauntingly beautiful sounds in the night. Join us this fall to learn about the Hawk Ridge owl banding research and schedule a small group owl program. Click HERE for more info.
Small group owl programs (up to 8): offered Sept. 23-Oct. 31 (Tues. or Thurs-Sat. evenings) with date/time to be arranged by sending an email to owls@hawkridge.org. $40 member/student or $50 nonmember.
International Birding Tours 2026
LAST CHANCE!! Birding the Ruins of the Yucatan
February 11-21, 2026 (must register by Nov. 8th!)
Join Hawk Ridge Education Director, Margie Menzies to 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.
Click on this link for an Overview, Itinerary, Pricing, Travel Information, How to Enroll and Resources. *Please note space is limited and deadline to register in full is November 8, 2025. This trip 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.
Panama Raptor Migration 2026
October 29-November 7 (optional pre-trip Oct. 24-29)
*SAVE THE DATE! Panama Raptor Migration
with Frank Nicoletti (with optional pre-trip extension Harpy Eagle and Darien Canopy)
More info coming soon - click HERE for details! or contact ginanichol@sunrisebirding.com
SAVE THE DATE!
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 winter! Find out more about the Raptor Research Foundation go to: raptorresearchfoundation.org.
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.
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!
Be sure to check out our merchandise trailer at Hawk Ridge daily Sept. 1 - Oct. 31 9am-4pm (weather pending). We have 2 new Hawk Ridge shirts this fall with featured artists! New this year is the beautiful Golden Eagle by Kiley Busko! Kiley is a watercolor artist focusing on painting birds and other wildlife. She is from Minnesota and has her art at multiple galleries and shops throughout the Midwest. You can check out more of her artwork at paintedwing.com
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
