Dear Hawk Ridge Friends,
Seasons will come and seasons will go, but a constant at Hawk Ridge is the meaningful connections made between the birds, the people, and place. We truly appreciate all of the amazing, hard-working, enthusiastic Hawk Ridge staff, volunteers, members, supporters, & visitors for making Hawk Ridge the special place it is. Thank you! It was wonderful to celebrate the beautiful migration this fall with you, as well as having a grand finale in November to help celebrate the 50th Anniversary Conference of the Hawk Migration Association. We already look forward to the next time we connect!
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Our bird migration count and raptor banding research continues through November 30th. Come enjoy the winter finch flights, as well as nice views of eagles and Rough-legged Hawks. Over 280,000 birds have been counted so far, including nearly 59,000 raptors of 18 species. You can also check out the live bird migration count on Trektellen HERE, as well as our banding totals now too - HERE. Daily and seasonal raptor counts/reports via HawkCount can also be found HERE. Find out more in our October research & education summary reports 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.
Give to the Max for Hawk Ridge!
Now - Thursday, November 21st
The annual MN Nonprofit Giving Day - Give to the Max is HERE! As we're enjoying the beauty of Golden Eagles at Hawk Ridge, you can also help us win a $500 Golden Ticket! Any gift is eligible and Golden tickets will be awarded every 15 minutes all day long on Thurs. Nov. 21st. Please help us exceed our goal of $8000 on this special giving day! 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 the end of November!
October 2024 Bird Migration Count Summary
The Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory began its third month of the fall count on October 1, and tallied 16,145 migrant raptors and 78,834 migrant non-raptors! The count was conducted every day from the 1st until the end of the month, totaling 297.58 observation hours. The weather in Duluth this month was reported by the National Weather Service as above average temperatures; The mean temperature was 50.1ºF, 6.0ºF above average. Precipitation was below average, and much of the Northland is in severe drought. Winds were predominantly from the west, northwest or southwest, with only five days of winds from the east, southeast or northeast.October Raptor Totals
Turkey Vulture (1610): Above Average–The second best October flight of Turkey Vultures ever, following last year. 87% of these birds migrated in the first 8 days of the month. The Vulture march is exciting and fleeting, and the last few singles will peter out into November.
Osprey (16): Above Average–Although the month total of 16 is above the average (11), the seasonal Osprey count is quite low. The final Osprey of the year was counted on 10/7.
Bald Eagle (2,392): Above Average–This represents the second highest Bald Eagle count ever in the month of October. Two days, 10/8 and 10/26, broke the 200 barrier! Bald Eagles were remarkably consistent all month long; migrants were recorded every single day.
Northern Harrier (229): Above Average–Harriers peaked in the first week of October alongside vultures and accipiters this month. Harriers are another reliable raptor migrant, and we recorded at least one each day between August 30 and October 25. That is 57 days of harriers!
Sharp-shinned Hawk (7,286): Above Average–A phenomenal month of sharpies shot the count well above average and over the 7,000 mark. According to HawkCount, this is the 10th highest seasonal count ever at Hawk Ridge (so far)! This was highlighted by a late flight of 847 (almost all of which were adult males!) on 10/20.
Cooper’s Hawk (29): Average–Coop’s typically trickle out as we reach the historical Goshawk peak, and 29 was right on the monthly average.
American Goshawk (31): Below Average–The month of October at Hawk Ridge used to mean one thing for any hawkwatcher: Goshawks. This low count follows the pattern of the decline of Goshawks at Hawk Ridge, and was the second lowest October count ever, just above the count of 17 in 1977.
Red-shouldered Hawk (1): Average–An unusual but annual fall migrant on the North Shore, we tallied one of these rare birds on 10/2. Interestingly, the RS this year was a juvenile bird.
Red-tailed Hawk (3,543): Below Average–The low count of Red-tailed Hawks this month was baffling. The weather was optimal for soaring birds to concentrate along the shore, clearly shown by above average counts of eagles and other buteos, but it seems that Red-taileds failed to move through the western Great Lakes in good numbers. We did, however, record numerous dark morph birds this year, presumed abieticola (Northern) birds.
Broad-winged Hawk (29): Below Average–Waning quickly after the kettles of September, Broad-winged Hawks are done for the year. We wish these stragglers well as they hurry to catch up with the kettling masses on their way to South America.
Rough-legged Hawk (426): Above Average–Irruption! An above average flight of Rough-leggeds, particularly of adults, is indicative of a possible irruption. In October, we averaged 1.43 RLHA/count hour. For scale, Oct. 2023 (non-irruption) the average was .34 RLHA/count hour, and Oct. 2020 (major irruption) was 7.2 RLHA/count hour! Roughies will continue well into November.
Golden Eagle (104): Above Average–A triple digit October Golden Eagle count is a great marker for an excellent flight. Following last season's record breaking seasonal total, we are anticipating another great flight of GE this November.
American Kestrel (229): Above Average–We rounded out another great season of Kestrels, including a flight of 54 on 10/3. We don't expect to see many more Kestrels past the end of October, bringing the seasonal total to 1,422.
Merlin (126): Above Average–Another great month of Merlin migration, the sixth highest month tally on record.
Peregrine Falcon (65): Above Average–The second best October total for Peregrines also brought our seasonal total to 159, the second best seasonal count ever! “Peregrine week,” the first week in October, scored some well timed southwesterly winds and produced days of 16, 15 and 10 Peregrines on 10/2, 10/5 and 10/3 respectively.
Short-eared Owl (1): We were pleased to spot another Short-eared Owl migrate by the platform, our third this season.
Unknown (28)
Non-raptor Highlights
78,834 migrant non-raptors of 84 species were counted on their way past the overlook! October means declining diversity of songbird migrants, but also a significant change from September birds. The most numerous migrant non-raptors were American Robin (25,399), Purple Finch (11,297), Yellow-rumped Warbler (6,692) and Rusty Blackbird (6,546). 
The non-raptor count at Hawk Ridge is unique and allows us to observe the movements of northern species that are seen at very few other places in large numbers. Counts at Hawk Ridge continue every day until the end of November; see you at the watch soon!
We hope to see you this fall at the Ridge! Be sure to follow along with the live count on Trektellen HERE and raptor count on HawkCount HERE.
Sean McLaughlin
Lead Counter
October 2024 Bird Banding Summaries
Raptor Banding Report
October started off strong with a glorious cold front, bringing westerly winds and some of the most exciting days of the season. However, after the first week, our capture numbers dropped precipitously, and we slogged through far too many 0-3 bird days over the remainder of the month. Despite some excellent migration days, the flight lines and response rates were not kind to us, and the month was a lesson in patience and mental fortitude.
A total of 400 raptors were banded in the month of October between three stations. The Hawk Ridge station was covered all 31 days of the month, with 292 birds banded. The Moose Valley station was covered 29 days, with 64 birds banded. Paine Farm was covered 14 days and 3 evenings, with 44 birds banded (including 2 owls). This season is on track to be the worst on record for Sharp-shinned Hawk captures, about 700 shy of the 13-year average, and with no big sharpie days yet to come.
Red-tailed Hawk captures have also been incredibly low, but we shall see what November has to offer.
While American Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon numbers are slightly below average, Merlin have been better than average for the second year in a row. American Goshawk have once again failed to show up in any appreciable numbers, but we are already tied with last year’s season total (8), with the hope of getting at least a few more in November.
In happier news, we were thrilled this month to capture the first Rough-legged Hawks since 2021! Roughies are fairly irruptive, and they seem to be on the move this fall despite some warmer than average temperatures. We also banded the first Short-eared Owl since 2019 (and only the 4th captured in Hawk Ridge history).
A massive thank-you to this year’s seasonal banding crew: trapper Kara Beer, banding apprentices Sarah Needles and Jess Matyas, and trainees June Yost, Arzu Pahl, and Phil Stollsteimer. Despite catching fewer birds than we hoped, everyone did an amazing job, learned a lot, and (mostly) kept up morale. Many, many thanks to the indispensable David Alexander for countless volunteer hours, as well as Senior Researcher Frank Nicoletti and Research Director Emily Pavlovic for keeping the project running smoothly.
Total raptors banded in October were as follows:
Sharp-shinned Hawk – 334
Cooper’s Hawk – 5
American Goshawk - 8
Northern Harrier – 17
Red-tailed Hawk – 13
Rough-legged Hawk - 4
American Kestrel – 1
Merlin – 11
Peregrine Falcon – 4
Northern Saw-whet Owl - 1
Short-eared Owl - 1
Northern Shrike – 1
Total: 400
P.S. The fall passerine banding report will be included in our next e-news. You can find the banding totals from our Hawk Ridge Research Station for raptors, passerines, and owls online via Trektellen HERE!
Abbie Valine
Lead Bander
Owl Banding Report
Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory’s owl banding season really gained momentum throughout October, with increased captures, greater species diversity, and the exciting return of some rare northern visitors. In total, we banded 681 birds, including 605 Northern Saw-whet owls, 40 Long-eared owls, 1 Great Horned owl, 1 Short-eared owl, and 34 Boreal owls.
A particularly thrilling highlight of the month was the return of two species not seen at Hawk Ridge in nearly five seasons—Short-eared owls and Boreal owls. Although Short-eared owls aren’t a species we typically target, biologists Abbie Valine and David Alexander applied some proactive trapping techniques and successfully captured an individual at our Paine Farm location.
In contrast, Boreal owls are a species we target each year, although the chances of catching them are relatively low. This year, however, Boreal owls made a rare and remarkable appearance, arriving in unprecedented numbers; while they typically migrate south on a predictable 3-5 year cycle, the volume this year was much higher than usual, with 34 individuals trapped in October alone compared to just one in 2019. With the influx of these northern visitors, we opened a second Boreal owl station in mid-October to help optimize our trapping efforts. Four individuals were banded at this new location during the month.
October 7th was a particularly memorable night, with 107 owls banded—our highest single-night total for the season! That night also brought our largest number of Long-eared owls banded in a single night, with 13 individuals. The very next night, we banded our first Boreal owl in five seasons, which was an unforgettable moment for the team and a reminder of the exceptional migration patterns of these elusive northern birds.
Throughout the month, our apprentices and trainees gained valuable hands-on experience, particularly in handling and banding Northern Saw-whet and Long-eared owls. We also had the pleasure of banding several Barred owls and Great Horned owls. As most of our seasonal staff wrapped up at the end of October, we’re excited to keep the owl banding station running well into November, thanks to the influx of Boreal owls and other northern species. We’re looking forward to see what the remainder of the season will bring!
October Education Summary
Same story every year it seems, but what a story it is! Another beautiful fall at the Ridge which always has the education season flying by and gone before we even catch our breath. A very talented naturalist staff this fall made an incredible amount of wonderful programming happen. A big shout out, in no particular order to: Sara DePew, Emily Sandly, Lydia Ihde, Gracie Sangmeister, Caroline Urban, Jamie Tigges, Peter Mundale, Anna Johnson, Logan Woods, Erik Bruhnke, and Beth Miller, and we won’t soon forget our great team of trainees this fall: Arzu Pahl, June Yost, and Phil Stollsteimer. Thanks everyone for your role in making it another great education season possible at the Ridge.
October, this year, was still warm and mostly dry, though we did not beat the totally dry, no rain days of September. We still got by with only 4 days with measurable rain which meant through the very busy program schedule there was only one education group reschedule for the whole season. Definitely a new record of an entirely different non-bird type! In October, we hosted 65 school and private group programs, 23 weekend public programs, and 10 owl programs for visitors. We also provided 78 bird education demonstrations with beautiful visiting ambassador birds from the banding station before sending them on their way to continue their journey to their wintering areas.
Together all of these programs directly impacted well over 4,400 visitors participating in some sort of educational programming. None of this considers the thousands of informal conversations with visitors answering questions, loaning binoculars, kid's cart activities, sharing the wonders of the Ridge - where to go, what to see, who is moving through now, and where are they headed on their annual migration. Thanks to all of our wonderful overlook volunteers and Visitor Services staff - Lisa Oakland & Tania Womack for helping with all the visitors!
On October 12th, we once again this year celebrated World Migratory Bird Day by hosting an Everyone Can Bird Event at Hawk Ridge. This is a great cooperative program between Hawk Ridge, Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), Friends of the Lake Superior NERR, Minnesota Land Trust, Wisconsin Sea Grant, and Embark, Duluth Parks and Recreation, and our ASL interpreters, intended to demonstrate that birding is accessible for everyone. As we continue with this program series, having now completed its third season, every session continues to bring more visitors and participants to the magic of birding.
This year the Duluth Parks Track Chair also made a visit to Hawk Ridge for the event and furnished much needed accessibility to happenings for a visitor. Hooray for this view into the future for Hawk Ridge with the funding procured for a fully accessible trail, as part of our facilities improvement plan for accessibility, safety, and education. Here’s to many assists for mobility in the future and opening the wonders of the trail system at Hawk Ridge to all and continuing with many more future Everyone Can Bird Events in the great Duluth/Superior area!
The fall migration season continues through the month of November for our Hawk Ridge Counters and Banders. Education efforts now move forward through the winter outreach and into the Spring Migration season beginning March of 2025. Watch our Hawk Ridge website, enews, and social media for more opportunities through the year to learn about the wonder of the birds!
Margie Menzies
Education Director
UPCOMING EVENTS
International Birding Tour
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.
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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
Fall Raffle at the Ridge
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We held our annual fall Raptors Raffle at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve this October with drawing on October 31st. Thank you to the donors and to all that purchased tickets in support of our bird research and education programs at Hawk Ridge! Congratulations to the following raffle winners:
1) Vortex Diamondback 10x42 Binoculars (winner: Dave Zens, MN)
2) Guided Birding Trip for 2 with Erik Bruhnke (winner: Steve Kirkhorn, MN)
3) $100 Hawk Ridge Merch Gift Certificate (winner: Karen Christy, MN).
The Northern Naturalist
Former Hawk Ridge naturalist & trip leader, Dave Benson, has launched a new natural history newsletter: The Northern Naturalist. Each biweekly newsletter has an in-depth article about a species in our area, a How-to article, a book review, and more. Issue #3 includes an article about How to Experience the Fall Hawk Migration and Issue #5 features the Broad-winged Hawk.
Dave was the Hawk Ridge naturalist from 1998-2000 and has worked as a naturalist at Gooseberry Falls State Park, Jay Cooke State Park, Pattison State Park, and as a guide for Minnesota Birding Weekends. He is the award-winning author of several books, including Owls of the North: a Naturalist’s Handbook. northernnaturalist.
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 shopped our Amazon Wish List this fall for needed supplies! You can check out our list HERE. If you're looking to purchase holiday gifts with 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! Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!
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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